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More and more pets being abandoned

Discussion in 'Lounge' started by TrueDolFan, Nov 24, 2009.

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  1. TrueDolFan

    TrueDolFan Minion of Satan

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    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34117457/ns/us_news-the_elkhart_project

    I'm positive that this is happening all over the country.

    It angers me that people treat animals like this. People's attitudes toward animals sickens me. When will people realize that animals aren't posessions that can be casually tossed aside?

    I don't know about any of you, but there is no way on Earth that I would EVER abandon my pet. No matter what it took, I would take care of him and make sure he had food to eat.

    Anything less than that, IMO, is despicable.
     
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  2. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    It is pretty insulting to people that they are casually tossing them aside. Pets are awesome, however when the choice is feeding pets or feeding children, people will generally choose children.
     
  3. TrueDolFan

    TrueDolFan Minion of Satan

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    Very true, but I refuse to believe that spending $15 for a bag of dog food for the month would be the difference between their kids eating or not.
     
  4. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    then you have never truly been poor.
     
  5. Samphin

    Samphin Κακό σκυλί ψόφο δεν έχει

    There is more to it then just $15 a month on food. I wish it was $15 a month for dog food. I have a 90 lb. rottweiler who goes through about two giant bags of food per month, which comes out to roughly $100 a month on just food. Not to mention that she needs her heartworm medicine monthly (as a preventative measure), treats, bones, toys, and oh, by the way, she has to take her joint medicine, propagest and the occasional vet visit for check ups, emergency situations etc.

    Now, my dog also have cancer right now so I am spending through the nose right now for chemo treatments. That isn't typical, but I think it is folly to think that 15 bucks a month satisfies the pet expenses.

    Ialso don't have kids. If I had even one child right now, I don't think I would be able to afford the chemo treatments on my dog, as much I love her, I would have to make the tough decision to make her as comfortable as possible and let her go.

    Fortunately I am in a position where I can take care of her, but in these times, luxury items are the first to go, and as cold as it sounds, animals are just that. Int eh eys of this country, animals are nothing more than property in these types of situations.

    Having said that, I think there are plenty of options for people who can no longer keep their pets. No kill shelters, adoption services and the kindness of strangers/family should all be utilized as opposed to just ditching your animal.
     
  6. Stitches

    Stitches ThePhin's Biggest Killjoy Luxury Box

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    I'd feed my dogs before I'd feed myself. But that's me. My dogs are my kids.

    I wouldn't understand people abandoning their pets, but I could understand them giving them up for adoption or to a shelter.
     
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  7. Vendigo

    Vendigo German Gigolo Club Member

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    I'd abandon the owners. At, say, the North Pole in their underwear.
     
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  8. opfinistic

    opfinistic Braaaaains!

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    I've got my two dogs and they are a bit expensive at times, Chorizo requires Insulin and needles on a regular basis, and they eat a specially formulated Dog Food that ain't cheap mixed with boiled chicken thighs. Even when things have been tight as hell I've kept up with their shots, their food, their flea control and heartworm meds, I've eaten Ramen Noodles for dinner here and there while they eat their special food mixed with chicken. I have felt that people should be required to have a license to own certain pets, not to make money for the state, or whoever, but that license should be issued after taking a class that helps educate people on the pros and cons of having a pet. Having to take a class and get a license would probably help curb the 'impulse' pet buyers that end up choosing a pet they (and the poor animal) end up regretting.
     
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  9. TrueDolFan

    TrueDolFan Minion of Satan

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    I couldn't agree with you more.

    I pay $12.99 for a 4 pound bag of super-premium grain-free food for my dog. That lasts him roughly a month. But he's a 13 pound Bichon Frise, not a huge rot. I'd say with all the expenses, it's around $75-80 per month to take care of him.

    I think too many idiots go out and buy a dog, not understanding that there is more to taking care of him than giving him food and water.
     
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  10. TrueDolFan

    TrueDolFan Minion of Satan

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    I agree.

