Oh Lord ... (Joyce)

    • Gold Top Dog

    erica1989
    If something were to happen to me, where I could not keep up the same matience that I am giving my pets now, I would rehome them.

    I'm not speaking for anyone else, but I'd like to make my thoughts clear since this seems to be going around and around. I would not put my dogs in danger nor would I make them go hungry or suffer physically just so I could keep them with me. However, I do not have anyone who would take my dogs, so not having them with me would mean that they go to a shelter. If they go to a shelter, it is extremely unlikely that either one would be rescued, so they'd probably be put to sleep. Would that be better than suffering in a hot car or starving? Sadly, I know it would and I'd do what was most humane for them. Until the time that I knew keeping them with me was not in their best interests though, I'd do what I could to keep them with me and work my way out of whatever the situation was to something better.

    • Gold Top Dog

    cakana
    I'd do what I could to keep them with me

    Right, and I'm not saying at the first sign of trouble, run and dump your dogs. There are people that do this, and I don't agree with it one bit.

    One of the reasons that I have worked so hard with my dog and his issues is the 'what ifs'. I want him to be ok if something were to happen to me. That's why I socialize him at every chance, let him meet as many new people and animals as I can. Casey was not a good dog when I got him, and honestly - I wasn't sure if he would make it - but he has, and I'm doing everything in my power to make sure that he keeps progressing in the right direction, just in case. I'm not a worrier, generally, but I do like to try and be prepared for the 'what ifs' when it comes to my animals.

    • Gold Top Dog

    fuzzy_dogs_mom

     Wouldn't going to Wally-Mart for a bag of Ol' Roy be a better alternative than turning the dogs in? I know there are some really cheap dog foods out there - maybe not the best quality, but better than losing the dog.

    Joyce

    Sadly, simply buying the cheapest dog food for some people is not an option. When it's your last 5 bucks and you have to decide between milk for the kids or Ol'Roy for your dog I think I know what is going in the cart. We have talked many times about the stupid and selfish reasons people give up their pets but if someone does not have the means to even feed their dog then I think they deserve our compassion not our (general) judgement.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Just thought I'd point out that at the end of the newscast, they said that the shelter featured had a "free pet food program", so maybe buying the food isn't the only or real issue for these surrenders.

    • Gold Top Dog

    I didn't see the program.

     Fuel prices are killing everyone. Plus the whole foreclosure thing....that's why a lot of people can't have their pets anymore. Although no matter what happened to me I would NEVER drop my dogs at the shelter. And Callie, I HAVE been there.

    I've been homeless with a little kid and two dogs. I've been in an apt. that allowed dogs, with a little kid and two dogs and not enough money for food. Both dogs and kid got spaghetti, and I ate little to NOTHING until I could get more $$ together.

     It's not any different from having kids. If you can't feed your child, you DO SOMETHING about it, whatever that is! You step up to the plate and start swinging, and make something happen, no matter how bad it looks!

    You DON'T take your CHILD to Family Services and drop him off, do you???

    There is ALWAYS a way to survive and make things work. Giving up your family, be it children or pets, isn't going to solve not making enough money. You have to get out there and make money, even if you have to work at some horrible fast food joint.

    I dropped out of college to focus on making money. It's what I had to do.

    I have no sympathy for people who get this "victim" attitude. I've been very, very poor. I've starved. My son and my dogs NEVER starved.

    Hrrmmph.

     

    • Gold Top Dog

    rwbeagles
    Ahh yes...but is HW medication? Frontline? Vaccinations? Grooming if you own a breed or mix that NEEDS to be groomed reg.? How many horribly horribly matted animals have we seen on animal cops shows? PAINFULLY matted...maggots in the coat...etc from wonderful elderly folks who FEED those dogs what they can. I have seen blind cats from being fed dog food, or rice because it was "cheap"....is that better than rehoming? Dogs with horribly yeasty painful ears and stinky skin from bad food, constantly itchng themselves bloody...is that better than rehoming?

    See, okay, overly idealistic again... I'm trying...thanks for pointing this out Gina. I have a generally very easy (to maintain! not in any other way..lol) dog. I forget that everyone doesn't.

