I had a disturbing text from one of my (surrogate) children today. The ‘conversation’ went like this:
The Quiet One: (my surrogate kid) “Irresponsible people should not be pet owners!”
Me: “Oh Jesus! Is the animal hurt?”
TQO “No he’s ok, well physically; he was abandoned. My bro’s roommate found a new family for Hachiko because he needed more than an apartment to be happy. The pound called and said they found him and he’s homeless.”
Me: “What pound? What kind of dog? How old?”
Now I’m praying, please let it be a lab because I can call my friend Ann and she will find a home for him.
TQO “He’s in Washington. I believe he’s a year and a half. He’s a Chow, German Shepard mix.”
Me: “Oh, if he was in CT we could do something!
TQO “I know it’s sad.”
So tell me, why do people take dogs that they 1) don’t want 2) have no idea on how to take care of 3) invest nothing in and HOW can they just give the dog up?
What can WE as dog lovers and owners do to help educate people regarding the responsibility of dog ownership?
Kristine at Rescued Insanity has a great idea to have a page where people can post questions or get reassurances from other pet owners, read her blog about it here.
Then let me know what you think and share any ideas YOU might have.
I can't imagine life without...Delilah.
WOW Jodi Dalilah looks great!!! Nice job on the post!!
A friend who works at a vet down in Florida had a similar problem – a couple of young pups who needed a home. She posted this (along with their pics) on Facebook and in a few short hours all three had homes.
Don’t even get me started. I have no idea why some people get pets. Maybe they think they are like stuffed animals? They will just sit around and be looked at all day? No idea. The human brain is a baffling thing.
Thanks for the shout-out! I am working on the contact form and it should be good to go soon. I really hope it helps, even if only in a tiny way.
Kristine,
I have an idea I am working on and will shoot you an e-mail once I have developed enough to be coherent!
it is awful what people will do to animals – it isn’t like getting tired of a shirt and chucking it … they’re living creatures, and don’t have the knowledge to survive in the wild.
When people at work mention that their kids really want a dog, I suggest that they ge their kids to join their neighbours walking their own dogs… rain or shine, and get that neighbour to explain everything they need to do with/for their dog. Or do house-sitting if they’re old enough, or even just help out at the humane society a few times a week for a few months. Seeing other people walk their adult, well-trained dogs on the street on a beautiful weekend afternoon is not the same as walking your own dog at an unholy early morning hour in the hail, or teaching your own rowdy puppy to sit politely, and working on that training even when you’re so tired you just want to lie down all evening. It also doesn’t give you the sense of real dog ownership, which does include those days when you come home and go “Oh NO! you ate the DRYWALL?! Off the WALL?! Off the wall in the newly renovated just-barely-finished kitchen?! WHY?!” (that would be the last time my aunt left her two pups with free run of the entire house while she ran to do some errands, lol. They were fine, but the kitchen was a bit mauled).
I love my dog, and I wanted a puppy desperately when I was little. But me-at-10 coudln’t have taken proper care of that puppy, and my parents knew that they were not in a place-in-life where they could raise a puppy well. Not everyone has the time to commit to a dog, and I wish that more people would realise that before they brought that dog into their lives.
wow… long response, sorry! hope that the puppy finds a good home – cute as a button!
Thanks Lexy! I can’t tell you how many people get the kids a puppy for Christmas and then realize….Ooops, I don’t have time for this!