to think some people should not have pets?

[LetsChangeNamesForThis]

Need to change the details a bit to make this less recognisable... hm.

A family member keeps getting pets. Their children aged 7 to 12 are quite keen on them, but don't really take care of them - it's more about getting a new pet, then they lose interest quite soon, so the parents end up taking care of them.

Over the last 12 months, the fish boiled to death died because they forgot to move the aquarium out of the very hot conservatory in summer. A snake died of starvation and they didn't even realise that it hadn't moved for several days. The puppy was run over by the family car. The kitten ran away and was found dead in a ditch.

AIBU to think that adding more pets to the menagerie at this stage would be somewhat irresponsible? And to not want their very, very patronising childcare advice either?

Jeffrey that pic has put a huge smile on my face. Looks like he enjoyed his last month's with you.

Stupid correct - Joffrey

Oh, he's just like big-eyed Puss in Boots, but in the bath!

Gumtree ads are ridiculous. I wish animals had mandatory chipping and registration like cars so that their "sale" (or dumping) could be better monitored. "Free to good home" are the worst, who knows what sick bastard is going to get ahold of these animals?

YANBU. The fish and snake died of cruelty. The puppy and kitten of neglect. What the hell is wrong with these people? Next time report to RSPCA anon. Don't feel guilty. They shouldn't have animals anywhere near them. I'd say having a dog is harder than a child at times, with all the mess and vaccinations and walks etc. Not something someone who can't even be arsed to feed a snake could manage. Totally disrespectful to animals that are wonderful companions and rely totally on us to keep them safe.

I worked with an idiot like this, 2 king charles puppies died, one knocked down, the next one's death was never explained. Just before she was going on ML there was a photo on her phone of a Maltese puppy she and her oafish OH were mooning over- all bought from scabby puppy dealers.
A colleague and I warned about getting a dog with a new baby-went down the "too much trouble for you" route as previous warnings about puppy farms and cruelty going hand in hand were ignored.

She was the type obsessed with money and showing off, and was reliably bitchy to or about anyone who got anything nice, new extension, hairdo, new boots, losing weight whatever. It was all about appearances. Ironically she used to moan about a neighbour who she claimed was always calling round to show off/lie about how much he was spending on the kids/house. She should definitely not be allowed to have any animal, they were just another disposal commodity for showing off with. Made me sick.

It drives me nuts!!!!!!! I work in animal welfare and have to pick up the pieces when people take on animals without properly thinking about it.

I have one friend who keeps getting pets. I tell her not to, she ignores me. I then inevitably get a call expecting me to rehome the animal for her through my contacts. Fuck right off!!!

She told me she wanted hens. I said don't, you live in housing estate, not a good idea, rented property. A year later I get message 'la, do you know anyone who would rehome my hens? I don't want then anymore' cue me having to find her names of poultry rehoming.

She got lots of reptiles, kept them in room filled with reptiles. Year later 'la do you know where we could rehome our reptiles? We don't want them anymore' cue me having to find homes for them.

She got a cat - moved in with boyfriend who also has 2 cats. She just gone and got...yes...another cat! Anyone who knows anything about cats knows that that's probably going to be quite a stressful situation for the cats, all unrelated in one house.

Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrggggggghhhhhh!!! If I was an accountant and people asked me for advice they'd probably listen. But everyone thinks they're an expert on animals because they owned one once. So despite me giving advice about stress, husbandry, best way to introduce new pets to older etc I just get ignored - then they expect my expertise when things go wrong.

I hate anyone who takes on an animal without first thinking about:

How long will it live?
How big will it grow and do you have the space?
What environment is correct to keep it in? (Yes you might have to have litter tray in house, yes cat will pee everywhere if you don't provide this and don't let it out enough)
What should it be fed, how much and how often (no you can't just leave a cat for two days while you go on holiday, fucking pay for a Cattery or cat sitter!)
Should it have company - or does it prefer to live alone (cat people - some cats don't like to live with other cats!)
Can you afford insurance/vet fees? If no, don't get an animal. They get sick or injured sometimes just like you and you need to pay for this.
Do you need to exercise it and if so can you do this adequately? (No you can't just leave a dog home for 7 hours while you're at work, if you're going to do this then don't get a dog!)

