Throw Away Pets

[midlf]

I wish an outdoor cat would show up at our place. I would like to get a cat but we cannot let a cat in the house with the foster (well I think she's now permanent) Goffin's Cockatoo. I would not feel right about getting a cat and forcing it to live outside but would be very happy to feed a stray/semi feral cat that wished to hang around. AB4D I honor you for having your strays fixed. We have the neighbors cats passing through on their daily routes but no semi-permanant visitors. I guess on one hand we are lucky there is no "dumping" near us that I am aware of. If there was dog dumping our currently unused kennel would have an occupant.

 

[deerefan]

This is an old pic I posted a while ago. Notice the rust colored mutt in the pic at the bottom right. She loves fishing. I've had her chase fish after I cut them loose. We named her Foxy, but her full name is Foxy Box of Rocks only b/c she goes absolutely nuts when you call her that. She is also a darn good watchdog. Just showed up one day. Hope she never leaves. Wish I could say that about some people that show up at our house!

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Greed is the name of the game )</font>

Jim, I don't know much about veterinarians, their expenses, profits, etc., but I do know their rates sure do vary. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif When we lived down in the country, we had a very good veterinary clinic with 3 vets. Prices were reasonable and I think the people actually cared about the animals. I used them for a rabbit and a goat, as well as our dog. And I went with a neighbor to take cattle and a donkey to them.

And now we're back in town with a puppy. We took it to one local veterinary. The "nurse" took the puppy's temperature, looked in her ears, in an exam room, turned on a video sales pitch of all the great products they sell, and left the room. At the end of the video, the "doctor" came in, listened to the puppy's heartbeat with a stethoscope and recommended $125 worth of "prophylactic" treatments (we had given them a list of all the ones the kennel said had already been done). I saw no indication that he cared one bit for the puppy or had any interest in her, so I declined, and paid the $28.95 for the "exam". I also asked what he would charge for spaying when she's old enough and he said $199.

Now we supposedly got this puppy for about half price because she has a tiny hernia (in fact, we might not have even noticed it if the kennel owner hadn't told us about it and said their vet said she would grow out of it, but that it might be best not to breed her (which we have no intention of doing). The vet we were visiting said she probably would, OR that he could repair that when he spays her, "but that would be a separate procedure; just done at the same time." I didn't even ask how much that separate procedure would cost.

So I came home and called every veterinarian in the area and asked what they would charge to spay the pup when she's old enough; got prices of $193 to $244. Then one of our daughters and a friend told us about a veterinarian clinic on the other side of town that they've used and like, so I called them and they said $60 for spaying her. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif It's a big clinic with 3 doctors, they treat all kinds of animals, and in fact, one of them was recently listed in a magazine as one of the best horse doctors in the state. So I figured if they're any good, I'll drive 30 miles each way for the price difference.

Sure enough, I had a chance to find out. The puppy quickly developed a serious constipation problem and we took her to that clinic. Hmmm, a young doctor who played with her, acted like he actually cared about her, and said he'd just recently gotten one just like her for his fiance and it had the same problem. $25 for the office visit, $2.50 for an enema (a lot less than I'd charge for that /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif), and $7.25 for the laxative he sent home with her. And he said he'll just fix that little hernia when he spays her.

Yep, we'll be driving 30 miles across Dallas when we need a vet, both for price and for someone who acts as if he likes the animals. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[BobReeves]

Yep, we drive 25 miles to our vet and pass 2 or 3 on the way. Same deal, funny part is we live outside Tulsa in a small town and the local vet is like the one you first described so we drive into Tulsa. One would think it would be the other way around.

 

[EddieWalker]

Update.

Sam attacked Steph's son last night and we're having him tested for rabies. No idea what caused the attack since both Steph and I were right there when it happened. It was totally out of character and unprovoked.

Since he didn't continue the attack after I got him away and was back to being nice again the next morning, we are at a loss as to the cause of it.

Now we're waiting for the results from the tests.

As of right now, we wont take in another stray. We can never trust to leave the kids alone with one again.

Steph is heartbroken. She cried all last night and when she talked to her today, she started crying again.

Eddie

 

[riptides]

Wow. That is too bad.

Unfortunate with stray animals is you really don't know their history. Something really odd may set them off, if they have been a victim of abuse.

Trust is a hard thing to come by, with an animal.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[slowrev]

Strays are sometimes bad choices for pets. After all they have been discarded by someone, how well could they have been treated ?
My dumb son and his wife took in a stray dalmation and the grandaughter still has a scar on her face from that dumb action.


Just my observation/opinion.
Ben

 

[getut]

Strays, newspaper dogs, or pound dogs are usually the only way I get one and so far I have always ended up with a great dog.

I can't get past the adoption thing where they want to come in to your home and look around and try to make you sign things like saying you'll only keep the dog inside or get the dog spayed or neutered, etc. etc etc.

 

[Sigarms]

Getting you animal spayed or neutered is the most humane to do. Why would you want the chance of having your pet contribute to an already out of control issue (unwanted puppies/pets)?

If you own one male dog who is not neutered and you let him roam freely, do the math on the amount of unwanted puppies your one dog can account for.

Better example is of "outdoor" cats.

There are some people who can't take care of themselves, and what I can't understand is why they want a pet.

Eddie, sorry to hear about what happened, believe me, I know what you and Steph must be going through. Just remind her that as sad as it was to have Sam taken away, you did the right thing.

 

[AB4D]

Hi Bird and Midlf,

Thanks for the thoughts. I was shocked when I started searching around for a vet who particpates in a Spay/Neuter program. When I moved to the country, I figured most things would be cheaper, but in the suburbs where I used to live, you can get most dogs/cats fixed for around $25-$35 vs. $200 plus. The vet I use now charges $52 for females and $42 for males, he seems to be very caring of the animals, and he gives cut rates to clients who have large cat colonies such as mine. I just feel lucky to have found someone who is devoted to their trade and not just chasing a dollar.

Jim