Vent: Humane Society made me sooooo mad!

[TXMary2]

Many of us get upset when people try to force their rules on the general population. Rules like this - regarding pets or animals in general - are fine for an individual to have (either side they take on it), but forcing ALL to believe the way they do is just not right. You might consider an animal akin to a human. Others don't. There is no "one" answer that should be imposed on all. To each their own.

 

I've lived on a farm long enough to know that animals are far from human. I've yet to see any of them that would choose to die (or be killed) instead of having the life you deem "perfect" for them. Personally, I happen to think our farm cats (indoor/outdoor) have the absolute best life a cat can have. You're free to disagree. That's my original point.

 

The number of unwanted animals put down each yet doesn't bother me at all - nor does the number slaughtered to be eaten, etc. No, I don't have feelings for them. I do get bothered by animals put down when they ARE wanted, but such is life at times.

 

 

Amen.

 

Our cat used to be an indoor cat, but she had problems using the litterbox so we sent her to live outside. She has a doghouse in the garden with blankets and toys. She prefers to sleep under the wheelbarrow and under the tomato plants. She has a blast out there! She kills mice and leaves them for my dh. IF she isn't snoozing when we go out to play with her we find her bouncing around chasing butterflies and grasshoppers. She is happier outside than she ever was inside.

[3littlekeets]

Many of us get upset when people try to force their rules on the general population. Rules like this - regarding pets or animals in general - are fine for an individual to have (either side they take on it), but forcing ALL to believe the way they do is just not right. You might consider an animal akin to a human. Others don't. There is no "one" answer that should be imposed on all. To each their own.

 

I've lived on a farm long enough to know that animals are far from human. I've yet to see any of them that would choose to die (or be killed) instead of having the life you deem "perfect" for them. Personally, I happen to think our farm cats (indoor/outdoor) have the absolute best life a cat can have. You're free to disagree. That's my original point.

 

The number of unwanted animals put down each yet doesn't bother me at all - nor does the number slaughtered to be eaten, etc. No, I don't have feelings for them. I do get bothered by animals put down when they ARE wanted, but such is life at times.

 

 

Nobody is FORCING rules on anybody. If a restaurant refuses you service because you won't wear a shirt-- you can't eat there. PERIOD. If GAP decides not to take returns after 30 days. Tough. If the Humane Society requires their pets to be indoor pets and you don't want to do it, GO ELSEWHERE. That simple!

 

These are NOT governmental regulations. If you don't care about animals getting put down, then don't stress about the fact they'd opt not to have an animal run wild with no fence to protect him from predators or cars. For this organization, putting him down may be more human than getting struck by an 18 wheeler! The end.

[cathmom]

I want it because I want it & your rules are stupid and I don't care why you have them.

 

I think that the point is that sometimes the rules *are* stupid. We like big dogs. We've given several big dogs loving, good homes with plenty of exercise even though we don't have a fenced yard. It's hard to find homes for big dogs. But we were turned down twice because our yard is not fenced. That's stupid.

[simka2]

Nobody is FORCING rules on anybody. If a restaurant refuses you service because you won't wear a shirt-- you can't eat there. PERIOD. If GAP decides not to take returns after 30 days. Tough. If the Humane Society requires their pets to be indoor pets and you don't want to do it, GO ELSEWHERE. That simple!

 

These are NOT governmental regulations. If you don't care about animals getting put down, then don't stress about the fact they'd opt not to have an animal run wild with no fence to protect him from predators or cars. For this organization, putting him down may be more human than getting struck by an 18 wheeler! The end.

 

I get what you are saying, but then I would say that humane societ/shelters don't have the right to complain about puppy mills and random/ accidental breedings. After all, that is "their" choice, right?

 

I guess we could say they could complain, but in my mind, they are provideing clients for that market! It alsmost seems like they're dieing on molehills.

[kwickimom]

I get what you are saying, but then I would say that humane societ/shelters don't have the right to complain about puppy mills and random/ accidental breedings. After all, that is "their" choice, right?

 

I guess we could say they could complain, but in my mind, they are provideing clients for that market! It alsmost seems like they're dieing on molehills.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[katemary63]

I think that the point is that sometimes the rules *are* stupid. We like big dogs. We've given several big dogs loving, good homes with plenty of exercise even though we don't have a fenced yard. It's hard to find homes for big dogs. But we were turned down twice because our yard is not fenced. That's stupid.

 

Before we moved to the farm, we lived in the suburbs where at various times we owned a Newfoundland/ Lab mix, two Bullmastiffs, a Doberman and a couple of other large mixed breeds; no fenced yard. Not one ever got hit by a car, lost, ran away or any other tragedy.

[katemary63]

I guess we could say they could complain, but in my mind, they are provideing clients for that market! It alsmost seems like they're dieing on molehills.

 

:iagree: Good way to put it.

[rafiki]

.

[Jen500]

The strictness of adoption regulations does fuel the breeder market.

 

The reputable breeders I know also do rescue for their breed, and have criteria for adoption that must be met.

