people and unwanted animals

Jstpssng · Apr 6, 2006

Soundguy in case you haven't noticed by now you arent' venting; you're merely expressing opinions which are shared by many others. Those of you who take in unwanted strays a deserve a medal; better yet, a little help with the pet food bills.

Onecold January evening many years ago I was taking a shortcut down a deserted road no normal person would travel /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gifwhen I espied something on the center line; it was a very young kitten which someone had dropped off to die. I was a long ways from point A and even farther from point B, but I took it to a farmhouse and after explaining the situation they agreed to put it with the rest of their cats in the barn. 20years later I still think about that kitten; and would still have no qualms about dropping it's former owner off on a deserted road in January without food, water, or adequate clothing.

I hunt, fish,and trap; nobody will ever acuse me of being softhearted. Yet in each activity I strive to be as humane as possible. It isn't unreasonable to expect people to do the same for an animal after taking on the responsibility which pet ownership implies.

Soundguy · Apr 6, 2006

Mikepa and others. Real cool of you guys to help those animals,

Joe .. I hear you about those 'toy' animals. I have a rabbit that was an easter gift to a child last year.. child didn't want the 'bunny' after it got a fe months old. Same with a 'chick' that was given as a pet to a child in my extended family. Since I'm the farmer in the family, I got called 2 days after the chick was given to the child.. chick wasn't doing good. I went over after work.. chick was in a draft cage with no fodder.. and no starter feed... nearly died. I know it was only a 1.50$ TSC chick.. but please... ( It's now a fully grown, healthy cornish rooster ... living it's life out in luxory with the rest of the freeloaders.. er.. animals on my farm /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ).

Thanks for the comments guys. It helps seeing that there are some many other good people out there...

Soundguy

sanmigmike · Apr 7, 2006

In the past we have had over twenty cats at a time between the feral ones and the real pets. When we see that we have feral ones that are hanging around we trap them and get them fixed. We just buried an ex-feral cat that had become a real pet. She was "my" cat, didn't like any one else in the family for some time. Don't know how old she was when we made her a pet but she was a pet for about seven years. We were told that she had FIV when we had her fixed and that we should put her to sleep, for some reason I said no. None of our other cats ever got FIV and in November when she got sick she was tested for FIV and FLV among other things and the tests came back negative. She had some sort of cancer and the Vet felt the odds of helping her were minimal. Told us that when she started hiding it would be because she was in pain and that would be the time to have her put to sleep.

The growth on her face got large and very ugly and she got skinny, almost painful to pet her but she didn't complain and liked attention. Died last weekend still not complaining,never did hide. A real classy lady considering she was just a feral stray. A beautiful tabby.

We have problem with dogs, two neighbors let their dogs run wild. One runs away pretty quick but the other is a bit aggresive and we are pretty sure that is where some of our missing cats could be traced to! Don't mind them having dogs but they should be on their property!

The feral cats pain me but the ones that really break my heart are the cats that come to you or try to get the nerve up to come to you, you know that they are used to being around people!

dmccarty · Apr 7, 2006

JoeR,

Check the FLA statutes. I would hate to do it but if I had livestock and dogs where chasing the animals the dog(s) is going to get shot. I'm pretty sure in NC the owner of the livestock can shoot dog(s) chasing animals.

I worked on a farm when I was a teenager. Tthe farm had about 75 head of cattle. I know of at least two occasions where the cattle had been chased through barbed wire fences. We where pretty sure it was a neighbors dog doing the chasing.

If my boss had caught the dog in the act it was going to be the three S treatment for the dog....

The farm ran for a good mile or so on the Ohio river, so the three S's would have been Shoot, Shove, and Splash. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

When I was living back in FLA in a condo I rented, some low life moved out and left behind this pretty black cat. The cat would visit me every day I left and came home. We wondered if he had been abandoned. One day it was cold and rainy out. I looked out on the landing and the cat had curled up in a box/planter. He was wet and sick. I put a towel on him and of course he shortly was brought into the condo. We named him Lucky since he was Lucky. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

We already had two cats. And Lucky and one of the other cats did not get along. One of my friends aggreed to take Lucky. Lucky was Lucky again. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Fast forward a few years, I had moved out of FLA but went back and I was visiting my friends. Lucky came into the house minus half of his tail. They suspect a dog got part of Lucky's tail. Lucky was Very Lucky. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Lucky came in, walked right over to me, hoped up in my lab, curled into a ball, started purring away as I petted him, and went to sleep. That danged cat had remembered me after all of those years....... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

People who dump animals generally should get one of the Three S's.

