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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

FFS pets are not toys

17 replies

hopingforamiracle · 10/03/2015 19:47

Why do people do this? Buy their young child a pet and when said child gets bored of it, they get rid of it or neglect it. Pisses me off. A pet is not a fucking toy to entertain your kid! SIL got her 3 year old a hamster, it was agressive so her kids couldn't squish and play with it, they dropped the poor thing about 4 feet and the mother didn't bother cleaning the cage because it bites. She half jokingly said she doesn't know what to do and is thinking of starving it to death. A week later the poor thing was dead after being poked and prodded through the cage by the toddler and SIL.

OP posts:

Eternity48 · 10/03/2015 19:51

That's disgusting and she should be reported.

maninawomansworld · 10/03/2015 19:54

Appalling.
Nothing else to say really.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 10/03/2015 19:58

Yes it is vile and cruel. And just because they are small and defenceless doesn't mean they don't have feelings.

I get really annoyed by the "Kids lost interest" on Gumtree ( my passion is guinea-pigs) I really want to phone them up and say "You, the adult took on the responsibility, not your child. As a minor they legally cannot. So either take care of it yourself or tell your child to Man Up and take their responsibility"

Or the "got a new dog and it keeps annoying them" should have thought of that. There are ways to keep them apart.

Makes me to say the least.

SlaggyIsland · 10/03/2015 20:00

Report her to the RSCPA. A hefty fine and a ban on owning animals may concentrate her dim, selfish little mind.

kewtogetin · 10/03/2015 20:03

The number of people who get rid of their dogs when kids come along disgusts me. People who previously worshipped their dogs, treated them as children, only to ditch them when the real thing comes along. Giving out lame excuses 'we just don't have the time anymore' and 'he deserves to be in a home where he's properly looked after' you should be fucking looking after it! You get a pet you look after it for its lifetime, not just until you can't be arsed anymore because it's too much like hardwork.

Charlie97 · 10/03/2015 20:04

That's shocking! Vile even?

I think pets are an important part of family life, we always had a cat. They teach respect and need to care for an animal in most cases. However,expecting a toddler to have empathy for the death of a pet is ridiculous, but you could try teaching how it's not appropriate to poke and prod as it hurts!

DishwasherDogs · 10/03/2015 20:05

I'm constantly shocked by the attitude that pets are disposable, but it's fine because they've got a lovely home lined up for it.

Usually crappy excuses that should have been thought of before they actually got the dog - the dc can't be bothered to walk it, it's such a tie, it moults on the carpet.........

Seriously, think about these things before you get a dog (or other living thing) rather than letting it become a member of your family then uprooting it because you didn't think it through.

But it's ok, isn't it, it's not like you're rehousing one of your children

Lilicat1013 · 10/03/2015 20:14

I hate it, I don't think anyone should get a pet for a child that they aren't prepared to take life time care of themselves. If I got a pet for my child and they lost interest I would be overseeing them cleaning out the cage and doing all other things the pet needed because they need to learn the commitment of having a pet. Getting bored and neglecting it isn't an option.

Someone I know has a revolving door of pets, a new pet arrives every few weeks and disappears a short while later when they aren't little and fun any more. I hate it, I hate every time I see a new picture of Facebook and it is another fucking pet.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 10/03/2015 20:21

We got a rescue cat when we bought our house, she was here through my two pregnancies (extra precautions needed but it's doable) and tolerated my DC (didn't like them though )

She died at 17yo when I had to make the diffuicult decision to have her PTS.

She added an extra £££ to our holiday costs when she went to cattery boarding.
A fortune at the vets (this was before insurance was so popular and by then she had pre-existing conditions)

And because she was a Rescue (as are all my guinea-pigs) there was no thought of rehoming them. They'd already been through it and we always had the security with Rescue that they would if need be, take them back.

They are too easy to buy sadly. (Or breed)

rockinrobintweet · 10/03/2015 20:23

oh goodness that sounds horrific.. I would report but understand your relationship with her may make this difficult.

small animals seem a bit silly for children IMO as they cannot appreciate them and usually end up hurting them. DH and i however do have a big garden, 2 dogs and a bunny (pre dd) and so for my daughters birthday am going to buy another bunny so that she can watch bunny grow (and she's got lots of family to buy toys so we wanted to get something different).

she loves the garden and we've cared for animals all our life- we don't grow out of them and get bored so the present is fitting for our daughter. she's particularly interested in nature and animals so have ever confidence it will be something that continues (and if not I am more than happy to maintain!!)

the saying 'a dogs not just for christmas springs to mind' which is exactly what i said to MIL when she asked if we were 'binning' the dogs because i was pregnant!!!!

rockinrobintweet · 10/03/2015 20:25

I mean rabbit.. but thank you dd for never letting me switch off 'mommy mode' language??????

WorraLiberty · 10/03/2015 20:26

She sounds vile

No point in reporting her though, as I'm sure the evidence will be long gone

Poor thing probably died of thirst rather than hunger, as they dehydrate very quickly

OrinocoTheWomble · 10/03/2015 20:28

I don't care who it is. I would report this immediately. Disgusting.

SuasSios · 10/03/2015 20:29

This grinds my gears. Our fella was rehomed at least twice before we got him at 9 months. We have him 6 months now and he's still nervy and scared of the car, which we think he associates with being dumped again moved to a new "home"
He's ours now for life, and if that makes things a little inconvenient at times... like, we don't have the luxury of heading off to friends at short notice... it's more than worth it when he gives us a paw.
I've had to block the local dog rescue from my FB newsfeed, it would make you cry most days

fattymcfatfat · 10/03/2015 20:31

I have an alsatian. he is 12 years old and still as boisterous as a pup. he is my baby even though I have 2 DCs and one on the way.
I get so at people not caring for their animals. I reported the woman who lived in the flat behind my house for her neglect and abuse of her dogs. she had a beautiful husky and an alsatian but she didnt feed them, they were skinny and had bald patches everywhere. and she used to beat them poor doggies

Damnautocorrect · 10/03/2015 20:47

Poor thing, I genuinely couldn't hold back from saying something. I bet it was only biting because of its treatment. One of our old hamsters only bit my neice, that was because she woke him up, poked him, screamed and shouted at the cage. She was 9 and not allowed anywhere near him again.

My SIL is the same it's bloody disgusting, hamsters, guineas, 3x dogs, cats.
Yes sadly very occasionally things change but they are as part of the family as a child.

I carefully consider any pet I've had, they are part of my family. I will only have a pet if I know for its hopefully long duration I can provide it a happy home.

BorisBaby · 10/03/2015 22:12

I really hate the world of throw away pets. We got our 2nd dog when DC3 was 8 weeks and the pup was 8 weeks, we had been after her selected mixed breed for 2 years. The timing wasn't perfect but I've grown up with dogs (working and pets) and knew I could cope. She's just about perfect, DC love her and is squishing my legs as I type! In fact were looking at getting another when she's 3 Ddog1 is very old and has cancer so not long left sadly I've had her before I even knew DH We fancy fostering dogs but I'm not brave enough whilst the kids are so young.

A neighbour got a lovely little pup that was house trained before she moved in with them, they didn't let her out so she went in the house when she had her first season they got rid of her because of the mess. Ruined the pup they did

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