    • Gold Top Dog

    You know, thing of it is, one can turn an animal into the shelter, and/or rehome that animal....who's to say, for SURE, that it would ALWAYS be in a better environment?

    Who's to say that it wouldn't get put to sleep due to animal shelters being overcrowded and not enough adoptions taking place, OR if it DID get adopted out, who's to say the rest of it's entire life would be beneficial.

    I have seen so many people rehome/turn in their animals only to find it living in a back yard on a chain with no shelter, no attention, etc or animals that find themselves in abusive homes, even IF the current owner were making enough money to financially provide a wonderful environment...is that really any better for the animal, in the long run??

    I am surrounded in an area of where people are starting to hurt financially, but obviously can't be too bad off as they are still buying cars, etc...however MANY of these are pet owners that allow their dogs to live outside literally, in an area where Mountain lions, bears, coyotes run high. I've seen many owners, not just where I live, that do not provide preventative heartworm treatments, good food, etc. and lots of these animals throughout Colorado, due to their owners discretion, do not get medical care when they need it...yet, they ARE financially stable with their huge houses, new trucks, boats, etc.

    So....do you REALLY believe your animal is going to be lucky enough to actually go to an incredible owner that COULD for sure do better then you...or is it just a temporary situation that YOU feel is best...but again, how do you know that new owner will not end up in your situation within a matter of time too?

    I have 2 out of 3 dogs that would literally die if they were to be given to someone else, cause another owner would not likely have the *understanding* of why one of them freaks out, and BITES when you first wake him up, or try to get him off your lap. He would immediately be put to sleep upon entering a kennel, no question about it.

    I knew years ago, as a young adult in my early 20's where society was headed and I'm only 33 now, I opted NOT to have children because I had a dog then, and I still do now, and I knew if things got bad enough, I couldn't afford both. I would LOVE to have children, I didn't chose to not have them solely because of the dogs however, I chose to not have them because I didn't want to put them in a financially unstable environment which is where our country is FASTLY heading.

    My sister has 2 boys that she can hardly feed and house, even WITH her and her husband working full time, bringing in what would be considered low blue-collar pay by the cost of living standards in Colorado now-days and they both have Associates Degrees in their line of work. They do not have excess luxury's and do not live highly, but they do have one tiny dog and one cat who'm they dote on taking as good of care of them as possible, without the greatest of food, etc but when they get in dire need of medical attention it's VERY difficult, but my sister's gotten good at taking out advancements from her direct deposit to pay for emergency's when needed.

    But still, that's an example of making sure you can financially provide for both pets and children, before getting/having one or the other after already having one or the other....i'm not trying to affend anyone, it's just the way I feel for myself.

    • Gold Top Dog

     

    I must confess that I would always put my kids ahead of my dogs, but at the same time I would exhaust every avenue before giving up my dogs and I do not think I would ever consider taking them to a shelter regardless of what my circumstances were.

     I pray I never have to make such a choice and am thankful that at this time in my life all is going well. I truly think that I would put my dogs to sleep before I would surrender them to a shelter.

    • Gold Top Dog

    jeano
    There is ALWAYS a way to survive and make things work. Giving up your family, be it children or pets, isn't going to solve not making enough money. You have to get out there and make money, even if you have to work at some horrible fast food joint.

     

    There's SO much further down to go than working at a "horrible fast food joint". Many people would feel blessed to work at a ff joint. Or at ANY job. You want to talk about destitute, we can talk about that. But I have a feeling many people don't have a clue of what that means. There are people who are digging in trash cans for a morsel to eat. There are people who WOULD turn their child over for someone else to take care of BECAUSE they love them and don't want them to suffer malnutrition. Getting a job at a horrible ff joint is not an option because they haven't bathed in weeks and their "clothes" are rags.

    If there was always a way to make things work, we wouldn't have so many impoverished people in this country. I know some choose not to work, but the vast majority would DIE to have a job and be bringing in money. I'm surprised you don't know that, having been homeless yourself. Because when I was homeless, I met these people. I heard their stories and their desires.

    Bah...