[celticmom]

If you live in a rural area or have friends in a relatively rural area an easy way to get a dog is to just let all your friends and acquaintances know that you want a dog and wait until someone has one you like dumped near them. This can be expensive because then the dog you find has to go to the vet and often has parasites, an ear infection, ect. It probably also needs to be neutered or spayed and if female may be pregnant. It also takes a little longer. I have also seen some very pathetic dogs at Walmart parking lots late at night. These dogs generally are too afraid to approach a person and might would have issues.

 

This is the way we ended up with one of our dogs. We had a 17 1/2 year old dachshund die of old age and my dh was so upset he missed work for a day. We were building a new house and wanted a large dog after we moved. One of dh coworkers thought of him immediately a few weeks later when a puppy that looked like she would be a large dog was dumped near his house. Dh immediately packed up dd and went to look at the puppy. (I was at work.) Dd and the puppy hit it off immediately so they brought the puppy by my workplace so I could come outside and see it. Then the puppy went home with dh and dd. On my day off I took the puppy to the vet and discovered that: 1. She is terrified of riding in the car except for the trip home 2. She had an ear infection 3. She had never been chipped.

We ended up with a big dog a little sooner than we planned but she has worked out very well.

[Audrey]

Before we moved to the farm, we lived in the suburbs where at various times we owned a Newfoundland/ Lab mix, two Bullmastiffs, a Doberman and a couple of other large mixed breeds; no fenced yard. Not one ever got hit by a car, lost, ran away or any other tragedy.

 

 

Did you spay/neuter them? That makes a huge difference in roaming. Even though we have lots of acres to run, we always spay/neuter, not just for population control, but because we'd really rather not have to scrape them off a road somewhere.

[Denisemomof4]

Someone just shoot me now because there are days I can't figure out how to carry on when nobody seems to give a !#$%.

 

I care, and people don't understand WHY I care. I have over 40 animals, all animals unwanted and in need of a loving home. I've driven hundreds of miles to bring home an unwanted pet to my house and/or farm. I am blessed with a husband who supports what I call our own self funded rescue. I bet it costs us upwards of $1,000 per month to feed and care for all these unwanted animals. Nobody understands why we do what we do. I don't understand how others don't care. I don't judge them, I simply don't understand. These are living creatures. I don't understand why I had to rescue my adorable pony from a meat slaughter truck. He was afraid of his own shadow because he was beaten; punched between his eyes. A beautiful Shetland pony who loves to unzip our coats and remove our hats in the winter. A pony who will drink my beer and eat my snacks if he gets near me. Candy? He can smell it a mile away. He has a character that I absolutely adore. I'm sick to death at the condition of my poor unwanted horse, a former show horse that was worked SO hard and has the battle wounds to prove it. He's got a bad back, arthritis in all his legs due to being over used. Did anyone care what they were doing to him? Nobody understands why we spend so much money to feed our HUGE pig - the pig that EVERYONE in our family adores, even my husband! He's the only one alive, all others are in people's freezers now. EVERYONE in our family LOVES that pig! People who won't allow their dogs inside their houses because they are dirty animals don't understand why I let my dogs have the run of our house; a beautiful house that has all maple floors downstairs, VERY pet UNfriendly. These floors need to be redone. My dogs ruined them. Oh well, I'll refinish them or maybe someday replace them with something that won't dent and scratch.

 

Nobody understands why I brought a paralyzed porcupine home to care for it, or why I took a baby flying squirrel out of the mouth of a cat and brought it home and nursed it back to health, or the frog that had it's legs crushed, or the snapping turtle covered in leeches. Ok, so I was told to bring the turtle back to where I found it because it's normal for them to have leeches,:tongue_smilie: but NH fish and game were VERY impressed that I cared to help it.

 

I love animals and I care. I love and care for my own animals, and when I see a hurting animal in the wild, I bring it home. It's just me. I'll never change, and I've been like this since I was a toddler. My mother couldn't stand all the strays I brought home as a kid, and I couldn't understand how she could be so cruel as to not allow me to keep them. ;)

 

I just wish SOMETHING could be done to control the animal population. Obviously pet owners alone will not fix the problem because many of them don't understand OR care enough to do so. My heart aches for all those lovely, sweet creatures who have had to be killed.

[Denisemomof4]

 

ETA: this came out way harsher than intended. I don't get it. That stands. I'm not sure why I should have sympathy here though when the entire point is that instead of placing an animal in a loving home, it might be killed bc it doesn't meet your standards. Outside of abuse, I think the animal should be placed and given a chance at life.

 

 

 

 

 

:iagree: But I don't like the idea of dogs being outdoors only in the dead heat of summer or in the dead of winter. I couldn't leave a dog outside in subzero temps, and I don't see how a dog can survive long standing, sweltering heat. I'd worry about them. But I also worry about my horses in the winter. It breaks my heart when I go outside and see icicles hanging from their faces. That's when I deliver a huge pot of hot green tea to them, sweetened, and they LOVE it.

