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Post by J (Hot Mess) on Feb 21, 2008 23:00:37 GMT -5
Ive had several pets. Right now, a 13 year old minature pinscher who is the most full of personality dog Ive ever known. Ive had my (first) beautiful husky that died in my exes arms on our bed. We believe she waited for us to get home before she were to die. Call us foolish..I dont think so though. My ex has my other husky right now but sends me weekly if not bi-weekly photo updates. Before then there was the family kitty Gizmo....she lived 18 years until my stepmom put her down due to tumours. Before then, Buffy, (no relation to the tv show gabdarmits!) a precocious Springapoo who stayed with us for eight years until she nipped at my new baby infant brother and spent the rest of her years out at his grandparents farm.
SO I ask you.
Unless you plan on at least a decade long or more commitment.....why in the heck do you get a pet? A cat or dog. Maybe goldfish and hamsters dont need a commitment like that.
Nothing hurts me more (well, thats not true) than someone disposing of their pet because they became
A~~Inconvenient "who knew it would be such hard work", "It interferes with my kids soccer practice". "They ate my shoes!!!".
B~~Poor Funding. Not sure what to call this one....your pet is ill and you just cant afford to pay for them to be healthy. Pets get ill.
C~~Old Age. Your pet is too old and is too sick so you put it to sleep when in reality it could live a very good life....you just dint want too deal with its throw up or shit messes.
SO anyone who is getting a pet...........think about these things. They aren't fucking throw away toys.
Thanks.
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Post by kittenhart on Feb 22, 2008 0:26:05 GMT -5
I couldn't agree more, J. I really think people just don't think it through, or else they're not honest about how busy their life already is (ie/can't properly make time for a petand all that entails but want to have a pet anyhow)
Did you know that cats can live into their 30's? It's true. I'm sure most people don't know that.
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Post by JimB on Feb 22, 2008 9:39:36 GMT -5
I agree with most of your sentiment. But the xw is a vet, and I saw a lot of this kind of thing first hand.
Agree completely, in terms of it's a lousy reason to put an animal down. However, if a pet has a personality or temperament that doesn't match with that of the household, that can be a big problem.
Case in point: after her divorce, my sister ended up with the care of about 8 cats (not really a big deal for her) and two bull mastiffs. These dogs are 130 lbs plus. One is an absolute sweetheart, the other is a terror. She works a lot of nights and extended hours, and was recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. So she ended up giving the energetic dog to a mastiff rescue organization, and the end result is both she and the dogs are much better off.
Yes, and vet bills can be cripplingly expensive. I was able to borrow $1500 for my dog's knee surgery this past August - had to borrow it because I was temporarily unemployed. For me, it wasn't optional. But I can certainly understand why people would choose to put food on the table rather than pay the vet bills. Again, you hope people will either adopt out the pet or give it to a rescue organization rather than putting it down or letting it "go free", but such is life.
I will never, ever quibble with anyone who makes this decision. For every pet owner who makes this decision too early, there's at least one who makes it too late, resulting in a lot of unnecessary suffering for the animal. The pet can't talk to you, so you have to use your own judgment. It's a horrible situation for a caring pet owner, and I dread the day I have to be in it.
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Post by freckles on Feb 22, 2008 13:52:54 GMT -5
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Post by sheyd on Feb 22, 2008 14:01:05 GMT -5
Thank you, Jim, for all of that. Having recently put a cat down for that reason - the unable to handle the constant urinary leaking - and having a lot of guilt, that helps. He wasn't happy anymore, because no one wanted to hold him when he peed everytime you picked him up. He couldn't sleep on my pillow anymore (for obvious reasons). It was the hardest thing to do - and it wasn't because I didn't love him...
And now I have the "get rid of the dog" thing. The dog would be perfectly good with another household, but my girls are so young and he is now biting. I think it is better to find him a home where he can learn not to bite than continue to try to keep him only to have his alpha-syndrome get worse and have him break skin and HAVE to be put down! It was also not an easy thing - and lots of guilt - but with him increasingly snapping, my kids need to be safe. This will be the FIRST pet I have ever had to get rid of before old age, in all my 36 years. We love him so much, and this is so hard - but I think keeping him just to say I can keep him would be worse for him and us.
Shey
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Post by freckles on Feb 22, 2008 14:02:51 GMT -5
Put it in a Dog Cage(Chain Link) Outside in backyard
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Post by sheyd on Feb 22, 2008 14:07:04 GMT -5
Not viable in Duluth, MN. Too cold. We DO have a fenced in yard, but he can't be outside for long. Plus, beagles are pack creatures, they need to be with a pack... Inside there is a sheltie pup, a cat, three kids and two adults - that is his pack. Leaving him alone outside is a doggie punishment.
