Re: Disposable Dogs

So well said! I am volunteering at a no-kill dog sanctuary and some of the dogs that are given up are, as you said, for reasons beyond the control of the owners but as an example, one person had 2 St. Bernards they had gotten as puppies and then at 8 months of age decided 2 of them would just be more than they could handle. They were just getting so big. Hello!!! Have you never seen a picture of a St. Bernard? This poor baby had never been away from his sibling and he has had a hard time adjusting. It just makes me so angry when people set them aside like yesterdays garbage.

I have always taken in strays, loved them and been loved back many times over. They always act so grateful for what has been done for them. Little do they know I am the lucky one to be the object of their love!

Re: Disposable Dogs

People can be so cruel! Do they get rid of their children when they become inconvenient? Our no-kill shelter hears all the same excuses. Half the time the people just throw them out the window of their car rather than go inside and have to face a human.

Re: Disposable Dogs

Humans -- need I say more/

Re: Disposable Dogs

Well said. I completely agree with everything you wrote. I sometimes think that animals are put on this earth to remind us of our humanity. All of our dogs are from rescues and all are wonderful, grateful dogs. We love our pack. Thanks for your thoughts.

Re: Disposable Dogs

Honestly, sometimes I just don't like people.

Re: Disposable Dogs

VERY WELL SAID! To be honest, I tell people, if I see both an animal and a person run into the road on the street - I hope the person has made arrangements for himself because I sure am NOT gonna hit the animal! There needs to be alot more compassionate people in the world - there are still too many horror stories about animals and the way they are treated by "so-called" human beings. People can speak for themselves - but animals need voices too, so that is why animal lovers have to speak for them! Blessings go out to every animal in the world and to all the humans that love them!

Re: Disposable Dogs

It is true that society's hierarchy puts all minorities, people as well as 'lower' animals, on an as- needed basis. We are having a WONDERFUL and enlightening discussion about this on our vegetarian forum! Compassionate for all animals. Period.

Thanks for your well written, thoughtful blogs.

Re: Disposable Dogs

I think that all of us on this sight would agree with your story..the biggest challenge we face is taking it out to the public we see day to day who do these things and are not in the same mindset towards animals as us...thats our challenge...to be a positive influence and to not be afraid to address someone who is being neglegent towards there animal and give encouraging words to create better living environments for these animals.

Re: Disposable Dogs

PERSONALLY I WILL TAKE MY ANIMALS OVER ABOUT 99% OF THE HUMAN POPULATION. THEY ARE TRUE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

Re: Disposable Dogs

It is true, we are a disposable society...babies, dogs, it doesnt' seem to matter. My Billy is afraid of men. He came from an abusive household where both the wife and dog got beat. Luckily he was brought to a no kill center in Cattaraugus County NY. I saw those big brown eyes and that was it. He is a beagle mix and lovable though very hesitant around men. My Lucy is still terrified of newspapers.. Probably hit with one. Do they have problems, yes. Do I love them less, no. Though I have moved 6 times, I have struggled to keep them with me. I have no use for people who adopt a dog and then dont' have a clue about the breed or the time involved or the fact that it is yours for LIFE. They depend on YOU. But again, we are a throw away society with no regard for anything. No one wants to put any effort into anything. We need to be better educated about caring for animals, knowing what is involved with ownership. Being held accountable and laws with harsher punishments for cruelty. Animals offer true unconditional love, as daisymae31064 said!

Re: Disposable Dogs

You could not have said it any better! I always say if it was your child and you had to deal with them then what? You cant walk away from a child easily, so why can you do so to your pet? I always say, if everyone started out with a teenager, nobody would have kids, but we committ to our kids no matter what, and our pets cant argue back!
This is a life, no and's, if's or but's about it, you committed to it. Now a days, we live in a disposable world, we need to stop thinking like that and make chages everywhere. People need to research the pet they are planning on getting, talk to a local rescue to see what the breed is about pros- and cons, and try fostering for a rescue that works with the breed you want, it is a great trial run to see if your family is ready, long term, to have a pet. This has worked time and time agian in our rescue.

Re: Disposable Dogs

I agree with all that you have said......I pray everynight that god give people compassion for the animals and once and for all put an end to Animal Cruelty.........that is why we have to be a voice for those who don't have one.......!

Re: Disposable Dogs

Sooner or later, the rest of humanity will finally figure out what we all know...Life just isn't disposable! As an adult out on my own in the world, I've raised two dogs so far, and they've both turned out to be absolute angels, sweet, sunny dispositions, very warm and loving towards everybody they meet, even though the've both also been high energy, highly-motivated working-breed dogs.