Now, I used to know a very nice lady who ran a cashier in a cafeteria. Talked to her at least once a day. She admitted one day, I think she was feeling guilty, of dumping a cat in the country. My guess is that she did not want to take the cat to the pound since she figured the cat would be put to sleep and at least the cat had a chance.....

So maybe we can't give 'em all the Three Ss.

Later,
Dan

Mrwurm · Apr 7, 2006

This thread really caught my attention. As some of you know, my family was looking at adopting a dog from a private owner. We ended up passing on that animal, but have been contacting the various rescues about others. Three days ago we contacted four different rescues about dogs that they have available listed on their sites. No responses to emails or phone calls. Seems really strange that they don't actually seem interested in placing dogs. I'm actually wondering if the resues are just 'fronts' for people who want to collect dogs but don't actually want to let them go ? I'm puzzled.

1bush2hog · Apr 7, 2006

DO you have a local Humane Society? If so, hurry on down, there is a special pet waiting just for you. My experience with a lot of non profits is that they are sometimes so undermanned and overworked that they do not respond to anything but a personal appearance.

If you are looking for a pet it is very difficult to walk out of the Humane Society without one.

dubba · Apr 7, 2006

( If you are looking for a pet it is very difficult to walk out of the Humane Society without one )

It must be a lot different up here..

I have been refused adoption by my local SPCA because-

I work more than 12 hours per day (even though my wife is home for 8 of those hours)

I don't have a fenced in yard. (80 acres in the country, we do not let the dogs out without one of us being outside)

I will not pay for dog training. (never had to train one to do what I want it to do yet, They ain't stupid, dogs know where the food comes from)

We have or let small children visit from time to time.

We have 4 cats. (evidently dogs & cats can't coexist)

OK my rant is over..

buckle97 · Apr 7, 2006

It must be a lot different up here..

I think things are changing.
When I was in the 8th grade (1994), I wanted a dog very badly. I convinced my parents that I would take care of it and even saved up enough money to pay for the first vet bill. My mom took me to the local animal shelter and I liked two dogs. The first one I took outside to play with was a beagle. All he did was sniff around and didn't seem to want anything to do with me. The second dog I took out was a beagle/collie mix. All she wanted to do was climb in my lap and lick me /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif. That dog wouldn't get more than three feet away from me. My mom told me that this dog would make a great companion. We went up to the front desk and they were so happy to see that the dog and I were getting along. They collected $40 from me (the adoption fee) and had my mom sign something. They also gave us a list of vets and said we were required to have her fixed. They never asked any questions about how the dog would live, when someone would be home, etc. They were just excited to have this dog going away with a happy kid.
The last time I went by a local animal shelter, they wanted to have an interview before I even saw any of the dogs that were available for adoption. They wanted to make sure the dog would be allowed inside (which it wouldn't be) and that I could provide enough attention for it. I walked out /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif.
By the way, I still have Maggy. She just turned 12 years old in March. She has been a great companion to grow up with. My wife is jealous of the way I treat her, but I've only known my wife for six years /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.

Lawrence

Freds · Apr 7, 2006

( I'm actually wondering if the resues are just 'fronts' for people who want to collect dogs but don't actually want to let them go ? )

I don't DO rescue, but I am involved with rescues.... and for that matter the same set uf *rules* apply to conscientious breeders, too. People just want to make sure that the pets go to a "forever" home. I suppose they do get attached to them, and therefore look for the absolute best possible match, even if it means never letting the pet go to another home. Some rescues will even do trial runs to see if the pet is compatible, but I don't know that I like that concept. It seems like it would be hard on the pet.
It IS kind of a catch-22, but they mean well.

On the other end, I think some unethical breeders adopt strict policies as a kind of front to make people think they are ethical. I still remember one of the questions on my one dog's breederss questionaire.. it asked if I would ever take the dog to watch a parade /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I'm not really sure where she was going with that line of questioning, but shortly after I got the pup, I found out she was more of a puppy miller who just happens to title her dogs so she can ask more money for them. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

1bush2hog · Apr 7, 2006

It must be a lot different up here..


Dang Dubba - did they run a background check on you too? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

We adopted a border collie, brittany mix a few years ago and all I had to do was sign a document stating we would have him fixed, as well as, pay a fee for shots he had been given. Seems like they also held a deposit until we proved we had him fixed. He has turned out to be one of the best dogs I have ever had -

My comment was actually related to how it makes a person feel when they walk in to a place like that and see all the abandoned pets looking back up at you with those 'please take me' eyes.