[Denisemomof4]

I would like to hear your response, hornblower. My instinct is to agree with you, but like the PP points out, is living outside really worse than being killed? Our foster kitty (that I found dumped in front of the library, and now the no-kill at which we got two of our kitties is helping us find a home for her) spends the day in the bathroom to separate her from the other cats, because I hate the idea of bringing her to an adoption event where someone can adopt her on impulse, rather than making a conscious decision to request information online, taking the time to fill out the paperwork, etc. She deserves better, you know? But waiting isn't always an option.... I'm not at all trying to argue, I just want to hear from someone that I KNOW values animals as much as I do. If there were a dog in front of you, and you had to choose living outside or euthanasia, would you really choose the latter? And why?

 

I, personally, couldn't choose the latter, but if I absolutely HAD to have it live outside during a harsh New England winter, it would have to have a heat bed to lie on. Seriously.

 

I also made caves for my barn cat in the haystack, and lined those caves with down vests. :D Still, we had one winter that had TWO WEEKS of subzero temps. The barn cat has been an indoor/outdoor cat ever since.

[creekland]

Nobody is FORCING rules on anybody. If a restaurant refuses you service because you won't wear a shirt-- you can't eat there. PERIOD. If GAP decides not to take returns after 30 days. Tough. If the Humane Society requires their pets to be indoor pets and you don't want to do it, GO ELSEWHERE. That simple!

 

These are NOT governmental regulations. If you don't care about animals getting put down, then don't stress about the fact they'd opt not to have an animal run wild with no fence to protect him from predators or cars. For this organization, putting him down may be more human than getting struck by an 18 wheeler! The end.

 

Ah, but people with "animals are similar to humans" beliefs are getting into gov't regulation. Horse slaughter has been outlawed in the US. Instead, it's "better" to put them down and bury them if they aren't wanted and let other countries raise horses just for eating. I've never gotten that reasoning (2 horses dead instead of one), but nonetheless, it makes sense to too many people in power. Google CA pet laws and see what is on the books in places or proposed regarding dogs and cats.

 

But yes, those of us who aren't into humane shelter rules can go elsewhere - hence the suggestions some of us have made to check into Craig's List, other ads, pet stores or breeders. Even a shelter that isn't a humane society would be an option. Roughly 20 years ago we went to a local dog pound and got a free puppy with absolutely no strings attached. If he'd been old enough we'd have had to pay $7 as that's what they would have gotten for him selling him to the local vet school. He was too young. He had a long happy life with us (neutered and kept up with shots - even mostly indoor - lived 16 years). I don't know if those kinds of shelters still exist or not, but those are the only types I would support. I wouldn't even walk in the other type and would never give money to them.

[creekland]

:iagree: But I don't like the idea of dogs being outdoors only in the dead heat of summer or in the dead of winter. I couldn't leave a dog outside in subzero temps, and I don't see how a dog can survive long standing, sweltering heat. I'd worry about them. But I also worry about my horses in the winter. It breaks my heart when I go outside and see icicles hanging from their faces. That's when I deliver a huge pot of hot green tea to them, sweetened, and they LOVE it.

 

It is amazing that dogs, cats, horses, and all sorts of critters survived just fine long before humans came into the picture, isn't it? And in many places of the US and world, they still do. (That said, our dog and cats have gotten used to creature comforts too and will often come in on their own in the very hot or very cold. It doesn't mean they need it. The wild ones around here still survive just fine.)

[Denisemomof4]

Many of these rescue organization people are really just power hungry anti-socialists who claim to love animals more than people. That should say it all right there.

 

I have never, EVER met a person working at a rescue that wasn't there because of a pure love for animals. Never, EVER. AND, I've never, EVER met a person who places animal life above human life. I have, however, met people who prefer the COMPANY of animals to humans and honestly, I can understand that.

[Denisemomof4]

My own belief about obtaining a pet - any pet - is that barring something totally extraordinary, I expect to keep that pet until it dies of old age. But I know many people who do not think this way about getting a pet, and that is true no matter the source of pets. I knew someone who "rescued" two beagles but then got rid of them because it was annoying to have to commit to come back to the house in a few hours. They couldn't go to Six Flags without paying a neighbor for dog sitting. I knew someone who meant to give up a cat because she was going to college, but the pound told her they would euthanize the cat within 24 hours, so she turned the cat outdoors. :eek: This is not good, either, obviously, but her rationale was that the cat might live a while, might be rescued, whereas the pound was promising certain death.

 

That cat probably became a meal for another animal.

 

We rescued a ferret that was found running along a busy freeway in MA. We also have a duck, Guido, one I've written about MANY times here. He and his "wife" were cute little hatchlings floating in my neighbors sink for a few weeks and when they got big she was done and wanted to kill them. I took them and Guido is like our farm mascot. He's SO funny. One day I'm going to get my blog up and running and I'm sure I'll have many stories about him alone.

 

I hate it when people get animals and once the novelty wears off they're done with them. I see it All The Time.

[myfunnybunch]

Nobody is FORCING rules on anybody. If a restaurant refuses you service because you won't wear a shirt-- you can't eat there. PERIOD. If GAP decides not to take returns after 30 days. Tough. If the Humane Society requires their pets to be indoor pets and you don't want to do it, GO ELSEWHERE. That simple!