One, my beautiful Beau Geste, went on to the Rainbow Bridge a couple of years ago after a long, happy, playful and play-filled and very love-filled life, but he only found that love when I rescued him from a very abusive situation when he was 11 months old; the day he came into my home I made a commitment to him, a lifetime commitment, and I never once even thought about backing out on that commitment, not even when he turned out to be a real handfull because of the abuse he'd suffered!

HIs loss lead directly to my bringing home the second one, who is now a happy, sweet and very loving two year old dog who lives to make me smile, and he was made the very same promise the day I brought him home. I will never give up or abandon my dog, nor will I ever abuse him...I love him too much to even contemplate raising my hand to him.

The sole exception (to never giving him up) would be if my disability worsened to the point where I could no longer care for him, in which case I would take the time and make the effort to find a suitable home for my delightful and happy boy. We owe so much to our pets...sometimes they're the only real love we'll ever know, and sometimes they're just the light of our lives...so w owe it to them to treat them fairly and decently, even when it costs us or hurts us to do so.

Re: Disposable Dogs

I volunteer at a no kill cat shelter and I see the same things happening to cats. It's unforgivable and despicable the way people just get rid of these wonderful animals.
I have a sign at my desk that says" The more people I meet, the more I Love my cat!!
How sad and HOW TRUE!

Re: Disposable Dogs

Yes, people do get rid of children when they become inconvenient. Sad and true. My mother did it to me. Let us teach our children how to care for those who are defenseless, animals and people alike and perhaps that kind gesture will spread like a wildfire in the hearts of those who would otherwise not bat an eye at something as sweet and loving as a doe eyed dog.

Re: Disposable Dogs

Thank you for posting this. My brother is one of those people that gets pets and then finds out how much time it takes up. I try to tell him not to get one but he never listens to me.

Re: Disposable Dogs

thanks for the post~ it especially bothers me when someone brings a dog in because they're having a baby....WHAT? are they just too damn lazy to take care of both?

Re: Disposable Dogs

Thank you for the great post! We, as a society, definitely have a long way to go in learning to appreciate the value of life -- both human and animal. It's not at all surprising to me that one of the first signs of an antisocial personality is cruelty to and abuse of animals -- because, unfortunately, that's just the beginning of things to come. Animals first . . . then people. We have three dogs . . . each one of them a "rescue" dog . . . and each one an absolute blessing in our lives. I sometimes wonder if their former owners who abandoned and mistreated them have any idea what they have missed out on. And I wonder about the children of those people. If it is so easy to mistreat and abandon a dog, it is that much harder to do the same thing to a child? Maybe if we started valuing ALL life, we would see a decline in child abuse and neglect and maybe, just maybe, find that we have started to become a kinder world to live in.

Re: Disposable Dogs

FW: Pet rescue

Put the word out................ Please take the 20 seconds to do this.

Hi, all you animal lovers. This is pretty simple... Please tell ten
friends to tell ten today! The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting
enough people to click on it daily to meet their quota of getting free food
donated every day to abused and neglected animals.



It takes less than a minute..

(How about 20 seconds) to go to their site and Click On The PURPLE BOX
'fund food for animals' for FREE. This doesn't cost you a thing. Their
corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food
to abandoned/neglected animals in exchange for advertising. Here's the web
site! Pass it along to people you know. http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com


AGAIN, PLEASE TELL 10 FRIENDS!!!

Re: Disposable Dogs

I agree that no animal or animals can be treated as disposable. They are all living, all feeling, and all need the basics from us- some more than others, like domestic pets, but we don't have the right to mistreat any animal. And that, I think, is where change will begin to happen.

Re: Disposable Dogs

The writer has a point about people who need to give up their dogs or cats, etc.

I was divorced by my ex and my daughter (30) took our family dog to her home to care for. She moved to Texas and before she left, I called every no kill shelter in my area and could not find a home for a very loving, trusting, kind, gentle, do-it-all, pure bred chocolate female lab. She is 10 and it makes it all the harder to find a home for her. All the shelters are full with "unwanted" dogs, not dogs in need.
I told my daughter I could not find a home for our dog and to take her to her father's house since he is living in a 7 bedroom, 3500 sq. ft. home with a huge yard. I explained I could not take our dog because I am living in a duplex and can not accommodate a large dog and I did not have a 500.00 pet deposit.
Instead of my daughter trying to find a home for the dog, herself. She just drove up to the parking lot of our duplex complex (4 buildings on one lot) on her way out of town and tied the dog to the back tire of my car and left. My neighbor had to come and get me to see if it was my dog.
Now I have a dog I can not accommodate, that belongs outside, stuffed in a little apartment sized house with no way to find housing for her. The ex won't take her back.
This is one of the reasons non-destroy shelters were put in place, not because someone is too lazy to potty train their dog!

