The Pity About Unwanted Pets in this Economy

[Nazgul Girl]

We're allowed to send posts around our building on a special announcement format at work, and there are a number of people who forward emails about "Desperate Dogs Looking for Home" and such.

On this Monday alone, there were 6 dogs and 3 cats that needed to be re-homed in the classic "forever home", including 3 American Bull Terriers ( look like massive pit bulls ), named Dollar, Mama, and Loki. What a handful. One of these dogs, even if extremely amiable, eats a lot and needs a tremendous amount of exercise, plus can't be left around cats and other small dogs. I can't imagine owning three of them. They did look well cared for in their pictures.

Another person was getting rid of their 14-year old dog due to a "new baby", another person had rescued a beautiful cat that they had taken to the vet and had all of its vaccinations updated and was now living on the lady's front porch in the winter due to their "resident cat" not accepting the newcomer, and the list went on.

I can't imagine what fate awaits most of the animals. People just can't afford to keep their animals in this downturn.

[Poppet]

and was now living on the lady's front porch in the winter due to their "resident cat" not accepting the newcomer, and the list went on.

It does take a while for older cats to accept a new comer. Wonder how long they let the animals get acquainted.

[hcj]

To be honest, we have had a lot of stupid people breeding pets... machoism or ignorance or greed. They end up in the shelters and the rescue groups have such big hearts that they try to save them all. People don't think when they take a pet too. At that moment in their life they think it's fine and dandy to bring an animal home, but then something changes and they just dispose of it.

I wanted a boxer for eons... it was actually one of the big motivations behind buying the house. In Sept of '08 this little girl was about to be put to sleep and was on death's door. Someone discarded her on the streets of Montebello after she had her last litter of puppies that she could supply them. Skin and bones, kennel cough, giardia, ears bloody from flies, infested with fleas, not spayed, mammary tumors and depressed as all get out. She made it though and this is our bug a boo today

[dancinmama]

I went into Pet Smart about 4 weeks ago to buy dog food for our beagle and the rescue people were there. I ended up adopting a puppy. I know it is not the same as adopting an older dog, but his fate would have been the same regardless.

Although I was not planning on adopting another pet at this time, the little guy just stole my heart because he was so loving. I thought we had a "special connection" but it turns out that he's just a lover. He has been a total joy (okay, except for the house training part) and almost everyone who has spent any time with him (primarily family members over Christmas) wants to take him home, so I feel lucky to have found him.

[whoisjohngalt]

OK, I guess this might be the first time I get flamed on the new board, but here goes:

First of all, there are many people who shouldn't even consider having a pet and it has nothing to do with economy. However, it's like some people have kids so someone would love them, they get a puppy or a cat or whatever else without understanding all the responsibility that comes with it.

Second, we've tried to find a dog for my SIL. The fact that she is one of those people who should NOT be looking for a dog has become irrelevant, since my MIL said she will get one anyway, with our without our help. So, I started looking at various shelter's websites. Do you have any idea how expensive those dogs are?

So, on one hand, we have stupid people who are getting animals when they can't take care of them and on another hand we have people who could and would get a dog, but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars to get one from the shelter, bc if you are spending this much money, you might as well get a puppy from a breeder.

[la808]

"To be honest, we have had a lot of stupid people breeding pets... machoism or ignorance or greed."

If there weren't people out there buying these animals, there wouldn't be stupid people out there breeding them.

[HoneyBBQ]

but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars to get one from the shelter, bc if you are spending this much money, you might as well get a puppy from a breeder.

Most shelters or rescue groups charge around $50 - $250 for a dog. The rescue group I work with gets the dogs their shots and fixes them before they are allowed to be put up for adoption. This adoption fee goes to offset the costs for preparing the animals for adoption. It's really not that much money when you think about it, and it saves you, the new owner, multiple trips to the vet. Nothing goes to the people that are fostering the animals - the food and incidentals are paid for by them and not reimbursed.

Most breeders START at $500+ and can easily get over $2000 for high demand animals. They animals usually NOT fixed when you buy them.

Often dogs that you adopt through rescue groups are much healthier than breeder dogs. There are always exceptions, but mutts have a proven record of having less health problems in the long run than a purebred animal. Shelter dogs often do have kennel cough and other maladies that are short lived.

Personally, 2 animals I rescued had heartworm. One was a beautiful cream colored lab and the other was a Rhodesian ridgeback. They would both be put down instantly if I were to give them to a shelter. I spent thousands of my own money to get them back to health and fit for adoption. Was it crazy? Probably, but these were wonderful animals and I couldn't be the one to send them to their demise. Eventually they were both adopted by wonderful, loving, families and had to pay $150 to the rescue group for each dog. I think they got a bargain, personally.

[Nazgul Girl]

Every animal I've had for the last 25 years has been a rescue. All were extremely grateful to be adopted from the shelter except for my one kitty boy that I had for some 7 years, then got some kind of a brain problem ( such as a tumor ) and bit me down to the deep flesh while I was working on my computer, and had to be put down. Even he was grateful for a few years, but he'd been abused, and had a real jealous streak. I still miss him, the stinker.

Shelters are a great way to go to get some cute pups and kitties. If you're not planning on showing or breeding, it's a real money-saver and a humane act to adopt from an animal rescue or shelter. I don't understand the rationale of going to a pet store and overpaying for a mill-raised puppy, but then, I don't understand the rationale of not saving for retirement and having three simultaneous car payments, either. Just me.

[whoisjohngalt]

Honeybbq
the shelters that I looked up started at $~200. She wants a small dog, she is trying to replace a Bischon (sp?) that died last year. That was a pure breed that my DH got for her years ago. She really doesn't care if it's a mutt or not, I was just saying that IMHO if people were already spending hundreds of dollars, many would just add a few more and get a pure breed. I could be wrong, I've been wrong before.

