AIBU to be so fed up/angry with people taking on animals they have no clue how to treat properly

[esloquehay]

I'm so sick of stupid people buying 'pets' unethically/ill-informed, then re-home-ing them, as they miraculously discover they are ill-equipped to care for them properly.

Then, the almost inevitable virtue-signalling of re-home-ing.

Sometimes you can inform yourself and then realise that even societies like the rabbit society don't tell the full possibilities and really shouldn't be advocating people keeping wild animals that can't be fully domesticed.

But I totally agree. We should move away from caged pets. Rabbits are the equivalent of a small dog in costs and care and much more than a cat. It annoyed me that people suggested them on the Chinchilla thread. Likewise guinea pigs for a first time pet owner (if at all).

Yanbu.
It's the smaller animals who are bought for irresponsible DC who frighten them that really raise my temper.

A neighbour continues to buy rabbits, hamsters, gin pigs, birds for her brats, the pets die every couple of weeks.

There are many 1 year old dogs up for sale.

The irresponsible owner should surrender to the pound or look for a kind person themselves rather than clawing back some cash, passing dog onto another irresponsible owner.

Generally I agree, but often all the preparation in the world doesn't prepare you for the reality, and it's far better for the pet to be re-homed with a loving family than stuck somewhere it's not wanted.

I agree. Hate animals in cages anyway, who do we think we are FFS. Little prisons

Cats are best because they can choose to stay and have freedom to roam

YANBU to note this is happening and find it annoying. YABU to engage with it further than that or let it make you angry/upset since it is not something you can do much about and isn't really anything to do with you.
People make stupid decisions and mistakes all the time, at least acknowledging this one and rehoming an animal means the animal in question is moved to a better environment.

Agree, it’s gross.

I agree. Hate animals in cages anyway, who do we think we are FFS. Little prisons
Me too, unfortunately I'm guilty of it.
I've 2 finch birds they're 6 years old.

They've a very large prison on wheels and spend the day in the garden, listening to relaxing finch music.

I'd never buy a pet with a cage again.

I feel so guilty when they interact with the outdoor birds.

Sorry emerald but to me birds are the worst of all. I've seen all those birds in the wild, free. It is so sad to see them caged and unable to enjoy the sky and the trees.

YANBU. I had rabbits when younger and they cost a fortune, we built them they’re own enclosure this size of a shed in the garden as the original cage sold to us by the pet shop just seemed cruel. People have quite a disposable attitude towards small animals when the rabbits and hamsters we had lived a really long time, I don’t think people expect that or that they need cleaning out often so it’s actually a lot of work. My cat was much easier. I’ve said I’ll never get them for my DC.

And I think with dogs a lot of people see them as pets, so therefore friendly, and don’t factor in that it’s still an animal that can turn on anyone. My cousins dog did, even though she’d had it from a puppy. It turned out to have a brain tumour. They were lucky it didn’t do any real damage to anyone.

Some people just have a really poor attitude towards animals. I was at the zoo recently, in one of those wallaby walkthroughs and a boy about 8 ran in and went under the barrier and chased the wallaby as it was trying to get away. His mum came over and told him to stand still next to it so she could get a photo. Idiot. Although why the zoo doesn’t have anyone there to supervise I don’t know.

@Tuala I agree.
I didn't have the awareness that I have now when I bought them.
I couldn't free them they'd never survive they're going strong 6 years later.

Hands up OP. I did exactly this. My young children wanted rabbits but we saw two guinea pigs for sale on Facebook marketplace (few years ago now) and we went and picked them up. 5 minutes up the road and all on £30. Mother was selling them as her teenager had grown bored of them. They are just like big hamsters, right? Only live a couple of years? Wrong.

Only when I got them, I researched just now complex those little creatures are. Their cage was too small causing them stress and to fight. I had a new cage and a summer run shipped over from the UK. They are noise sensitive, so that had to taken into consideration. Their diet was wrong, mostly cheap pellets and lettuce when it should have 80% hay.
But certain hay and lettuce is mostly water with virtually no nutritional value. Like humans they don't make their own vitamin C so that has to taken into consideration when giving them vegetables. Other vegetables and fruits were too high in sugar, could give them bloat or were simply poisonous. I had to do some quick learning.

With a lot of help from various forums and advice from Guinea Pig Facebook pages we got onto our stride and they became the most wonderful pets that lived a long life. I miss them dearly. We certainly weren't virtue signalling but it was an impulse buy of pets we knew nothing about. Although it turned out alright, I would never do that again.

YANBU. I don't own any pets for exactly this reason. DS would love one but I won't get one, I'm not prepared to make the commitment.

I no longer speak to one friend who allowed her rabbit to freeze to death in a shed because she had not checked on it for a week.
A couple of years later I found out she had also put her 1yo dog on Facebook for adoption and later the same week bought a designer puppy. Utterly vile behaviour.