I see so many posts on MN pet pages - 'I've got a pet, how do I look after it?'

Seriously - you bought a pet without first finding out how to look after it? You shouldn't have a pet.

Grr. Big rant. Feel better now

What a gorgeous ginge. :)
Yanbu. Sil bought a puppy last year. She has walked it twice, it's a collie. It literally runs and runs round her 5 bed house all day :(

This really gets my goat I know people like this, they get a pet on a whim without any thought on the care it will need or the money it takes to look after it.
One couple I know have never had a pet for more than a year. its all fine and dandy whilst they are small but as time goes on they lose interest, animal is not given the care and attention needed then the complaints start about how hard it is and how much they cant afford it. Animal then gets passed over and they start thinking about another one.

Just this week I have heard of 3 people rehoming their cats in favour of a puppy. First family got the puppy and decided to "get rid of cats" as they don't like the dog!!
Other 2 are getting rid of cats because they are getting a dog. These cats are all between the ages of 3 and 6 years old.

Don't get me started on the reasons why they need to rehome. Its getting ridiculous.
The most common ones are allergies/new baby/ moving house-landlord wont allow.
But a new excuse that has popped up recently is we are moving house and I don't want the cat to get lost (have seen at least 4 ads stating this) which doesn't make sense as if being rehomed it will be at a new house anyway and no different than moving with the owners!!!!

You can almost guarantee that these people will in due course go out and get another pet.

I agree but in your case op it seems either they were cruel/stupid as well.

World of difference between me getting a rabbit (who hated me!) I cared for him for 2-3 years until he was rehomed with guinea pig.

Goldfish can die from overfeeding etc.

All my other pets, hamster, mice were well cared for and brother's - slow worm, tarantula as well as family dog.

Yanbu. Since getting my rats I have seriously thought that licences to own animals should be introduced, not a generic licence either but one where have to prove that you understand the need of the animal you are buying. I see so !many animals, especually small animals, on Gumtree and the likes that people are trying to sell when they get bored of them. Even then, you also see people who but them without bothering to look up how to care for them, then they come on forums 6 months down the line and prove that their pets have inadequate cages, inadequate food, etc. Stuff that could have been solved by researching the animal and not trusting the feeding pet shop to know what is suitable!

T thing that really pisses me off is "My baby rat is ill and I can't afford to take it to the vet." I have been kicked off of one of the more promenant rodent forums for suggesting that they shouldn't have bloody brought it then.

I didn't read before I wrote, yy to people being astounded by you spending money on a small animal at the vet! My 2 big boys are going to need meds forthe rest of their lives, we've easily spent over £200 for their issue alone in the year we've had them and I remember my dad being angry with me for taking them to the vet!
We haven't been to the vet since the end of January its the longest stint we've managed to go without taking one of them

My mum spent 50 pounds a month on medication for our sadly recently deceased family dog. She literally loved that dog so much it was unreal. However so many people were angry at her spending the money and just her to dump him
Some people are horrible fuckers

A family member bought a lab puppy for their 10 year old for his birthday.
10 year of was interested for about 24 hours.
Another family member threw a guinea pig over her back fence when the children got bored of it.
I don't speak to either of them any more

Oh no that's horrible Hoppinggreen. Poor little guinea.

I agree with Rattie that pet owners should have to be licensed. I have often thought that.

One big problem is that a lot of people seem to regard them as animated toys for their children, so when the kids get bored they just get neglected or dumped. But they should realise that as the adult the ultimate responsibility is theirs.

If you choose to own an animal (no one is forcing you!) then you have a duty to it to do your best for it, which includes veterinary treatment when required, even if that is expensive.

It's horrendous, unfortunately you are likely to stop irresponsible people from having pets as you can stop them procreating.

