To have argued with a beggar (animal abuse content)

[MinnieMoose]

Was I being unreasonable to have an argument with a street beggar?

We were on holiday to Rhodes and visited Rhodes old town one evening with the children.

I had read a campaign in our hotel lobby from a local animal welfare charity, that was informing tourists not to give money to beggars with puppies. As they are taken from their mothers too early and are drugged to keep them quiet, all to gain sympathy for money.

They work as gangs and once the puppies have served their purpose they are killed, they are given no water and left with the beggar in the heat for long periods of time - not to mention the drugs they are given to keep them sleepy.

I was distressed to read this and we encountered a street beggar almost immediately on our evening out.

She was only a young girl (13 at a guess) and had a tiny black pup, asleep next to her.

I couldn't help but feel outraged, should I have turned my head and walked on?

I asked her where the pup's mother was, where was it's water/milk/food? How come the pup was fast asleep and couldn't be roused?

She looked at me blankly, so I informed the tourists around us not to give her any money and suddenly she understands english and begins swearing at me and giving me hand gestures of the "fuck off" variety.

Well then I saw red and an argument followed with lots of swearing and shouting, I am ashamed of myself but as an animal lover I couldn't contain myself.

We informed a policeman and she ran with the poor puppy under her arm.

My husband had taken the children away from the situation before it became heated, but was annoyed with me for causing a scene.

So was I being unreasonable?

If she had been an adult I'd have said no, but as she was a young child who is more than likely being exploited herself, you having a go at her makes me feel uncomfortable.

Sorry.

"
She was only a young girl (13 at a guess) and had a tiny black pup, asleep next to her."

and you were more concerned about the puppy???? Wow

You shouted and swore at a young girl who had quite possibly been made to sit out begging?
YABU. You should have quietly informed the police and let them deal with it.

WOW, you verbally attacked a young girl and you want to know if you was U.

I'm surprised you weren't arrested TBH.

Hhowever if it floats your boat to be fishwifing at an exploited child in need in the street who are we to ask you to step down from your ivory tower. I'm afraid I have little time for people who put animals above humans.

Yes.

You harangued a child in the street - who may have been ordered by an adult to beg with the puppy.

You say you are an animal lover? That's commendable but do you care about the child?

I wonder what her life is like.

YABU - where you not at all concerned for the 13 year old girl begging on the streets at night?

YABV
I know exactly what you mean, having visited Rhodes las year, but the children are just as much victims as the puppy.

You are dam lucky you weren't lynched by the girls parents/guardians, who were no doubt watching from their hiding place making sure the girl did her job right!

Don't you realise she was being used in the same way as the puppy?? Why did you have to be so bastu to her. I agree with the animal abuse factor, it's disgusting !!! But children are used the same way and you just scared her off.

Bastu? Nasty- iPhone fail

Your OP reads oddly too... bit like a magazine article

Did you not ask the child where her mother was, where her water/milk/food was and how come she was sitting out alone on the street at night?

She was 13! She was probably in exactly the same situation as the puppy - did that not occur to you? She probably shouted back because she was scared of a grown woman, and a stranger, shouting at her! I am gobsmacked that you think that was a reasonable way to behave. At least YOUR children didn't have to witness it though, eh?

You sound like one of those sort of people who don't want their holiday ruined but "dirty beggars" I hope you washed your hands if she actually, OMG, TOUCHED you!!

You should be ashamed. She was a child

Oh dear op. you should really be more concerned about the child. What kind of life must she have? All kinds of exploitation is bad, of children it's shameful.

The puppy maybe/maybe not will live a short drugged life. The chid maybe/maybe not will live a sad longer life.

Yabu sorry

YABVU.

She was a child who's being used/exploited justice like the puppy.

why didn't you ask her where her mother was, whether she had any drink or food

FFS

Just goes to show some people do prefer dogs to children.

That's got to be one of the nastiest things I've heard of someone doing in the name of animal welfare,you should be ashamed of yourself

Ok I take on board what your all saying.

I realise that the situation runs deeper than what meets the eye.

I just felt for the puppy being used in such an abusive way.

Of course I realise her plight but she has a voice and could gain help to better her situation.

Common sense should also dictate that the best way to end this practice is for people to simply follow the charity's advice and not give money, rendering it a pointless exercise.

Much more productive than bawling out vulnerable children who are only following orders.

The OP may have been out of order behaving this way with a child but does that make the thousands of people who walk on by and do nothing any better? How many people posting here would walk on tutting but do nothing?

Cross posts - I'm astonished you're for real. She "has a voice and could gain help to better her situation"???? Do you honestly believe she'd be working for an organised gang if that was in fact true??