 

These are NOT governmental regulations.

 

Yes, this. Exactly what I was going to post.

 

Imposing a rule on others would mean they are out there making everyone with pets comply with their standards. They're not doing that. They are saying, in essence "If you want to adopt an animal from us, we want to be as responsible as we can be by making sure that the animal is going to a good home and won't contribute to the pet overpopulation problem as a whole."

 

It's not personal. It's not because they want to say no to YOU. (And I mean the general "how dare they say no" you, not the OP in particular.) It's because these general policies for all adopters are an attempt to find a long-term solution to a problem. These private organizations are well within their rights to decide their adoption standards, just as a private owner is within his or her rights to decide standards for a new home for a pet they must re-home.

 

Funny...the phone just rang and it was our pup's foster mom asking if she could come visit. (She really loved him, and was invited to call or come by any time. :) ) I thought that was an amusing coincidence!

 

Cat

[Denisemomof4]

It is amazing that dogs, cats, horses, and all sorts of critters survived just fine long before humans came into the picture, isn't it? And in many places of the US and world, they still do. (That said, our dog and cats have gotten used to creature comforts too and will often come in on their own in the very hot or very cold. It doesn't mean they need it. The wild ones around here still survive just fine.)

 

it's really not necessary to get sarcastic with me, is it? If I choose to spoil my animals why should you care?

[katemary63]

The reputable breeders I know also do rescue

for their breed, and have criteria for adoption that must be met.

 

But she didn't say it fueled the "reputable breeder" market.

[katemary63]

Did you spay/neuter them? That makes a huge difference in roaming. Even though we have lots of acres to run, we always spay/neuter, not just for population control, but because we'd really rather not have to scrape them off a road somewhere.

 

Well, yes and no. The bullmastifs and the doberman were show dogs. There were all three intact males. The others were all spayed or neutered. But they didn't stay safe and home because of that. They stayed safe and home because I never let them out without me being with them. They were not left to roam alone, ever. The point is, many people are capable of keeping a large dog at home without a fenced in yard.

[holdoll]

I was thinking late last night about this. If you wanted to have an outside dog "only", would you consider getting two or three of them? That way they wouldn't be lonely. Then crate them in a shelter or dog house or something like that.

 

We got our golden retriever from a farmer in VA. He was going to put her down because she kept eating his chickens and then finally ate the rooster. :tongue_smilie: Anyhow, he crated her in the barn at night but she had never stepped foot in his home. This was very cruel to me as she is such a lover and only wants to be with our "pack". If I walk upstairs and leave her downstairs, within a few seconds she right on my tail. She even plays with the cats and would crawl in my lap if she could.

 

I don't understand wanting an outside dog, but I surely don't condemn anyone who does. Maybe getting more than one and making sure they are protected from the elements is the answer? IMHO. Please don't flame me.

[creekland]

If I choose to spoil my animals why should you care?

 

I don't care. I think it's great actually and I'm sure your critters are happy. Otherwise, I was just musing. It's hard to get "tone" with the written word - sorry it came across wrong.

 

I'm a big believer in "to each their own," so yes, I agree that private shelters can have whatever rules they want and those of us that don't agree with them have other options. It's good to have threads like this so people can "see" ahead of time if such a shelter would work for them - or not - and save themselves the time plus not donate accidentally if they have a fundraiser or other such thing and don't agree with their policies.

 

My only beef comes at the next step - when people running these types of shelters (or agreeing with them) want to regulate everyone.

[Annie Laurie]

Our local Humane Society received over 2800 cats and kittens last year. That's why they want cats altered. You may not like it, but they have a right to set that requirement. It has nothing to do with you personally and everything to do with the horrendous, horrendous overpopulation of unwanted cats. I agree with others that it is irresponsible to allow your cats to breed.

 

I grew up on three acres and my dogs roamed the land, but they could come in any time they wanted. Dogs want to be with their family, and a single lab that lived outside would be an unhappy dog. It would be lonely. We had labs the whole time I was growing up, and they have a strong need for companionship.

 

Tara

 

I agree with both points.

 

I lived in suburbia and still had a pregnant cat show up and I had to take her in. She had 5 kittens and it took me 3 months to place her and 2 of the kittens in good homes. I kept the other 3 kittens because no one was going to take them. I live in a big metroplex, with tons of rescue groups, but no one could help me because they are over run with kittens every spring and summer. They work very hard trying to keep up with the need but have to start turning kittens away eventually.

 

Ironically, I was told by a couple of different rescue groups not to take the kittens to the Humane Society, because when they're full, which they are very quickly full to the max with kittens, they'll put the kittens to sleep.

 

And dogs are pack animals and are lonely outside. My neighbor leaves her dog outside alone day and night and that poor thing is so excited when she even sees my kids through the fence.

 

I think they're happier indoors, but if they must be outdoors, they at least need another dog to be with them, and they need a job to do.

[kiana]

I don't understand wanting an outside dog, but I surely don't condemn anyone who does. Maybe getting more than one and making sure they are protected from the elements is the answer? IMHO. Please don't flame me.