I agree with a previous poster, they should clearly be reported.

you are as likely*

What I don't get, and it is off topic but do they have no guilt/shame? If any of those things happened to one of my pets I would be questioning my ability to keep anything (including a plant). People seem to have very differing views on when they are to blame.

Yanbu! In my street I am one of five dog owners. All large breeds, think labs, collies, boxers. Only my dog gets walked daily. No they don't walk them in the morning or night when I don't see them- two walk them up and down the lane once a day ( in a 20 house terrace street ) the others consider their large gardens quite adequate and shove the poor dogs out there at dawn to bark until they go back in at six. Plenty of exercise for them I'm told. One of these neighbours threatened to report me for 'dragging that poor animal around for miles for no good reason! Look at how thin she is!' Er - no, dogs should be walked, just to go for a walk is a good reason, and no she's not thin, perfect weight for her breed in fact, it's just all of your dogs are horrifically obese because of your neglect of them. I will never understand why it's not considered neglect by the authorities.

Yes. My friends NDN.

His daughter is about 10 I think and lives with her mum but visits dad most Fridays through to Sunday.

A couple of years ago she wanted a kitten so he bought her one. Of course he didn't bother spaying it so it went on to have kittens at 9mo. My friend took two of the kittens and he did then spay mum.
She ended up run over though :(

Then the daughter wanted a rabbit. Soon lost interest. It ended up getting out of its hutch and because he couldn't be arsed to catch it, it ended up run over too.

Then she wanted a puppy so he bought her a bulldog pup.

We used to hear him swearing when he came home from work to find mess (he works full time).

That ended when the daughter got bored with it and they got rid.

My friend was chatting to him yesterday and he was saying that they're going to pick up the daughters birthday present in a couple of weeks.

A husky puppy.

I really wish they would introduce stronger laws on animal neglect and make a strong example of the 1st person who gets convicted.

Also, they should teach this in primary school.

I wholeheartedly agree with Middlerose that we need much stronger laws and subsequent punishments. I also think that it needs to be much more difficult to own a pet.

My neighbour has 5 dogs. None of them are ever walked more than a few minutes every couple of weeks or so. One is kept in the conservatory 24 hours a day, in the heat of summer and in the middle of winter. Breaks my heart. A relative of mine is on dog number 5 or 6, this is only in the last few years. They buy a puppy, stick it in a crate, never train it, barely walk it, can't cope with it so get rid and then buy another puppy a few months later.

None of this is uncommon.

Oh my god I 100% agree, this really upsets me.

DHs cousin didn't want to get their cat spayed as "why should we deprive her of having babies" wtf! I know I'm preaching to the converted here but unless they take responsibility for the kittens why are they allowing more to be born?! They didn't take responsibility of course, they just gave them away.

Also, in laws live on a terraced street and there are decent sized gardens at the back. They keep their cat out the back at all times, and as its terraced he can never escape round to the (busy) road (unless he made a long trek which I guess is possible but still..) ......Soooooo many fuckers who live on that road let their cats out the front...and of course they get run over. And there is literally nothing of interest for the cats at the front either. Just cars and road.

Also someone I know getting their kid a pet as a "treat". But always moaning about running out of money...how are they going to afford food and vets bills..

Agree that this should be covered in primary school.

Our teenage DD wanted mice. Particular mice. Her school was going to kill the laboratory mice. There would then be mice for the pupils to dissect in Biology lessons. Our DD asked if she could bring some home to save their lives. We said No and thought no more about it.

Several days later I smelt something. We had a rabbit outside and it smelt like his hay / straw but it was upstairs. Investigation revealed a vivarium containing mice ..... She'd had them for a week without our knowledge. We then gave in and had them for the rest of their lives - about 19 months.

In the SPCA there was a can that was abandoned and the readon stated was the child did not want it anymore.

At the time it quite shocked me. I think many people act like this out of ignorance. If a parent gets an animal for a child it's important that the adult wants to care for it. No matter how much the child promises to do all the care, it will still be the adult's responsability to make sure they are done.

I think it would be helpful if there was a mandatory class to own an animal.