re: What is your opinion of those who get rid of their dogs?

Ownership of a pet is both a responsibility and a reward. When you sign up for the pet, you also are signing up to take care of it always.
There are instances where, at times, the owners feel that they need to rid of a pet, such as having a baby, but that to me is always a cop out. One should be able to easily handle both a pet and a baby simultaneously. It's not that hard.