 

We always used to have the dogs outside at night, because they were well-trained to leave the chickens alone/stay on the property and it greatly reduced the amount of sheep we lost to coyotes. As a matter of fact, when we had a barn fire, they woke us up barking frantically and we managed to save almost all the livestock. They did come in on very cold nights and had shelter from inclement weather.

 

We have moved, and the new place is less rural, which means two things. 1) fewer coyotes, so the livestock are safer. 2) more people and traffic, and the house is far closer to the road. The dogs are now inside at night, but out doing farmwork (mostly following the boys around) during the day.

 

Summary? Case-by-case basis. They should receive interaction either way, though.

[holdoll]

My only beef comes at the next step - when people running these types of shelters (or agreeing with them) want to regulate everyone.

 

 

It's called "The Law of Unintended Consequence".

 

There is a town in Calif that was trying to do this to their pet owners. All cats and dogs must be fixed. I hope it went down in flames, but I haven't heard. I remember Dennis Miller having a fit about it on the news.

[Audrey]

Well, yes and no. The bullmastifs and the doberman were show dogs. There were all three intact males. The others were all spayed or neutered. But they didn't stay safe and home because of that. They stayed safe and home because I never let them out without me being with them. They were not left to roam alone, ever. The point is, many people are capable of keeping a large dog at home without a fenced in yard.

 

 

Oh, I'm not disagreeing with you, KateMary, nor with the way you kept your dogs.

[Annie Laurie]

It is amazing that dogs, cats, horses, and all sorts of critters survived just fine long before humans came into the picture, isn't it? And in many places of the US and world, they still do. (That said, our dog and cats have gotten used to creature comforts too and will often come in on their own in the very hot or very cold. It doesn't mean they need it. The wild ones around here still survive just fine.)

 

But weren't they domesticated by humans? A wild dog or wolf or whatever is different than a domesticated dog intended as a pet.

[justamouse]

If you get a Great Pyre or turkish Akbash, you never have to worry if they 'want' to be outside-believe me, they do. it's what they're bread for and what they excell at. They want to be with hteir animals, and not in the house with you.

 

I have a lab and a dobie and they're both inside dogs. Elephants, but I have the house for it. They don't go out without a leash-EVER. Not for them, but because people around here allow their dogs loose in thier unfenced yards and I don't want a lawsuit.

[ereks mom]

Why do people assume that if the dog is outside, he will be neglected by the family? In our 30 years of marriage & 20 years with kids, all the dogs dh & I have ever had were outdoor animals who were unhappy being indoors. We believe that large, furry creatures belong outdoors, and that they need plenty of room so they can romp freely. We live in a rural area on 7.25 acres., which is plenty of room for a large, active dog. If I felt that my dog would be more happy with a pack, in spite of the time we would spend with him outdoors, I wouldn't bring him indoors; I'd get an additional dog.

Edited August 16, 2010 by ereks mom

[Denisemomof4]

Ah, but people with "animals are similar to humans" beliefs are getting into gov't regulation. Horse slaughter has been outlawed in the US. Instead, it's "better" to put them down and bury them if they aren't wanted and let other countries raise horses just for eating. I've never gotten that reasoning (2 horses dead instead of one), but nonetheless, it makes sense to too many people in power. Google CA pet laws and see what is on the books in places or proposed regarding dogs and cats.

 

 

 

WHen was horse slaughtering outlawed? Last I knew there were two slaughter houses in the US which took horses but their meat was shipped to other countries, I believe. I know that horse slaughter was still an option a year or two ago. Are you sure it's been outlawed?

 

never mind. I just googled online and saw that in 2006 it was outlawed in the US so horses are now sent to Mexico or Canada.

 

I'm so glad I saved my Shetland! I should have him until I'm 70, I hope!

[Mynyel]

Yikes... we are going down a totally different road. And, from what I know about the limited political positions of the posters, the LAST thing some of them would want would be MORE government interference with their child rearing. :001_huh:

 

Dogs do NOT get "more" protection -- it is simply that there are less hoops and government regulations to go through to remove them from abusive homes and less "government" intervention telling individual agencies what they can and cannot do in terms of placement of pets. Trust me, I'm all for snatching kids from unfit homes somedays, but do you REALLY want to open that can of worms????? Yowsa...

 

Let's just stick with the topic -- I don't have to go through a judge to be deemed a fit pet owner or have my petrental rights removed. :lol:

 

I was responding to a previous poster so I didn't bring it up :)

 

After reading through all the posts there is one thing that hasn't come up.

 

Just because shelters, breeders, whoever asks all these questions doesn't guarantee a good home. People lie. To be completely honest :glare:, I lied on my application to get out dog that we have had for 5 years and will have until death do us part.

I am sorry (and I wait for the lambasting I am sure is to come) but the questions the ask are way to invasive. Things like is someone going to be home with the animal at all times or some such thing. Umm no, I do have to go grocery shopping. There were other things on the application as well that got my hackles up but I answered it how I knew they wanted me too. I *tried* to adopt a cat once to but they wouldn't let me until I talked to my husband about it:001_huh: he wasn't present so they wouldn't believe anything I said he wouldn't care. We didn't get a cat.