Re: Disposable Dogs

Thanks inpetesmemory for the great link! I didn't know that there was a website where you could go and to donate food to animals in need with JUST ONE CLICK: http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

What a great way to start showing the care and love these animals deserve. So, click away pet lovers, click away! :)

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

Re: Disposable Dogs

Thanks inpetesmemory for the great link! I didn't know that there was a website where you could go and to donate food to animals in need with JUST ONE CLICK: http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

What a great way to start showing the care and love these animals deserve. So, click away pet lovers, click away! :)

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

Re: Disposable Dogs

Thanks inpetesmemory for the great link! I didn't know that there was a website where you could go and to donate food to animals in need with JUST ONE CLICK: http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

What a great way to start showing the care and love these animals deserve. So, click away pet lovers, click away! :)

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

Re: Disposable Dogs

As a volunteer-turned-employee for an SPCA, and a volunteer for a no-kill cat rescue group - I too find appalling some of the "excuses" that people will give when they decide that they no longer want their companion animal. A recent one was "I just paid $2,000 for this puppy, she is 4 months old and oh so cute, but I am leaving for school next month and my mom won't take care of her for me while I am away at school."

I believe the more we can encourage responsible breeding, support low-cost spay/neuter programs, and reduce the "surplus" aka over-population, the more we can demonstrate that the word "disposable" does not apply to our beloved furry, feathery, scaly, and finned companions.

Re: Disposable Dogs

Thanks inpetesmemory for the great link! I didn't know that there was a website where you could go and to donate food to animals in need with JUST ONE CLICK: http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

What a great way to start showing the care and love these animals deserve. So, click away pet lovers, click away! :)

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

Re: Disposable Dogs

Very nice blog and you raise excellent points. How selfish can people be? Sadly, there seems to be no bounds.

I adopted two cats that are the most incredible, smart, loving, friendly and best friends anyone could ask for. I could never live with myself if I just gave them away like an old shirt or something. They are too important to me and too big a part of my family.

Re: Disposable Dogs

This is to crazymaddie - I live in the interior of Alaska on 10 acres with 14 fur babies. I would be honored if I could add your lab to my pack. I hope this offer does not come too late. It is meant from the heart. If you agree we will find a way to get her up here.

Re: Disposable Dogs

It amazes me how easily discarded animals are. I was reading earlier about Eight Bells, the horse that after a race broke both ankles on her front two front legs, I saw the pictures and cried sitting at my computer. She was euthanized on the track, to the owner she was a disposable assett. I myself know that the poor filly was suffering but still, to the owner she was a disposable assett. Everytime I go to the shelters, I end up crying because of all the beautiful animals that were either abused or were just given up because they or their owners have issues. I don't see how anyone can give away a pet that depends on and loves you totally and unconditionally. My heart breaks at the thought of having to give my animals away, but to do it "Just cause" it is totally incomprehensible.

Re: Disposable Dogs

It amazes me how easily discarded animals are. I was reading earlier about Eight Bells, the horse that after a race broke both ankles on her front two front legs, I saw the pictures and cried sitting at my computer. She was euthanized on the track, to the owner she was a disposable assett. I myself know that the poor filly was suffering but still, to the owner she was a disposable assett. Everytime I go to the shelters, I end up crying because of all the beautiful animals that were either abused or were just given up because they or their owners have issues. I don't see how anyone can give away a pet that depends on and loves you totally and unconditionally. My heart breaks at the thought of having to give my animals away, but to do it "Just cause" it is totally incomprehensible.

Re: Disposable Dogs

To inpetesmemory thankyou for the link

Re: Disposable Dogs

To Camalsip.....please let me know how I can email you.

Amy

Re: Disposable Dogs

God Bless you !! I only hope and wish that there are more people out there like you.. To all of you who take care of dogs, cats and any other animal ... Your all amazing !! Thank you !!

Re: Disposable Dogs are just the beginning!

It's a disposable world, unfortunately...for the last few decades, people have been taught to get rid of ANYTHING when it gets old or worn out, or it's no longer performing exactly the way they want, or it requires more care than they can be bothered to give it.

Unfortunately, it's not just things people dispose of these days, or even just pets that they dispose of...more and more people these days are even treating other PEOPLE as disposable! And not just ANY people, but their own parents and grandparents! They have them locked up in so-called "homes," which aren't really homes at all, but just waiting rooms...as in, "waiting to die rooms," that is!