Shey
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Post by rocko on Feb 22, 2008 15:27:28 GMT -5
Sometimes people get a dog...and that dog doesn't conform to the breed standards. For instance, an American Bulldog USUALLY will stay in his or her own territory. We have about 15 between my friends and family and THEY ALL FIT THAT, but ONE. He belongs to one that doesn't have a fenced in yard and they have chosen to find him a new home that has a fenced yard.
I see nothing wrong with finding a more suitable home for a pet. It makes EVERYONE happier in the long run.
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Post by jules on Feb 22, 2008 15:44:03 GMT -5
Normally I'd agree. However, recent events have opened my eyes as to why people may try to find new homes for pets as their circumstances change. Case in point... divorce. I'm currently struggling with what is best for my dog. When my husband was around he worked only part time so he was around a lot. On the other hand, between my commute and work hours, I'm away from home at least 12 hours/day, 4 days/week. Doggie is home alone a lot... and she's the type who loves people. I thought about getting another dog to keep her company, but don't know if that's the best solution. I will likely keep her and we'll keep going like we've been going (she's actually adjusted remarkably well -- such a good girl.) But then when I do go away on business and my good girl starts acting like a wild animal for my friend who is watching her (likely expressing that she's pissed that I'm away) I start to wonder if this life is the best for her...
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Post by J (Hot Mess) on Feb 22, 2008 20:49:07 GMT -5
I totally agree that if a pet nips or worse at a child ( see my original post wherein we had to find our dog a new home) that its a viable situation.
As for not being able to afford to pay for your sick pet~~doubtful that it will be rescued as its ill or injured and if the owner doesnt pay the bills the pet will likely just be put down.
As for a pet getting old~~again, OF COURSE if the pet is in pain, cant function, just isnt them self anymore... than thats the most humane thing to do. I would never keep my pet around just because I was too selfish to let him or her go to animal heaven when it was their time to go.
Theres always exceptions in every case but those were three overall guidelines that came to mind. I was mostly just upset about someone who brought their dog to a pound simple b/c they were inconvenienced and tired of one too many pairs of shoes being eaten. Theres a book called "There Are No Bad Dogs"....only bad owners. I think this is true more often than not. Didnt mean to get dog exclusive...if one of you flushes your fish simply because you didnt have enough time to feed it then I am coming after you!!
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Post by finding on Feb 24, 2008 12:19:24 GMT -5
This is a pet peeve of mine as well. It breaks my heart to see a good animal put down for no good reason. The only pets I will purchase from a pet store are small things like rodents (we have a rat), birds, and fish.
A few years ago we adopted a dog that someone had abandoned in a farm field. She was almost dead when my friend found her. A year later we had to get rid of her when it was discovered she was making my youngest son sick. I finally found a place that would give her some more training and take care of her until they found a permanent new home for her.
I adopted a cat this week. I had been looking for a while, but decided against a kitten or something from a pet store and opted for one that needed to be adopted out of it's current home for whatever reason. They called her the "bitch cat". With all of their other pets I don't think she was getting the attention she needed.
She's a great fit for us, and so loving. I am so happy I brought her home and saved her from someone who called her names and said she always hissed at them. She didn't even hiss here when Buddy poked her in the behind.
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Post by kittenhart on Feb 24, 2008 13:09:21 GMT -5
She's a great fit for us, and so loving. I am so happy I brought her home and saved her from someone who called her names and said she always hissed at them. She didn't even hiss here when Buddy poked her in the behind. Sometimes a pet is not a good match for a certain home, but it's nice when people take the time to adopt the animal out to somewhere that is suitable rather than just take it to the pound or vet (to get put down). Some pets need to be only pets, as well.
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Post by J (Hot Mess) on Feb 24, 2008 13:32:44 GMT -5
Aww Finding, you are a classic example of the kind of pet parent I like to see. Good on you for adopting a kitty that this family seems to have been neglecting. I cant believe you mentioned the rat again. Do I need to go get Goosy? LOL. *wink*
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Post by finding on Feb 24, 2008 13:49:26 GMT -5
Aww Finding, you are a classic example of the kind of pet parent I like to see. Good on you for adopting a kitty that this family seems to have been neglecting. I cant believe you mentioned the rat again. Do I need to go get Goosy? LOL. *wink* What, you scared of a hairless rat?
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Post by rocko on Feb 25, 2008 9:05:45 GMT -5
I have one dog ($800), one dog ($500) and one dog ($100 for adoption fees). The $100 dollar dog, Rocko, is the BEST dog of all of these. He was beaten (kicked specifically) by his previous owners and he was seized and taken to a shelter. That shelter has a 90 day kill policy. I had gone to the pet store to pick up food for my frog and there he was. I picked up his folder and saw that he was to be put down the next day. I took him home.
At the same time I have my expensive pup and she is a great dog, but she will never be Rocko because she doesn't appreciate us like he does.
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