 

So that said who is to say that those questions are going to help place an animal in a good home? It doesn't.

 

Yea, yea it may be a deterrent but the fact that adoptions (at least here) are over $100 (yes I just checked) is a pretty good deterrent as well. How many animals you think are going to be adopted when it costs that much per animal anyway? I know I couldn't get one, even if I wanted one, at that cost.

 

People do need to be more responsible with breeding. Absolutely. However I do think that some of these shelters are cutting of their noses despite their faces by not adopting out an animal based solely off the fact that another animal in the home isn't fixed or that they are going to be an outside dog.

 

I mean we can what if this to death but I would rather have my dog outside (thus keeping the dog or cat for that matter) than take it to the shelter if someone in my house ended up allergic to the animal. Again it is a what if but you can't blanket things like dogs need to be inside dogs.

 

It really is an imperfect system in an imperfect world. I don't know how to make it better, and no one else does for that matter otherwise we wouldn't have the issues we do.

Edited August 16, 2010 by Mynyel
spelling...sheesh

[Lara in Colo]

The biggest problem (IMO) is that a great many people do not take responsibility seriously.

 

Marriage, children, pets---anything. And our society makes this easier. If you want to party more and the dog needs too much from you (you can't stay out of town sponaniously) then just drop it off and forget about it (try not to think about the bad thing that might happen).

 

Lara

[Haiku]

Ah, but people with "animals are similar to humans" beliefs are getting into gov't regulation.

 

So what? People with "animals are here for us to make a profit on, so we can treat them as cruelly as possible to wring every last dollar out of them that we can" beliefs have been into government regulation for a long time. The pendulum is swinging.

 

I would not agree with a law that mandated every housepet must be fixed, but I would (and do) think that people breeding their cats is dumb, and I fully support a rescue/shelter refusing to adopt to people who intend to breed their cats.

 

The rabbit rescue I work with won't adopt to people who plan to house their rabbit outside. In no way whatsoever are we forcing our beliefs on others or dictating what they can do. We are merely saying that they can't adopt through us. If they really want a rabbit and are hellbent on housing it outside, they probably buy from a pet store. We are not prohibiting them from getting a rabbit.

 

Tara

[Haiku]

 

Yea, yea it may be a deterrent but the fact that adoptions (at least here) are over $100 (yes I just checked) is a pretty good deterrent as well. How many animals you think are going to be adopted when it costs that much per animal anyway?

 

I adopted a dog from a shelter that cost the shelter nearly $1,000 in medical expenses, and they gave me a discount on the fee for adopting her because she was still in treatment and needed specialized care for six weeks after coming home. No way do shelters recoup the cost of housing and caring for most of the animals they receive with their fees. If you can't afford the fee, you can't afford the animal, because the cost of vet care and food/litter far exceeds the cost of adoption.

 

Tara

[Carrie12345]

I adopted a dog from a shelter that cost the shelter nearly $1,000 in medical expenses, and they gave me a discount on the fee for adopting her because she was still in treatment and needed specialized care for six weeks after coming home. No way do shelters recoup the cost of housing and caring for most of the animals they receive with their fees. If you can't afford the fee, you can't afford the animal, because the cost of vet care and food/litter far exceeds the cost of adoption.

 

Tara

 

:iagree:

I don't understand how anyone walks into any type of rescue and expects to receive a fixed, vaccinated, fed, bathed, sheltered animal for nothing, or next to nothing. There are huge costs involved in getting an animal ready for adoption, and the adoption fees rarely put a dent in it.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I do think that there is a middle ground here that many rescue places fail to see. Even if they think that being an inside dog/cat is the idea life, being outside is still better than cooped up in a cage/euthenized.

[hornblower]

Yea, yea it may be a deterrent but the fact that adoptions (at least here) are over $100 (yes I just checked) is a pretty good deterrent as well. How many animals you think are going to be adopted when it costs that much per animal anyway? I know I could get one, even if I wanted one, at that cost.

 

It usually costs MUCH more than $100 to adopt around here. There are a couple animal control/pound facilities which have fees around that level (but they don't spay/neuter or provide any vet check for the animals. They're not a shelter per se, but rather an animal control facility which can choose to adopt out animals rather than euthenizing them past their 3 - 7 day hold period)

 

SPCA's & private rescues have much higher fees - 250-350 is pretty normal, but all the animals are already spayed/neutered, have been dewormed/deflead & had any medical issues taken care of.

 

Adoption rates are high & our big city shelters are partnering up with shelters in more rural communities where dogs are having a hard time being placed, and bringing them down to the city for adoption.

 

My current foster has had over $6,000 in vet bills while in foster care. The rescue will adopt him out for a $250 donation. The extra to pay his vet bills is made up by volunteers fundraising like crazy.

 

Reputable breeders charge 500-1500 for a pup.

 

Heck, even crappy byb's and puppy mill petstores are charging that.

