...to think that NOBODY should get a dog EVER without my express permission?

[BroccoliSpears]

You could apply to me in writing and I'd assess you and my decision would be final.

People who wouldn't get dogs include

• People who work and plan to leave the dog shut in.
• People who don't really like dogs but think it would be nice for the kids.
• People who have never had a dog before (unless they're prepared to undertake a dog course).

Okay, perhaps I'm being a teensy weensy bit unreasonable, but I find it so depressing how casually people get dogs and then get rid of them.

In the last week I've been told two very similar stories from unrelated people about how they got a dog but it was "a disaster" because he just chewed things and weed in the house and wrecked the carpet and wouldn't do as he's told and in they end they had to give him to the rescue centre because he was no good. There is no taboo about cheerfully chucking a dog on the scrap if you don't want it.

I utterly utterly adore my dog and wouldn't be without her, but when people I know (even friends) get That Look in their eye as they see dog and DD playing together, and wonder if they should get a dog I want to scream "NOOOOO". I want to rant that yes, my dog is well behaved and doesn't chew stuff and walks nicely next to the pushchair and adores DD and is a joyous addition to out family, but how do you think she got like that???? It wasn't a fluke. I thought very carefully about what breed, what age and what sex dog would suit our family. I worked really hard with her to ensure that she was well behaved and well socialised with other dogs and people. Plus, I love dogs. To me it will never really be a chore to pick up poo in the garden or take her to the park in the rain, any more than it's a chore to feed and bath DD at the end of a long tireing day.

But if I said all that I'd be patronising and ranting and would eventually lose all my friends and have to become a crazy cat lady or something.

I just wish that people had a more realistic idea of what having a dog was like before they went tripping off to get one. They can be wonderful, wonderful pets if you know what you're letting yourself in for.

And I wish that getting a dog was understood as a commitment to that animals's wellfair for the rest of its life, however inconvenient that may be to you.

Hmm fair enough as I'm not a dog person anyway.

Can I just add to your list though?

*People who let their dogs crap outside my gate & don't pick it up meaning that in these dark evenings it'll get tracked into the house either on our shoes or the buggy wheels

No. You aren't. Dogs are bloody hard work and that isn't optional. Which is the bit that people don't always understand.

YANBU - I understand perfectly, which is why we don't have one although DS2 has often asked for one (the hard work wouldn't be his!)

Mind you some people have children too casually too and that's much worse.

Maybe there should be a full days crash course or something with all of your list and the expense etc etc that comes with having a dog and the TIME needed to commit.
I have 1 cat, now diabetic, expensive and needing injected twice a day.
The amount of people who have said they would have him put down FGS theres nothing wrong with him as his illness is managed.
Some people just dont think...and while ive had my one cat my friends have gone through TONS of animals all ending up rehomed or kittens having kittens etc. Oh its crap.
Oh and then they do it again 6 months later.
If I was true to myself I wouldnt have any human friends regarding this subject

Oh Gosh, broccoli, can I be the cat monitor please?
I have a friend that goes through phases of thinking it would be nice to have an animal, gets one and within weeks ignores it. I have her last cat because I went round her house and she through a remote control at it!
She has had goodness knows how many dogs/cats/rabbits etc always with the best intentions but when it comes to it she gets bored of it.

FWIW, I also had a dog, when I ot it I lived with my exdp and was at home all day, I walked him every night whilst exdp watched the children. When we split up I had to go back to work and couldnt take him out anymore, so I found him a new home even though it broke my heart to let him go, because he needed something I could no longer give him.
That should be on your list too, that if at any time you can no longer provide what the dog needs you should find it a good home.

YANBU. So many idiots get dogs without thinking of the long term consequences. Dogs, cats & rabbits are all pretty long term and hard work.

Yes VS, you may be Cat Monitor.
We also need a Rabbit Monitor. I've had rabbits - bloody awful pets in my opinion, lots of work and in return you get lots of destruction and the odd bit of affection if and when they feel like it. I still loved the little buggers though and we didn't shut them in their hutch just because it would be easier.

Can you add the following people to your list who should be banned from keeping dogs.

a) Those who are on low incomes/ benefits and cannot afford the vet fees.
b) Those who are elderly and infirm who are either likely to be outlived by the dog, or become too ill to do the necessary work. Prehaps an elderly person can look after an old dog.
c) People who do not have enough space.

Also there needs to be some control over what breed of dog someone has.

I'm lazy I don't have a dog. A child is enough work for me.

brocolli I can be rabbit monitor. They are fantastic pets but need to be treated more like a dog. Mine played football . My DP would love a rabbit but we are sensible enough to know its not practical, we just have guinea pigs for now.

Also ban people from getting pets on Freecycle . Whats wrong with the RSPCA?

I think the bit about people on benefits is a bit, well, you know...I am, and I have no money, but as well as having fostered several cats in the past when I was volunteering for a rehoming charity, I have had a fair few oldies whom I have looked after till they died.
I have a cat now who was youngish and fit, is no problem, and is insured. I make sure I can afford the vet though vet's fees are often ridiculous. Sometimes I put off worming/defleaing her when she seems Ok, as it is so expensive.

