Throw Away Pets

[QRTRHRS]

We are lucky to be on high ground while the neighbors across the road are level and closer to the road so they get dumped on regularly.

Still, sometimes I think I should change my name to Noah. We still have four of the family of seven cats we took in when we bought our place and left where we had our horses boarded. Plus one stray we took in during an extremely cold spell. Try nuetering and spaying seven cats at once$$$.

We prefer to rescue purebred dogs and our current lineup includes a French Beauceron (rare), a Belgium Malinoise and a Min Pin.

Some of our experiances with adoption groups have been more like a trip to the dentist under duress. While most mean well, few in our area can picture living within view of fewer than a half dozen houses a minimum of 2000 or so feet away.

Then there are those self appointed experts with no accreditation what so ever who disregard invitation only signs in order to check out our operation. And Peta? (deleted)

We do keep an two stallions but perhaps much to their disdain, breed very very selectively. People seem to think the miracle of horse reproduction is similar to cats and dogs with little idea of the related costs. I try to keep it pleasent while hopefully educating them.

 

[Sigarms]

Brian, I'm curious, did you try the Hillside SPCA in Pottsville on the cost of spaying on the cats?

For anyone who takes in a stray and is not sure what to do, I suggest calling your local humane society or any other "animal groups" that may be listed in your area. If you're not sure who or what group is in your area or can't find information on them, try the local pet supply store (usually local groups will work with these stores for adoptions).

On that note with those who find cats or kittens, the first thing you should do is have them tested for feline luekemia/FIV (in a "nutshell" like human aids). Keep in mind feline luekemia is not harmful to humans, but can be deadly to other cats. If you have a litter of kittens, you only need to have one cat tested from the litter. If you handle a cat with feline leukemia, and then handle another cat who does not have the disease, you can transmit that disease to a non-affected cat. This disease is not pretty, and the most humane thing to do is if the cat tests positive is have it destroyed.

As far as the cost of spaying or neutering (sp?), if you already don't have a vet (or surprised by the vets prices), look in your area for a low cost spay/neuter clinic. These clinics exist just as thier name implies.

In our area, "off the street pricing" for anyone who walks in (appointments of course need to be made) are as follows

Dogs $65 spay/$55 neuter (if the dog weighs over 40lbs, add $10)

Cats $55 spay/ $45 neuter

You may also be able to get financial help from your local organization as well (which would bring the cost down even lower).

Keep in mind, the prices that I've listed are in my area. Your area may be different as well. I read here (I think Bird) that one going rate was $200. That does seem VERY high (but I also think this was from a "private" vet).

Genreal rule is that neutering is usually always lower in cost than spaying (procedure is "easier").

If you take in an abandoned animal and don't want to keep it, think about "fostering". You can get help for doing this by working with your local "animal" group. Keep in mind, I'm speaking in general, and I'm sure different parts of the U.S are different on how they (animal groups) handle this (fostering).

The dynamics of voleunteer (sp?) groups can be very interesting as well. Keep in mind, most people mean good. On that note, believe (sp?) me when I say working with the "general public" can be just as interesting (you would be surprised).

 

[LBrown59]

<font color="blue"> I wish an outdoor cat would show up at our place.
midlf
Silver Member </font>
=====
The cutest little gray and white one showed up here 11 years ago.
I was walking out the side walk and along she came and laid down on its side wanting petted.
There was just something different/special about that cat. I made the statement to my wife it would make somebody a nice pet.
What an under statement as it's been the nicest pet we've ever had.
Been converted to a very good house cat since 1994.
~~~
To bad you hain't in my area we have 2 stray cats visting pretty often.

 

[PineRidge]

Out here in the backwoods we see unwanted cats and dogs that were dropped off freely roaming the neighborhood. The wife and I already have two dogs of our own and we are both allergic to cats. But after watching our chipmunks that were digging everywhere disappear we started to wonder why the little critters up and left. Then we spotted a cat that someone had dropped off and it all made sense. Now we put cat food out on the patio daily for the feline we figure she has earned her keep.

No more chipmunks either.

 

[jim_wilson]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( We don't get many dropoffs because we live on a narrow dead end dirt road and the culprits can't get away without being seen...but one bitterly cold winter several years ago my wife and I were driving home from a friend's birthday party and saw a very old golden shivering in the middle of our road at minus 35F. There were car tracks in the snow, human tracks like somebody got out and opened a back door, then the dog's tracks. He only went about ten feet before just stopping to shiver.

Of course we brought him home to warm up. Judging from his teeth he was probably close to 15 years old. There was a CT number on his collar. We called. It was the cell phone of a tourist up for a skiing vacation. The dog had cancer and he didn't want to put him down...so he was left to freeze to death! Grrrrr!

On the PETA front, you might find their hypocrisy an interesting read. Check out PETA kills )</font>

That kind of behavior really burns me up. I have not had dogs as pets but my wife and I have taken care of quite a few of our friends dogs over the years. I have always had cats and in the last ten years I have had two of them die from different forms of cancer after going thru a few months of treatment. I always figured the least I could do was stick it out till the end with them. Animals know when you are trying to help them and they cooperate and appreciate it. After having them as pets for years the last thing that would ever enter my mind would be to abandon them at the end. People will always come up with some BS excuse about how they can't stand the pain of watching them die or they don't have the money to treat them or some such thing. If you can afford the ski trip you can afford the medical treatments for your dying pet - if you can't give back some of your time to an animal that gave so much of itself to you during the happier parts of it's life then you are pretty much a useless human being. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif