There is something that has been bothering me for a while....

[ShinyAndNew]

Both on here and in rl people seem to think their pets are disposable. I hate his attitude. I was brought up to believe that when you take on an animal, you take responsibility for that animal, for the rest of it's life no matter what, unless that pet poses an immediate threat to the safety of your family.

By immediate I mean like a hormonal Cockatoo who has never been socialised with men and attempts to rip chunks of your neck off when you enter the same room as it, not the dog who snaps at your darling dc when they pull it's tail once too often.

If you are planning on buying a new pet, please consider the following:

It will live for X amount years. How will your life change in those years i.e. If you buy a cat as baby substitute when you are in your early 20's chances are that cat will still be alive and still be your responsibility when you have an actual baby. So if you don't agree that babies and cats should mix, don't get a cat. Get a goldfish instead.

They are hard work and dogs in particular need ongoing training, which could prove to be expensive, if you need to get in a professional. Are you prepared to put in the time and the money?

They may develop an on going illness that will need life long treatment. Are you prepared to be home at certain times of each day to administer medicine, or to bathe your pet in special shampoo x amount of days a week etc?

If it's a furry animal you must assume that they will leave hair on your furniture. Even if the breeder says they won't. There are never any guarantees.

They might damage your house and eat your favourite shoes. I know a dog who ate a whole bathroom carpet in one sitting. He had only been left for an hour.

They might make nusciences of themselves by mewing or barking or whatever at daft o clock in the morning.

They will probably poo in your house at some point during their lives. They may never stop pooing in your house if they have an illness such as ibs or suffer fits which cause them to loose control of bowels.

You will need to arrange suitable care for them if you wish to go on holiday. This is expensive.

They are expensive.

Agree with every word.

A pet is for life always.

I shudder at our throw-away culture that extend to living, breathing creatures.

Exactly why I do not have a pet - I'd love a dog but I do not the time nor the space for one right now. And I will definitely think very long and hard if we ever get to the position where time and space are not a problem.

Might consider a gerbil at the mo, but that's about as far as it would go.

Oh I agree
which is why I clean up dog shit every time I come home because I took on a rescue dog who has emotional problems regarding being left. She is my responsibility and I have to take the rough with the smooth.
Very much like having children really.

They are expensive, in fact kennelling her costs more than most of our trips away but that was something we had to take on when we chose to get her. If we couldn't afford that we wouldn't go. It gets factored in the cost of a trip.

yy.

Getting a pet is a lifetime commitment, much like having a child. Once you have got the pet, you have a duty to look after it and do your best for it till it dies.

I know a couple who are going to move their two cats from living in the house, to living in the garden shed. Reason? Because they've just redone the kitchen and don't want to spoil the shiny new patio doors with a catflap.

Grrr.

"It will live for X amount years. How will your life change in those years i.e. If you buy a cat as baby substitute when you are in your early 20's chances are that cat will still be alive and still be your responsibility when you have an actual baby. So if you don't agree that babies and cats should mix, don't get a cat. Get a goldfish instead."

Oh dear. Goldfish should live for about 20 years, longer than most cats and dogs, but most don't because people don't think they are interesting enough to invest the time, money and effort in (and they require a lot of each). They are the most 'disposable' pet out there. Otherwise I agree with everything you said.

I don't think many people think that goldfish and babies are a difficult combo though

Well I was hoping that people wouldn't see a problem with owning a goldfish and a baby. It was the least dangerous and inoffensive pet I could think of.

I agree, I want a dog but when DCs go to school I will almost certainly have to work more hours. This would be within the lifetime of a dog so it's never going to happen .

whatnolooroll there are often companies who will walk your dog for you when you are at work. It's £5 per hour here, so unless you are planning on both you, your DH and your dc being out of the house for 12 hours a day, it could still be feasible. But of course you should factor in the cost of dog walkers and make sure that are such services in your area, before you get a dog and research breeds properly. Some dogs don't like to be left alone at all. A rescue dog with a proven history of being able to cope with being left for short periods would be best in this case.

Or you could consider adopting an elderly dog. There are many older dogs who need homes see here

Amen! That's why I waited a long time to get my dogs. So I could give them everything they wanted/needed without having to compromise for anyone.

I agree. Rehoming charities are overrun.

My neighbours (thankfully now moved) got rid of thier puppy Chihuahua cos it bit their child. Frankly I'm happy they got rid as ther were good reasons it bit their child. They also asked if we wanted their rabbits as they were going to let them run off in the woods, as the kids didn;t want them any moer. And when they moved they left a parrot cage in their drive, God knows what had been in that or what happened to it.

Someone gave us a puppy as a present due to an unplanned litter. We kept him at much cost to ourselves and probably not ideal life for him because ,TBH, the best other option for him was Euthanasia.

Animal charities are picking up the peices of this kind of thing all over hte country. I don't know what to do except try to educate my kids and offer a small sum to charity when I can.

Shiney, bless ya and well said.

I meet a lot of the "want to get rid of the dog because we have a baby/I'm pregnant".

"So... the dog... he's aggressive to children then, yes?"

"Well, no, but he might be. I can't risk having him in the same house as my baby, Besides, I haven't got time for him now.".

So that's alright then, cos of course my local rescue won't struggle for time adding him to the 70 or 80 they already have. The rescue is run 365 days a year by it's owner and his partner, who work a minimum of an 18 hour day at their own expense and with only the help of volunteers here and there.

And the dogs which get as far as no kill rescue are the lucky ones. Those who reach the killing fields of the local pound, RSPCA or other non no-kill organisation or even the streets, aren't so lucky.

I often have to sit on my hands and do a lot of trying to keep my mouth zipped for the sake of the dog. You have no fecking idea how hard that is!

franken, what you're doing is great. Educating our children is essential to the animals in our world and to the survival of rescue. You may like to consider fostering, helping practically in a rescue (not necessarily cleaning kennels, fundraising, manning a stall at a fete, painting walls, helping with DIY, loads of things are appreciated).

Shiney, you bugger, the Oldies makes me sob every time I go on there. I've a soft spot for the older fellas, who do indeed make fantastic pets and are very often from family homes.

Well my post was triggered after hearing this conversation

Girl 1: When are you due then?
Girl 2: After Xmas
Girl 1: You should be careful with your cat now, you know. They can give you toxic shock if you are pregnant
Girl 1: I have given the cat to my mums friend
Girl 2: I thought that cat was your baby?
Girl 1: Yes, but I am having real baby now so I don't the need the cat any more. Besides I want a white pram and I don't want it covered in ginger hair all the time.

Now see if it was me I would have just bought an orange pram and then no one would notice the hair. Alternatively she could have bought a cat net to keep the cat off pram. Having said that with an attitude like that it sounds like the cat has had a lucky escape.

I quite agree with this thread.

It also annoys the hell out of me when parents immediately over-react when their cat/dog etc hurts their poor little darling when said pet had a reason for their behaviour, and the adults have not taken their responsibility seriously and left animal and child unsupervised together.

I always respected one set of friends who took the opposite stance when their cat scratched their ds on the face. DS had cornered cat on the stairs the poor lass was desperate for an escape route away from whisker pulling child. So she lashed out. Parents' reaction: ds won't do that again! No blame attached to cat whatsoever.

In the same vein I was very careful who the first children to meet my houserabbit were. Since I'd got her from a shelter, and she was showing signs of abuse, I had no idea how she would react to excited children. Therefore I deliberately chose two who, if they wound bunny up and caused her to attack, would be told off by their parents and the rabbit fussed over by them, not the other way round.

I know children are precious beings but they are not always in the right, and it's very unfair to make an animal take the blame for something when they're not at fault.

Fucking .... ARGHHH¬! I can't think of a word which is strong enough!

She goes in the same category as a relative (whom i will never deal with or speak to again as long as I live) who kept her 6 mo JRT puppy in a crate 23 hours out of 24 because of her cream carpets and cream sofa and the fact that he never sat still, according to her.

The only reason the woman kept the pup wsa for her 11 yo DD, one of those "she wants, she must have" princesses. The child would take the pup out for half an hour a day a turning him upside down doing "dances" before he was allowed out for a pee and then caged again.

Luckily, and without going into detail, the dog has since been liberated, ahem, rescued, and is in a wonderful loving home now.

MarisSkye the rule in our house has always been, "If one of the dogs bites you, don't come to me for sympathy. You will undoubtedly have done something to deserve it".

Cream furniture and pets do not mix. I have learned that now. Anyway, I think paw prints add a nice touch. It looks homely

I'm glad the dog was, erm, rescued Stoopid woman.

Ddog was handed into rescue kennels because he loved the toddler at home so much. In fact he loves all toddlers - he had to learn not to jump up and lick their faces, and the rest of us don't want 'special cuddles' which he gives despite being neutered. He must have been a gorgeous puppy though - being gorgeous means a lot of dogs and cats end up in the wrong homes.

Sorry Stleger you've lost me. Not taking the mick, I;m confused. Are you speaking of your own dog, which you sent to rescue because he jumped up at and licked your toddler or are you quoting someone else's situation?

I agree totally with this thread.

I feel lucky to have a dog, I would do anything for him and I have every intention of having him until the day he dies. I just hope it isn't any day soon.

I hate it when people get a pet, in particular a dog, and they don't even look after it. Pups are cute but all pups turn into dogs and people shouldn't just get rid of them at this stage because they aren't cute anymore or because they have developed a bad habit because they didn't bother training them as a pup.

I typed a really long reply to this, then realised I was getting on my favourite soapbox.

FWIW, I have both had a dog from a shelter and also rehomed a dog with the assistance of a charity. It is something I have had cause to think long and hard about and I don't understand why some people seemingly are so casual about it.

Valhalla I have asked about volunteer work but fortunately for the animals, my local charities are not needing any help.

I wish there was some way of ensuring people grow up with a sense of responsibilty, but if my kids are anyhting to go by, despite my best efforts, it just seems to pass them by :(

Sorry, the dog who is now my dog was a toddler licker in his previous home. He is a gentle soul now, he just needed to learn not to be so enthusiastic!

Fantastic and timely thread as some peoples thoughts are turning to Christmas.

Erm, what about when rehoming is best, though? I keep hens, and this weekend will be rehoming two of my girls after a year. They are going to an excellent home which I have found myself, so no charity/agency are involved. I am rehoming them because they are a different breed to my other hens, and are causing serious problems in the flock. So while I agree in principle that a pet is for life, sometimes it just doesn't work out. For the good of the majority (the other hens) I have to let these two go. I realise you're mainly talking about cats/dogs here, although I'm sure that sometimes people do have very good reasons to rehome a pet.

I hope to get our first puppy in the next few months. I am also trying to conceive our first child. I am planning to get the very puppy phase out of the way well before any baby is on the horizon, and I am aware that logistically having an energetic young dog and a new born might make for a challenging couple of months, but I have plenty of dog-loving support in place nearby who would be all too willing to help out with that. (In fact, I've just realised that I have more people who would want to help with the hypothetical dog than a hypothetical baby!)

But it really saddens me that some breeders wouldn't consider selling us a dog on that basis, because of the number of dogs that have had to be rehomed when a baby arrives. I know, I know, I know I might feel differently when I have my first child, but I just can't comprehend handing a dog back. We've been planning his arrival even longer than our first-born and he'll be a part of our family, just like a child would, only a bit lower down the pecking order when it comes to cuddles.