I think the financial problem with pets might be alleviated somewhat if there was a limit on the cost of medecines and treatment for them. It is shocking and would be the only reason I would let a pet go - in fact I did once take a glorious old cat back to the sanctuary he came from, because he had a skin condition I could not afford to treat and was an allergy to fleas which needed regular injections at the vet's, plus spot-on flea killer plus the oral version, it was ridiculous and not covered by insurance. I was also pregnant at the time. I hated myself for taking him back. I was never sure how trustworthy the vet who insisted he needed all that was, either.

different my local freecycle always has idiots people offering or wanting pets. The best was someone wanting a sodding parrot! "Oh look, I have one behind my sofa that i was trying to get rid of" .

absolutely agree. I too know a family who have had that many animals over the yrs. myself ansd my sis had a dog for yrs till he died when we were kids and then had another until he died. this family had several, none of which they kept till old age. tHE also take dog to PDSA For free treatment.

AS an adult n living with dp we have had same dog for 13yrs. makes me mad when people get rid of dogs cos havent thought about it and they realise can be hard work.

AGREE to some extent about the benefit thing too. Loads of people round here have sometimes two or more expensive dogs. e.g. Staff's, Weimerainer's etc. ON THE dole. Makes me laugh.

I agree with you totally and I have never had a dog (apart from the fact I have always had cats !) because when I start to really think about it I realise what a responsibility they are. Cats are enough of a responsibility but I'm prepared to take that on and have always had rescue cats, rather than perpetuating feline pregnancy by getting cute kittens from pet shops.

Freecycle - yes ! Every so often someone offers up kittens or rabbits in my local group and each time I send them a "snotty" reply directing them to one of the nearby animal shelters to deal with their "problem". Seems some people are so lazy they'd rather hand over unwanted animals to a stranger at the door rather than make the effort to contact someone who'd vet potential owners properly. And doubly lazy/selfish/thoughtless of course for allowing their pets to fall pregnant in the 1st place. Jesus - it's not as if unwanted animals in need of a home are in short supply or something.

Rant over !

I think cats should be banned

people keep cats who then roam around shitting in other people's gardens .. that's not a pet, it's a bloody nuisance

Not unreasonable at all.

We've done the umming and ahing about a dog (I've never owned one, but dh has as a child). I would really like one, but knew I didn't know much about them and read everything I could find... went to the local vet and got suggested reading material, etc.

In the end, we haven't ruled it out, but decided it's a definite "not yet". ds2 is just too little and our house/life just isn't organised in a way that would make it easy to fit a dog in right now. Wouldn't be fair on the dog or the children.

Sticking with tropical fish for the time being

I've seen some posts on freecycle WRT to pets but normally they seem reasonable enough. One was a lady whose elderly cat had disappeared for nearly a month, she thought it dead and adopted two that needed rehoming, then her cat was found and the vet called ehr (I assume it was chipped) so she needed to get the other two rehomed as her elderly cat was anti-social.
IMO, freecycle is a good a place as any for that to be advertised.

"think the financial problem with pets might be alleviated somewhat if there was a limit on the cost of medecines and treatment for them. It is shocking and would be the only reason I would let a pet go - in fact I did once take a glorious old cat back to the sanctuary he came from, because he had a skin condition I could not afford to treat and was an allergy to fleas which needed regular injections at the vet's, plus spot-on flea killer plus the oral version, it was ridiculous and not covered by insurance."

It is sad and a pity that the charity could not have paid the cost of treatment. If a charity wants people on income support to foster pets then the charity needs to be responsible for ALL financial costs incurred. I believe that the PDSA helps low income people with the costs of vet bills.

The fact is a that to look after a dog properly costs money. I think that it has to budgeted for like any other financial commitment. It one thing if someone becomes poor through misfortune. Its irresponsible to KNOWINGLY take on a pet that you can't really afford.

If a person on benfits has a pet and they can find a guarrentor to pay the vet bills then I see no problem with them having a pet.

I don't think there should be any governant subsidy for pets when the NHS for human beings is short of cash. There are people who die of cancer because the NHS will not fund certain drugs.

YANBU but whoever said you shouldn't have a pet if you're on benefits is being unreasonable.

totally agree. Worked as a volunteer for the RSPCA doing home checks when poeple wanted to adopt an animal. Also had to go and get dogs/cats/whatever when people had got bored of them. My mum ran White Knights Animal Rescue for 15 years and the stories she would tell of why poeple got a pretty puppy then ditched it. Some would dump a pet when they were going on holiday only to get a new one when they got back. Like they are some sort of consumer item!
Don't agree with the benefits statement though. I had my dog 15 years through work and benefits and paid the vet bills. You don't get rid of an animal because you end up on benefits. My mum has assorted dogs and small pets and is on old people benefits. All very elderly dogs (one is 19) and rather expensive at the vets but she budgets accordingly. Been trying to get her to use the PDSA but she is too proud.
One thing that does annoy me is people buying ponies for a child. Horses and ponies are as bright as dogs and form bonds with their owners that are as loyal as any dog but when they are outgrown, they are replaced like any other toy. They are not toys. They are living beings and a commitment should be for life because they have feelings.

@ twigs cat-hating.

I'll be hen or pony monitor.

There was a programme a couple of years ago called "So you think you want ... a dog". And a family got to talk to people and decide what sort of a dog they should have, if at all. The family were often all out of the house and none of them liked really long walks. They ended up with a bloody Border Collie of all breeds. I still can't believe the stupidity.

More stories of rehoming... the Great Dane Rescue Centre said the reason most of the dogs were returned was because they had grown so large. No fucking shit?