Some people would have us "ship the homeless/welfare/mentally ill off to camps," just to get them out of "society's way, and these are the same kind of people who ship their own parents and grandparents off to these "waiting to die," places. It's sickening, and yet it's considered "perfectly normal" these days, which only just goes to show you how truly ILL our society has become as we've moved AWAY from multi-generational households and clan/tribal society into the diseased "nuclear family" nonsense of today.

There's an old saying (one which FAR too many people sneer at, in their absolute , abysmal and utter ignorance) which says, "it takes a village to raise a child." The simple fact of the matter is that ALL of humanity used to live in small communities, family, clan or tribal groups, in which EVERYONE was useful, EVERYONE served a purpose; when someone became too old to hunt or work anymore, they could STILL help raise and educate the young ones, or scare birds and rodents and other such pests away from the precious crops, and many other easy but VERY important tasks like that. Children always had a great deal more than just a couple of adults around that they could turn to, and often times there were many older people around who were always available to provide love, guidance and lessons, or even to console a child and remind them of how well-loved they really were after they'd been punished by their parents or older siblings. Remember, ALL OF HUMANITY used to live this way, and we produced MANY more whole, healthy, well-balanced and well-rounded individuals...in short, we produced BETTER HUMAN BEINGS THIS WAY!

These days, with the "fast food this" and "disposable that," and latch-key kids and "seniors homes," the so-called "nuclear family" is all most people have, and some don't even have that, since more than half of all marriages break up these days! But the "nuclear family" of modern times is itself an unhealthy abberation; it doesn't produce whole, well-rounded and balanced individuals because it CAN'T provide for their needs in the same way that our old family, clan and tribal societies used to.

It doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes a village to raise a strong, healthy and whole human being...and that's EXACTLY why people think that it's okay for them to dispose of things, animals, and even people...because we have all been brought up in a very unhealthy and unnatural way, and one which is simply NOT CONDUCIVE to producing healthy, strong and whole human beings!

We as a species need to turn back the clock, and start raising whole human beings again in large, multi-generation households and clan settings. There's an old expression in the Irish language for "four generations of the same family living together"; this expression is "Derbh fine," a great big sprawling family with old timers, their adult chldren, THEIR young adult children, and THEIR infants all living together as one big happy family! This is what we need to produce strong, healthy and well-rounded individuals. This is what we need to start building once again, or else the consequences just don't bear thinking about.

If we don't get our acts together, and SOON, our children and grandchildren will probably start putting us down as soon as we get a little creaky in the knees, or the minute we can no longer provide them with all the "instant gratification" they crave, in the form of X Boxes and PSP's and Wii's and all the other disposable garbage they have been conned into thinking is in any way, shape or form, "important!"

Food for thought, people...food for thought!

Re: Disposable Dogs

i totally agree with the comments here. people that don't take care of these beloved creatures should have to endure the same treatment themselves. i do not believe ignorance is an excuse. everyone knows that animals need the same needs as us. so plezzzeeeee. don't give me that crock, that you didn't know it would get this big, or i just didn't know they need more food or water. or whatever stupid line they feed to shelters. god put these creatures on this planet, not to be abused, but to help us and love us., just as we should them. i am tired of the stupidity of man. i know animals have feelings too, you can see it in their eyes, you dont have to be blind, not to see it. i love all animals and none should be harmed by hunting, poaching,or the black market trade. that wasn't god's plan. puppy mills is another injustice to these creatures.

Re: Disposable Dogs

I adopted two of those 'disposable dogs'...one has a bum leg, and one was just 'too old and both wound up in the local shelter'. They are the loves of my life, and they are the best dogs...smart and funny. I just found out from the vet that one had apparantly been hit on the back with some object like a bat or something. And I know that the otherdog with the bum leg had been hurt by people which ruined his leg for life. I thank God that these dogs found me, and I found them. If only the people who had them had realized what gems they were. And I wonder if the people who injure animals ever wonder what it would feel like if they were injured? Of course, these people think that animals have no feelings.

Why do people who are fools adopt dogs, cats and other animals if they don't want to take care of them? I hate watching Animal Planet shows that show the inhumanity of people to animals. I majored in Social Work and there is a conenction between those who abuse animals and abuse people.

Sorry if I got on my soap box, but it is sad.

Re: Disposable Dogs

I guess that it all boils down to character. I grew up with dogs - my mother's helper & nanny was a huge rodesian ridgeback named George rescued & adopted from the SPCA. Over the years each dog that joined our family was a 'disposable dog" and our family cherished everyone of them as a furry family member.
Now that I am 'older" - my disposable dog - who was less than 6 weeks old when she was found in a gutter on a rainy day brings happiness to my family and neighborhood. She is for me the reason why I tend to believe that how we treat animals is a good indication of how we treat people. Maybe we should have dogs give polliticians the once over before they open their mouths :-) .....