 

& for rare or prestigious breeds like an Old English Mastiff - more like 2-3K.

 

 

The costs are somewhat of a deterrent & that's why folks generally recommend against rehoming FTGH (free to good home) but still - there are plenty of people who spend lots of money for their puppies & still dump them.

[mcconnellboys]

Yes, but when you can't afford to scrapbook any more, you don't have to find your books a new home....

[JeneralMom]

If you get a Great Pyre or turkish Akbash, you never have to worry if they 'want' to be outside-believe me, they do. it's what they're bread for and what they excell at. They want to be with hteir animals, and not in the house with you.

 

I have a lab and a dobie and they're both inside dogs. Elephants, but I have the house for it. They don't go out without a leash-EVER. Not for them, but because people around here allow their dogs loose in thier unfenced yards and I don't want a lawsuit.

 

 

I have a Pyr who hates being outside, separated from her flock (my kids). She goes out, barks, pees, and runs back in. Pyrs and other LGD have to imprint on their flocks when they are puppies, otherwise they imprint on humans - that is how my mom ended up with her Pyr - he bonded to the farmer's kids and not the sheep, so she adopted him out.

[katemary63]

My current foster has had over $6,000 in vet bills while in foster care.

 

Can I suggest that the next time you hear of someone spending over $6,000 on one stray dog, that you encourage them to send the money here instead, or any other place that helps exploited, homeless and hungry children. That money could feed several hundred starving children for months. :sad:

 

http://www.bgchm.org/#/home

[Nakia]

Can I suggest that the next time you hear of someone spending over $6,000 on one stray dog, that you encourage them to send the money here instead, or any other place that helps exploited, homeless and hungry children. That money could feed several hundred starving children for months. :sad:

 

http://www.bgchm.org/#/home

 

I have to agree with you. $6,000 sounds excessive. You know the old saying: Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

Can I suggest that the next time you hear of someone spending over $6,000 on one stray dog, that you encourage them to send the money here instead, or any other place that helps exploited, homeless and hungry children. That money could feed several hundred starving children for months. :sad:

 

http://www.bgchm.org/#/home

 

 

:iagree:

 

When I first worked for DHS (Child Welfare) I went in with SUCH ATTITUDE.....feeling sorry for those "poor kids" who weren't breastfed, didn't get to be homeschooled, were allowed to cry it out as babies, were spanked, etc.

 

Then I saw true suffering.

 

After working there for a very short time I came to realize that there ARE fates worse than death and that 'not getting breastmilk'....'not being homeschooled', etc. are not even on my list anymore. (in fact, I learned how very lucky some kids are to GET to go to public school!)

 

I feel like many animal organizations go the same way. Perhaps they feel like some dogs are "poor unfortunate souls" who are made to spend hours outside when many of those dogs are happy to be there.

 

(And, please, no one bash me for my earlier thoughts on child-rearing. I get how wrong I was BELIEVE ME!)

[Mynyel]

I adopted a dog from a shelter that cost the shelter nearly $1,000 in medical expenses, and they gave me a discount on the fee for adopting her because she was still in treatment and needed specialized care for six weeks after coming home. No way do shelters recoup the cost of housing and caring for most of the animals they receive with their fees. If you can't afford the fee, you can't afford the animal, because the cost of vet care and food/litter far exceeds the cost of adoption.

 

Tara

 

It usually costs MUCH more than $100 to adopt around here. There are a couple animal control/pound facilities which have fees around that level (but they don't spay/neuter or provide any vet check for the animals. They're not a shelter per se, but rather an animal control facility which can choose to adopt out animals rather than euthenizing them past their 3 - 7 day hold period)

 

SPCA's & private rescues have much higher fees - 250-350 is pretty normal, but all the animals are already spayed/neutered, have been dewormed/deflead & had any medical issues taken care of.

 

Adoption rates are high & our big city shelters are partnering up with shelters in more rural communities where dogs are having a hard time being placed, and bringing them down to the city for adoption.

 

My current foster has had over $6,000 in vet bills while in foster care. The rescue will adopt him out for a $250 donation. The extra to pay his vet bills is made up by volunteers fundraising like crazy.

 

Reputable breeders charge 500-1500 for a pup.

 

Heck, even crappy byb's and puppy mill petstores are charging that.

 

& for rare or prestigious breeds like an Old English Mastiff - more like 2-3K.

 

 

The costs are somewhat of a deterrent & that's why folks generally recommend against rehoming FTGH (free to good home) but still - there are plenty of people who spend lots of money for their puppies & still dump them.

 

 

I am not meaning that the cost of the adoption is expensive by comparison to the medical bills.

 

Although some of those higher amounts for a pet seem a bit ridiculous to me. I know people are pet lovers and I know they need a chance and I am not trying to deliberately be heartless but $1000? $6000? That is just high, high, high for an animal that may or may not end up adopted. Spending that amount of money and then complaining the don't have enough money seems... can't find the word. There is a word for it just can't find it. What I am saying is that they have spend large sums of money to save one animal and it probably (I say probably as I don't know all circumstances in all cases) be used as a "scholarship" or some such thing to save 4 or 5 or 6 animals by adopting them out at lower fees. Just a thought on my part here. I sincerely don't mean to imply that the animal(s) aren't worth it.