I agree
I would never have birds or anything in a cage, although we do have a lizard in a large Viv that according to the experts we consulted is more than big enough for him.
I have a friend who is a vet and she says that most small animals, are inherently unsuitable as pets. She actually said
“Which idiot decided that nervous, small, nocturnal,anti social Bitey little fuckers like hamsters were actually ideal children’s pets?l

@GertrudeCB that is truly shocking. Both the poor rabbit and giving away an adolescent dog to get another puppy... People should need licences to own pets and should be banned from owning them if they do things like that.

@Cyberworrier I totally agree.
This person is a healthcare professional too

Rabbits are the one that gets me. Most of them aren’t keen on handling, they can have quite complex needs and they are easily scared. My parents’ rabbit just passed away at the age of 9 (for clarity, members of my family revue/foster rabbits, have no kids and are very knowledgeable about the care they require) as well so they should live a long time!

@GertrudeCB

I no longer speak to one friend who allowed her rabbit to freeze to death in a shed because she had not checked on it for a week. A couple of years later I found out she had also put her 1yo dog on Facebook for adoption and later the same week bought a designer puppy. Utterly vile behaviour.

I have two rabbits and that makes so sad. Rabbits are often seen as second-class pets and are regularly dumped because owners fail to research and don’t recognise how complex their needs are. They are not starter pets for children. So no to the OP, YANBU. It annoys me too.

This is what I never understand when I see rabbits for sale or guinea pigs in places like pets at home ... even the little run type things they have them in on display are so tiny! I think rabbits are so misunderstood and end up living miserable lives in too small cages and then terrible little triangle type runs.
With birds I think no because mostly all they are gifted to do is fly and in a cage you're taking that away , I have seen people with amazing aviaries and cages who let them out in the home to fly but personally for me it's a no.
I have dogs but I think maybe a cat is the animal we humans keep as pets who can truly choose if they like you enough and you're doing a good enough job to make them want to stay

Yanbu. I am in several breed specific FB groups. Some for working cockers (had them for over 20 years) and some for poodle mixes (fostered then adopted one last year and wanted to understand the breed during the foster period) And the sheer amount of people simply don't look into what the animal and/or breed needs is so frustrating.

People purchasing working cockers and then being surprised they need daily walk, lots of mental work or they become difficult is astounding. A quick Google would tell you that.

In the poodle mix groups, people seem completely unaware of what poodles need, never mind whatever it's mixed with.

Then they want to rehome because the dog doesn't suit. It's awful.

But I also blame the breeder, who sold to these people without proper vetting aswell.

YANBU. We got a dog three years ago. We thought we’d done our research and prepared ourselves for being dog owners. We really thought we’d done everything right. It turned out we hadn’t prepared ourselves for the reality of living with a dog with genetic anxiety issues. It’s awful. We can’t re-home him because his anxiety means he’d really suffer if given away and we feel too guilty. But equally, owning a very anxious dog is ruining our lives.

I’d be very very hesitant ever getting a pet again. I’m starting to think that the whole concept of humans ‘owning’ animals as pets is wrong. The only animal I could ever be talked into keeping in the future would be a cat because they can lead a semi-independent life.

I know someone whose had six dogs in the space of five years, one died from dog flu because she didn't look after it properly and the rest she rehomed once out of the cute puppy stage.
She also had cats, she moved and left her pregnant cat homeless. She's also "lost" a dozen or so cats over the years as she never fed them and they found more caring homes near by.
I don't talk to her anymore after she got offended when I said a animal is for life not for Christmas. Disgusting. People should be banned from having animals if they rehome them.

I say this as a vet nurse, but rabbits make generally terrible pets for children.
They are actually pretty hard to look after properly, they can get a lot wrong with their digestive systems if they are not fed the correct diet. They are prone to dental problems, eye problems, and need regular visits to the vet for teeth trimming and check ups.
They should never be kept alone as they are extremely social animals and live in groups.
The cages that are sold for them are woefully inadequate. They are often kept with guinea pigs which is a huge no-no.
I have seen so many poorly treated rabbits, a lot of the time it is simply neglect and ill education on what their needs are.
I have seen a few fantastic rabbit owners who really know their stuff, but on the whole, rabbits are so mis treated. They live shortened lives in cramped cold cages with the wrong diet, a lot of times on their own.

Rats can actually be a good pet for kids. They do need a massive tall cage though as they love to climb - but they do live short little lives and are very prone to tumours, so vet bills will be a thing to consider as they get older. They are much easier to handle and can be taught tricks etc as they are very clever.
Chinchillas etc generally do not make good pets. I saw the other thread and agree with most of what was said.
Even fish are sold without proper advice from pet shops and aquariums. I cringe at the stuff I have overheard, people being advised that you can fit 5 or 6 goldfish in a tiny tank and that it's fine to put them in after a day (??) without cycling the tank to grow the correct bacteria etc. Just appalling.

So I fully agree OP.

I wonder if this thread was inspired by the chinchilla thread?

I agree with you, OP... I don't like people keeping pets other than cats and dogs, and only then if they can be kept properly.

Cuteness ≠ good pet.