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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think some pet owners are nobheads

99 replies

Ishouldprobablywax · 02/09/2010 16:13

Mainly people who 'rehome' their pets for stupid reasons.
They are for life, not until I have a baby/Until it irritates me by not sleeping when I want/chewing the sofa/making noise

other nobheads include people who don't read about what animal they're getting - 'my kitten scratches'! 'my beagle howls!'

plus I think it's a really shitty message to send your kids, that pets are disposable based on how much they annoy you or get in the way.
Aibu?

OP posts:

Callisto · 02/09/2010 16:17

I totally, utterly agree with you. I remember a woman on here who was desperate for a labradoodle, or some such ridiculously named mongrel, and when she got it she hated the poor thing because it weeed on her carpet and chewed her walls. Stupid cow that she was got huffy when people suggested that perhaps she shouldn't have got a puppy because that's what they do.

Callisto · 02/09/2010 16:17

Ooh, 'weeed' probably should be weed or wee-ed...

BellasFormerFriend · 02/09/2010 16:19

I think it is more general than that, some people are nobheads, some get a car to display their nob-ness with, some a pet, some even have children!

Perhaps we should employ selective breeding? (joke )

Original poster

Ishouldprobablywax · 02/09/2010 16:20

Exactly! I love labs But I would never own one because they are little terrors for the first three years- you need eyes in the back of your head, gah!

OP posts:

VinegarTits · 02/09/2010 16:20

yanbu and some people see then as an accessery like the latest handbag

RespectTheDoughnut · 02/09/2010 16:20

"They are for life, not until I have a baby"

What if the dog is aggressive / territorial towards the child? I wouldn't take that risk, to be honest, no matter how much I loved the dog.

Skyrg · 02/09/2010 16:21

YANBU, but YABU about the 'not until I have a baby' bit.
Babies come before pets, if possible keep the pet, if it's a danger to the baby, it's got to go!
My mum had a kitten and had to get rid of it when I was born (I wasn't planned though) after she found it in my cot and decided it was just dangerous. She did find a new home for it though.
On the other hand, we heard of a family who were getting rid of their adult cat after having a planned baby. They were going to put the cat down. In that case, YANBU, you have a responsibility to the pet, at least rehome it (we took the cat in the end).

About everything else, YANBU.

Original poster

Ishouldprobablywax · 02/09/2010 16:21

Obvs that's different- but if you're planning on having a baby you shouldn't fill the gap with a pet.

OP posts:

musicmadness · 02/09/2010 16:30

YANBU - totally agree.
RespectTheDoughnut: If the dog is aggressive to the new child then that is different IMO, and then rehoming is probably in everyones best interests, including the dogs, but people who rehome 'just in case' are idiots . Future children should of been one of the considerations before getting the dog. Dogs aren't disposable just because you have something new to play with. If you don't want to have a dog and a baby in the same house, don't get the dog in the first place.

Sassybeast · 02/09/2010 16:32

I concur. Our immediate next door neighbours AND the neighbours who back unto our garden both have yappy, scruffy sad looking little dogs which are kept closed in the back gardens day and night, which yap incessently if we use our back garden and which are periodically yelled at from the bowels of both houses. Absolutely poinless and a miserable existance for all 3 animals

Itsonme · 02/09/2010 16:34

Even bigger knobheads are those who take this view and keep their potentially ferocious pets when they have a baby/child and allow them to maul their faces off!

nancydrewrocked · 02/09/2010 16:36

itsonme couldn't have said it better really.....

Itsonme · 02/09/2010 16:38

'people who rehome just in case are idiots'

Yeah, let it bite the kids arm off first, then consider it probably needs rehoming! Yep, that's the sensible thing to do! FFS get real!

Ripeberry · 02/09/2010 16:45

Owners should try everything to limit risks first rather than just rehoming.

Cats being got rid of just because they might sit on the baby is ridiculous, just make sure the cat is out of the room, use a monitor and keep the door closed.

People who rehome, did not realy love the pet in the first place It even sader for the ones who have to move and the new landlord won't accept any pets.

