careless pet owners - rant

[grynche]

I just have to let off steam. Everyone here is a doting furparent. So I think you'll understand.

Tuesday, it was 20 below here. I was driving back to work from lunch and see a loose dog a ways down the busy two-lane highway and held my breath until the dog made it safely across, silently cursing whoever was (1) letting their dog loose in (2) killer cold and (3) praying it wasn't a dumped dog that might not survive the night.

Then the shop owner next door calls and tells me she's rescued a 'lost' dog and did I know it's owner? Well, by the end of the afternoon we'd discovered the owner; I drove over and asked the guy "Are you missing a dog?" I get this blank stare and "Which one? I have three dogs." So I describe the dog and get "Oh, yeah, he's always running off." Did I mention it was 20 below?

A few minutes later, a woman and child show up to pick up the dog. No leash. The dog runs off [it's still 20 below] and the shop owner manages to catch the dog, put it in the woman's truck and responds to the woman's "Well, guess we'll have to chain him outside tonight" with, yes, "It's 20 below now."

I just looked outside, where it's not quite so cold, and both dogs are again running loose down the highway.

I swear if I see those dogs loose again I'm calling the Humane Society and the police. No tags, running loose (there are leash laws in effect), I'm willing to bet unvaccinated. The local coyotes could easily take out the smaller dog. Those dogs deserve better.

Rant over.

[uppitycats]

Yes, definitely call the Humane Society, or if there is an Animal Control officer in your police department. You can give them the owner's name/address, too. NO animals should be left out in this weather. Our local newsbroadcasts have had repeated stories about "yes, obviously you let your dog out...but for only as long as it needs to "do it's business", then get him back inside. Make sure his paws are dried.. " etc.

I probably wouldn't wait to do it..the dogs are loose now; they need to be picked up now.

[Margaret]

It's -20 below Celsius and our family is feeding 2 cats in our dog run.They have no collars or tags and we just can't see these animals starving to death.I wonder where these cats come from .I 'm so glad that we can give these cats something.

[havanaholly]

There are just some people who should not be allowed to have pets.

[birdmom]

Oh those poor babies. :o

We live in the country and get an average of a dog a month dumped on or near our property. I always feed, water, shelter the dog until either the owner comes and gets them or I call the humane society. Usually when the same dog shows up a second time I call immediatley and don't wait for the owner to come get them. We actually had one person several months ago who showed up to get their dog for a third time in about a week and was offended that it wasn't there in my yard this time. They couldn't believe I had called! Said it was my responsibility as a "neighbor".

[birdmom]

There are just some people who should not be allowed to have pets.

Amen to that.

[Starfire]

I have work with a breed specific dog rescue for nine years and I will not go into how many dogs have wound up in our care that were the victims of careless owners. They all break my heart, they are so grateful for a warm bed and food and a gentle loving hand. They all live in the moment and forgive their bad treatment for the most part. There are only a few which are too damaged to save and must be put down because they are too unstable to place. We have one gentleman bless his heart who has adopted a few of the ones which we would not place but we felt deserved a a better outcome then being put down. He even went so far as to move from his urban home to a place out in the country where these dogs would not be a danger to anyone. Right now he has five and they will live out their lives in a quiet stress free environment.

I cringe when we get the old timers because no one wants them any more. They are so bewildered as to why their people are gone and left them behind. I just adopted one four weeks ago and he has been a joy to add to our home after we lost our male to cancer six weeks ago.

On the other hand I was devastated to pick up a dog from owners who had lost their home and surrendered the dog to us rather then let him go to a shelter or dump him. They both were crying and begging me to be sure he went to a good home and let the new owners know he had been loved and that they hoped he would be loved there as well. I cry every time I think of him and them. Their little boy was just so broken hearted.

There are all kinds of people that run the gamet from those who are ignorant, to stupid, to loving and caring, to down right cruel. But at least there are people who realize that pets are a life time commitment and responsibility. I just wish people would take more care when they make such decisions. I understand that life can sometimes throw you unexpected changes when you have to make difficult decisions. How they can simply walk away and ignore a furry companion of several years makes you wonder what they will do with the two legged kids.