    I feel the same way about people needing a license to have kids, but that's a topic for a whole different discussion...
     
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  11. opfinistic

    opfinistic Braaaaains!

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    :pity:

    You ain't lying.
     
  12. Sethdaddy8

    Sethdaddy8 Well-Known Member

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    i have a bulldog and a daughter. the 2 most expensive examples of their respective species. caesar just had his, i want to say, 10th surgery? he is 5. fortunately , its non-life threatening stuff. but that, and a fancy diet to keep his sensitive skin and bowels in check. its way more expensive than i ever anticipated.

    he's my 2nd bulldog. the first went nearly 12 years problem free.

    and yeah, try having a wife with a 2 yr old daughter. you want to talk credit card bills...

    Que, Once in a Lifetime by Talking Heads.
     
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  13. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    That would kill a lot more animals.
     
  14. Samphin

    Samphin Κακό σκυλί ψόφο δεν έχει

    I like the idea. I also think that it should be required to have the animals spayed/neutered upon adoption. Aperfect example is a friend of mine who rescued a female cat recently, only to find otu that she was pregnant. He ended up with 5 or 6 extra cats out of that and it has taken him forever to dwindle it down to one kitten and the mother (and his previous jumbo cat, Mr. Kitty).

    This is true up front, but if it were established, over time it would even out and I think the quality of life for the animals turns out to be better, and you have less abandoned animals over all, no?

    A couple of years ago, I was walking my rotty (Roxy) into a petsmart and saw a gorgeous rottweiler/Bermese Mountain Dog mix named...Rocky. He looked and acted like the male version of my dog and I decided to adopt him on the spot.

    Before I signed off on everything, I brought him and my pup to a play area and let them meet one another. Everything was kosher until he snuck up behind my dog to smell her, it startled her, she turned, showed her teeth and snapped at him. At that point, I called the adoption off for fear that they may not get along beyond the normal feeling out process.

    The last thing I needed was double the vet bills from two agressive dogs who can't seem to figure out how to live with one another. While I was sad it didn't work out, I found out later that Rocky was adopted by a nice family who loves him to this day. I think everyone is probably better off for how it worked out.

    I suppose the point of the story was that if responsible pet owners can step away from the thrill of getting something "new" and realize why it is or isn't a good idea, we would have less of a problem.
     
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  15. TrueDolFan

    TrueDolFan Minion of Satan

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    Exactly. The whole point is for people to be responsible.

    Too many people just plain aren't...
     
  16. opfinistic

    opfinistic Braaaaains!

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    What would? Educating potential new owners? Unregulated breeding is bad enough, people breed dogs regardless of their disposition, mannerisms, genetic deficiencies etc, that issue would need to be dealt with as well. Educating potential owners might make people really think about what goes in to training an animal, what goes in to caring for an animal, and what kind of commitment they are making when they ask 'how much is that doggy in the window'? It might also lead to less people abusing their dogs because they are too ignorant to train them properly. Less people drowning unwanted puppies/kittens because their owners were too ignorant or lazy to 'fix' them. Less people being bitten by, or having their children attacked by breeds that are inherently dangerous to kids. The whole system could stand to be revamped to some degree, with harsher penalties against puppy mills, 'fixing' of pets to be required unless you are a licensed breeder, etc etc.
     
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  17. BigDogsHunt

    BigDogsHunt Enough talk...prove it!

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  18. Miamian

    Miamian Senior Member

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    Unfortunately, there is no magic solution here. This is hard, cold reality. I wouldn't say that everyone who gives up their pets to a shelter doesn't feel anything for them. I remember when I adopted my cat at the shelter, a young couple came in and dropped off a couple of kittens. It looked like it was hard for the woman.

    I'm also one of those that would give up other luxuries for my cat. He would be the last thing to go. I miss him so much.
     
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  19. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    Reducing the amount of people who can adopt pets would cause more homless pets.
     
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  20. opfinistic

    opfinistic Braaaaains!

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    Short term yes. But coupled with the other things I mentioned in the long term it would help solve the problem.
     
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