BellaEmbergsLovechild · 02/09/2010 16:47

Itsonme, seeing as that would only happen to someone who had no idea of dog behaviour in the first place, and dog attacks, thankfully are very rare, have a :)

When I was expecting dc1, most people who had an opinion (um, everyone) told dh and I that we would have to get rid of our jack russell, as she would be likely to rip our babies face off, luckily, we know quite a bit about dogs, and somehow (not sure how, according to hysterical dog critics) she has managed to get to 11 years old - without biting anyone - like the majority of dogs in this country. So not unusual.

Had dh and I not known much about dogs, we might have been swayed by the opinion of these ignorant doom merchants, and rehomed her.

I wonder if Vallhala has seen this yet?

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 02/09/2010 16:51

Oh god, can't take another one of these threads.

Seriously the animal haters cannot be persuaded, really like an argument and finish all their points with such stupid 'but the children, think of the poor little children' comments, to gain the moral high ground.

It is a waste of ^time.

ShinyAndNew · 02/09/2010 16:52

OFGS every dog in the world is not a potential child killer. Most are happy, well adjusted loving pets whose owners take the necessary action to ensure they are well trained, happy and socialised. They also teach their children how to behave around the dog. My children know that if they wind my dog up, he will bite them and they will get little sympathy from me. Ergo they respect him and his space and he has never bitten them.

Op - YANBU at all. I too hate this attitude that pets are 'just for now'

lady007pink · 02/09/2010 16:52

We bought a 9mo King Charles off a family whose young girl got him from Santa - then had no interest in him once he was no longer a puppy!

I love him to bits and feel awful for his upheavel - can't imagine what went through his mind to be suddenly living in a different house with different people, but he has been well-loved since day 1 here so I hope that makes up for it.

TitsalinaBumSquash · 02/09/2010 16:54

I assume this was aimed at my thread. ffs.

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 02/09/2010 16:54

Though I feel forced to add that anyone who gets rid of a cat because it sat on their childs bed is a loon.

And if you think you shouldn't have a dog and a baby together, then DON'T GET A FUCKING DOG IF YOU PLAN ON HAVING CHILDREN.

Itsonme · 02/09/2010 16:55

Ooo is she scary? Will she tell me off for suggesting that even people who know about dogs can't always predict their behaviour?

I've studied humans in depth for most of my career, so obviously I know all about them and can always predict their next move. In fact i'm known for picking out a serial killer or 2 in the street!

What you are saying is utter bollocks! No-one can predict what an animal will do when put in a situation it's unhappy with. To suggest they can is simply foolish.

I've seen an apparently placid 12 year old german shepherd go for it's devoted owner. It wasn't pretty, and certainly not worth the risk. It was ok though, cause 'he knew his dog'

Filibear · 02/09/2010 16:56

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 02/09/2010 16:56

Tits What thread?

sparechange · 02/09/2010 16:56

Itsonme, are you suggesting the sensible and 'real' thing to do would be to get rid of the dog before a child comes along, just in case of a miniscule risk of the child getting hurt?

While you're at it, it is probably wise to kick all men out of the house in case they turn out to be paedophiles, and get the electricity disconnected and bin all sharp knives to prevent any accidents

Ridiculous!

roadkillbunny · 02/09/2010 16:59

I got my dog through a dogs home, she had been left there because the previous owners (a childless couple) had moved to a place they couldn't have pets, I have never understood that, I have moved 4 times since having her, any property that was no pets was ruled out straight away, she is part of the family. I guess the exception to that rule is if you are made homeless, then choice is not a luxury you have but from what i understood from the dogs home that was not the case for our dog, she just turned 11, is a happy healthy active dog who loves family life, I have had her 8 years, in that time I have gone from single to married and had 2 children, she is my beloved dog and I would never get rid of her unless there was literally no other choice (only things would be being made homeless or if she became aggressive with the children), I fully accept that as she gets even older she may become incontinent, it is part of having a dog, they live a long time and can get more work as they get older, I wouldn't get rid of a human family member if there care became incontinent so why would I get rid of the dog. There loss was my gain however so I am glad her old owners let her go!

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