 

Anyway what I meant is when it comes down to a family walking into a shelter ready to adopt an animal it can be a deterrent to see that is costs over $100 (or as pointed out over $200) to adopt the pet. That is a lot of money to shell out just to bring the animal home let alone if there ends up being additional costs if medical conditions arise after adoption.

 

The costs of adoption for a family (or anyone else who wants to adopt for that matter) and some of the invasive questions that they ask can be a deterrent from having animals adopted out. That is my point.

[Denisemomof4]

Can I suggest that the next time you hear of someone spending over $6,000 on one stray dog, that you encourage them to send the money here instead, or any other place that helps exploited, homeless and hungry children. That money could feed several hundred starving children for months. :sad:

 

http://www.bgchm.org/#/home

 

you know..... this upsets me. Everyone is entitled to their own passions. If they want to save a stray dog, let them. I'm sure there's MUCH more money spent on helping people than animals. Let each person put their money where they want.

 

This just struck me. Nobody should look down on people who put money into animals. They have no idea, or right, to judge what else they put their money to. I would love to donate more to animal welfare. So what? That's my choice. But I've also traveled around the world and paid 24k for a child, and I've helped numerous people and children IRL and through organizations. But even if I didn't, I still have the right to donate my money where I desire and it's nobody's business to have an opinion on that. Thank God there are people out there who actually care enough to help an ailing animal because in my experience there simply aren't enough people to do this. I

 

I really get tired of people judging others, and I get tired of people thinking their way is the right way or the only way. Thank God we are all different.

[hornblower]

Can I suggest that the next time you hear of someone spending over $6,000 on one stray dog, that you encourage them to send the money here instead, or any other place that helps exploited, homeless and hungry children. That money could feed several hundred starving children for months. :sad:

 

 

Nope.

 

We all choose our causes. I could be out earning money & sending large chunks of it to feed starving children/fund homeless shelters/donate to women's rape relief etc etc etc. I don't. I choose to homeschool my kids because that's where I want to put my efforts now.

 

We all spend money (expensive curricula that sits on our shelves, for instance) & donate our time & efforts to various causes which speak to OUR hearts.

 

This particular dog was an unusual case though certainly 2,000 bills, (hip repairs usually) are not an unusual bill in rescues I'm familiar with. I'm glad I didn't have to make the decision - the board of the rescue did it. It was a tough call for everyone. I get that for some it would only take second to say "are you out of your mind? Kill it." but it's just not that simple for me.

 

This is the dog in question btw:

 

 

 

"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something I can do."

And he's no longer a stray. He's a beloved, wonderful dog who will be adopted to the best possible home, where he will be adored & cherished & given all opportunities to find joy & butt wiggling happiness. He will never be homeless again because he has been microchipped in the Rescue's name & if ever he is need again, a volunteer will get him asap & place him in a warm and comfortable foster home.

[Annie Laurie]

you know..... this upsets me. Everyone is entitled to their own passions. If they want to save a stray dog, let them. I'm sure there's MUCH more money spent on helping people than animals. Let each person put their money where they want.

 

 

 

I didn't like her comment either.

 

But it doesn't work like that anyway- it's not help an animal or help a person. One is not exclusive of the other. I think that the way we treat other creatures does influence how we treat other people as well.

 

Take industrial farming for instance, the animals suffer in terrible conditions and then it continues right on to human beings, who are treated inhumanely, working in terrible and dangerous conditions in processing plants and factories. The same people who are dispassionate to an animal's suffering are usually dispassionate to a human's suffering.

 

You don't think that when we as a society turn our back on living things that need our help, even if they're "just" animals, that this hardens us to a lot of horrible things, to just look the other way, that involve humans too?

 

And I guess a lot of this has to do with your view of animals and what their purpose is here on this earth, some people seem to view them as being here only for what they can do for us, but I see them as greatly enriching the lives of human beings as well, and feel they're entitled to humane treatment.

[Denisemomof4]

This is the dog in question btw:

 

 

 

 

 

He is SO freaking precious!!! I want him SO bad but I can't have him. I'm so glad you are fostering him and he's going to get a GREAT home.

 

Boy do I really want him.

 

ETA: I will never forget that video! I *LOVE* the picture with the tip of his tongue exposed, and LOVE the last picture!!! Please update us on Bear.

Edited August 16, 2010 by Denisemomof4

[creekland]

But weren't they domesticated by humans? A wild dog or wolf or whatever is different than a domesticated dog intended as a pet.

 

Around here it's the same types of dogs and cats that can be house pets or outdoors 24/7. There used to be wolves in PA, but not anymore. Ditto that with large wild cats - though we still have bobcats. Both the indoor and the outdoor versions fare just fine. I think the only ones that would have trouble would be those individuals kept indoors who were suddenly thrown outside in either hot or cold weather. They wouldn't be used to it nor have the coat for it, etc. Brought up that way they do just fine.