To think it's not worth risking your life to save a pet?

[Liketochat1]

A few weeks ago a young rugby star, his father and brother died after his dad jumped in a slurry pit to save the family dog. Earlier this week a mum and her partner died jumping into a river to save their dog. They died and the dog survived. Are pets worth this risk?

What if someone had 10 kids and one fell into a fast flowing river, should they leave the one child or risk leaving the other 9 without a parent?
There's always going to be what ifs. There's no right answer and it depends on the person.
My mother has told me that if she thought the dog was in trouble she'd jump in. Did me or my sister feel unloved or horrified? No. We just nodded because we know we'd do the same because he is a member of our family.

What if someone had 10 kids and one fell into a fast flowing river, should they leave the one child or risk leaving the other 9 without a parent?
There's always going to be what ifs. There's no right answer and it depends on the person.
My mother has told me that if she thought the dog was in trouble she'd jump in. Did me or my sister feel unloved or horrified? No. We just nodded because we know we'd do the same because he is a member of our family.

Well chatting to the dog groomer today after my dog had a hissy fit about having his nails done.. and only calmed down when i came back in the room, 'This dog feels loved by you' 'Yeah i know' 'No, he really feels loved and safe, he was trembling and you came in and immediately he sighed and relaxed'

I couldn't rehome my dog. I wouldn't allow him to die without trying to rescue him.
I could get hit by a bus tomorrow and leave my kids orphans.
I could get cancer like my sister.

If i'm going to die i'd rather it be trying to help someone or something.

Good job most people on here (ok so it is mumsnet not dogsnet) don't mirror the sentiments of thousands of ordinary men and women out there who run rescues and travel up and down the country, pay hard earned cash to get dogs off death row, pay to have them neutered and chipped, often they have families, surely? And those families must have to take a back seat now and again.

Nothing said here has made me change my mind.
Yes i would still try to save my dog and not think about what might happen.

But it's not a choice is there - either due saving a pet or die by getting hit by a bus. Therefore that ligic doesn't really make sense.

And I don't think it's a case of people not believing you can have a children and love animals. Many people xsn't believe some would put their animals BEFORE their children. Massive difference.

I agree but after watching my lurcher die, I would say that it is not always a voluntary impulse. I would have done anything to save him in that moment although in the clear light of day I would not run into a burning building etc to save him. It is so hard to predict what we would do.

You don't often jump into a slurry pit or a river to save something unless you think you can. If you thought you were going to die, you wouldn't do it.

Sometimes you freeze in a situation you could make a difference in. Sometimes you run headlong into certain death. But for the most part, I am pretty sure that the young rugby star didn't try to save the family pet knowing he would die... nor did his brother or father.

I don't like animals all that much, but I risked my safety putting a bird back in its nest (it had fallen under some wood in our shed, the wood was precariously balanced had it dropped on me I'd have been a gonner)... its more complex than 'would you put your life at risk to save an animal?' I certainly wouldn't have, yet I did.

The cat got the bird the next day, how utterly pointless was my rescue!

I can't predict what I would do in a nightmare situation, but I adore my cats beyond words and feel sick at the faintest idea of them suffering at all. I think it's pretty likely I (or my DH) would do something potentially silly to try to rescue them. They love us (in their catly way), rely on us, and are 100% part of the family. I love them more than some of the human members of my family.

In the same vein i also think that as i could make the decision to have my dog PTS if he was in pain you should also be able to do that for a person.

Ridiculous that an animal can be put out of its misery but the same courtesy can not be extended to humans.