Sorry to rant! I will get off my soap box now and extend a hope that all our lost and homeless pets will have a safe place for Christmas. Hug your own fur kids for me. And Freya, thank you for caring enough to be concerned for these dogs.

[eglefther]

The owners of that dog should have to survive in 20 degree weather and no shelter. People make me so angry sometimes. How they can be so cruel and uncaring. Thank you for caring, Freya!!!!!

[Wolfie]

Freya, please make the call! No doggies or kitties should be outside running free - especially in this weather. It's way too cold for anything to be outside. This morning I spent an hour making a bird feeder shelter on my deck that is covered and protected from the snow and wind. Last I looked a huge raven was sitting inside eating up the crumbs! I hate to see animals or birds or even humans (stupid as some of them are) suffer. If I could bring my deer into the basement I would, but they refuse......

[havanaholly]

I understand that life can sometimes throw you unexpected changes when you have to make difficult decisions. How they can simply walk away and ignore a furry companion of several years makes you wonder what they will do with the two legged kids.

Remember how many kids got dumped in Nebraska before they changed their law to be age-specific...

[Kalygirl]

Freya, please make the call! No doggies or kitties should be outside running free - especially in this weather. It's way too cold for anything to be outside. This morning I spent an hour making a bird feeder shelter on my deck that is covered and protected from the snow and wind. Last I looked a huge raven was sitting inside eating up the crumbs! I hate to see animals or birds or even humans (stupid as some of them are) suffer. If I could bring my deer into the basement I would, but they refuse......

Gina, you can always make me smile, no matter how poopy a day I might be having! I can just picture you creating sneaky ways to lure the deer into your basement so you can feed them and water them and encourage them to curl up on nice warm blankies that you have strewn about! I wonder if deer can be housetrained?

[tcmorrison]

On the other hand I was devastated to pick up a dog from owners who had lost their home and surrendered the dog to us rather then let him go to a shelter or dump him. They both were crying and begging me to be sure he went to a good home and let the new owners know he had been loved and that they hoped he would be loved there as well. I cry every time I think of him and them. Their little boy was just so broken hearted.

That's sad when that happens. At least they cared enough to do the right thing.

I can't tell you how many kitties my parents have ended up with that were strays. And then there was the Momma cat and 5 babies at the shelter that she HAD to bring home.

We adopted our one dog at Petsmart from a shelter. He is fed, watered, vaccinated and we make sure he doesn't stay out too long when it's cold. Not that it gets really cold here. He has a nice doggy bed to sleep in, plenty of toys, kids to play with, and gets plenty of treats. All this for the dog I didn't want, but couldn't say no to. DH brought him home 2 years ago.

Terri

[Missymew]

It's -20 below Celsius and our family is feeding 2 cats in our dog run.They have no collars or tags and we just can't see these animals starving to death.I wonder where these cats come from .I 'm so glad that we can give these cats something.

Margaret - These cats need to be brought in out of the cold. Can you catch them and take them to the Pound? Or put them in a spare room while you call the Pound to come and pick them up? Its too cold outside for them. Their ears and paws will get badly frozen.

-Susanne

[Margaret]

They won't let us catch them .I'm afraid for them as well.The dogrun is sheltered and there are places to cuddle in that are warm.I occasionally warm up the blankets for the cats.They have been staying in the run.If we had a spare room we would take them in.I wish people would look after their pets.Me and my family are doing what we can.

[chesterfieldzoo]

And this is why I have so many animals. People toss them out like yesterdays newspaper when it becomes inconvenient.

I am looking to take in another kitten now. Then I am full up again.

[rodentraiser]

I even went out today to feed my squirrels and birds and make sure they had non frozen water.

Stray cards are hard to bring in. I know, because my cat was a wild cat I tamed down. When I moved, I caught her and had her spayed and vaccinated and then brought her up to my new house, all at one time because I knew I'd never catch her again. She lived in my spare room for ten days and then went out and I could no way coax her back in, even when we had 15" of snow. She far preferred to be an outdoor cat, but I always made sure she had food and water and I bought her a doghouse and put blankets in it so she had a warm place to sleep.