That's an interesting point you are making about mutts being healthier. MY DH had two corgy mixes that lived FOREVER, but my SIL purebreed Bishon died fairly young.

[HoneyBBQ]

Just a note - PetSmart does NOT "sell" puppy mill dogs. The only dogs that are there nationwide are from rescue and adoption groups.

[breezy]

I have had wonderful experiences adopting older dogs through PetFinders.com. I have a soft spot for older (10 years +), male Schnauzers in particular. These animals make great companions, and are so grateful to have a home. Personally, I can't imagine giving up a pet that I've had for years just because they have gotten sick, etc. My pets are members of my family - I would never give them up.

I do agree that in this economy, one should not take on more pets than they can care for. I had to put down my last Schnauzer in October (due to advanced cancer), and I would love to adopt again. But I can't right now.

[Deleted]

It is sad. People don't think when they get a cute new puppy about all the life changes that will occur during the lifespan of that animal. I like small dogs for this reason. During my last dogs life we moved 5 times, got married, and had a baby. 3 of those moves were into rentals and they would not allow larger dogs. It wasn't too hard to find one that would allow a 15 lbs. dog. Also food, shots, and medication are cheaper for a smaller dog.

[thyme4change]

Dec 30, 2010 9:05:22 GMT -5 @la808 said:

If there weren't people out there buying these animals, there wouldn't be stupid people out there breeding them.

Actually - that isn't true. People have all sorts of dumb ideas about birthing animals. My favorite bad reasons are that it is good for the animal to breed once (myth!), it is a great learning experience for children to watch a cat or dog have a litter (maybe - but at what price), that their dog is so special it should breed, and of course the general aversion to spay/neuters. I know men that are so weirded out by the thought of anyone doing surgery on their junk that they won't let anyone touch their dog's parts either. Usually it is some really manly dog - like a bull mastiff! (Great dogs!)

I worked in the animal industry for a bunch of years, and there wasn't a day that went by, good economy or bad, that I didn't have the opportunity to adopt at least one pet. I think one thing that has increased is the "viral" nature of the announcements. I've gotten some pleas from multiple sources - only to find out the original email is 8 months old. I know the economy does take its toll on many families and pets often pay the price.

It does tug at your heartstrings to get so many emails or postings about homeless animals. It is a shame that so many people get pets without considering the consequences and end up unable or unwilling to care for them. The good news is that, unlike kids, most of those can transition very well into another home. They don't have a scarred Psyche and always long for a reunion with their Mom - even if Family Guy's character Brian did go in search of his mother. I know we like to think that our dogs and cats have a special bond with us, but their memory of those things are pretty short.

[shanendoah]

I agree with the OP that it can be sad to see all of these announcements passed around your work. But at the same time, if someone is looking, it can actually be really helpful for both the person giving up the pet and the person adopting it for there to be the possibility of future communication.
A good friend of mine adopted a dog she found through a similar system at her company. The dog was a rescue but ended up having some issues that family wasn't able to deal with. (Best guess is the dog was abused at one point, and now she has issue with people who have the same build/coloring.) My friend talked to the people who were giving her up, so knew what the issues were going in and was prepared to deal with it. She's also been able to give those folks an update about how well the dog is now doing, for which they were quite grateful.
While the economy may be forcing more people to give up beloved pets due to moves, etc., people have always given up cats and dogs due to new babies. People have always brought a new pet into a home to find out the old pet couldn't adapt and needed to get rid of one. People have always gotten pupies and kittens because they were cute and then dumped later.
2 of our 3 dogs have been pure bred. All have come from the shelter. We were there when our Aussie was surrendered, so met the woman giving him up. Affluent, late middle age woman. They got an Aussie puppy because the grandkids thought he was so cute. When, at 9 months old, he "had too much energy" when the came home and let him out of his crate each day, they decided to get rid of him. Per the surrender information on our current beagle baby, she was bought by a family with 3 children under 7. Turns out a puppy was too much work.
In both cases, I find myself going "duh" and wondering what these people expected. But I can't complain too much, because I ended up with two wonderful dogs.

I do have to wonder, OP, if your comment about the American Bull Terriers not being able to be left around cats or small dogs is something that was in the posting, or is just your opinion. I have a 65lb pit mix, and he is fabulous with little dogs- our beagle is only half his size, and we've pet sat both a pug and a caern terrier at 1/4 his size. He's never lived with a cat, but I'm confident I could train him to do so within a month. The beagle on the other hand... (full disclosure: I love pits and pit mixes. In general they have been the friendliest, sweetest, and most eager to please dogs I have ever met. In fact, that eagerness to please is sadly one of the reasons they train so well in to fighting dogs - they want to make the human happy.)

[thyme4change]

Best guess is the dog was abused at one point, and now she has issue with people who have the same build/coloring

Maybe the dog was just racist.

[shanendoah]

thyme: Not racist. (Though I swear I've known racist dogs.) She has no problems with non-white people. It is very specifically white guys with slight builds, under 6' tall, and dark hair. But, it has been learned, she can be bribed into thinking those guys are ok with enough treats.

[telephus44]

Oddly enough, we adopted a cat this year that one of DH's co-workers had to re-home due to a move. This is the 3rd cat we've gotten this way. I find it easier than going to a shelter myself, and I feel that it saves the family heartache from having to place their cat there, knowing that it could be put down.

[whoisjohngalt]

Maybe the dog was just racist.

I don't know if you ever watched "King of the Hill", but they had an episode about a dog who was supposedly racist.

Never thought that would ever come up. ;D

Lena

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Took us forever to place my grandmother's cat when she died. No one wanted an older cat, everyone wanted kittens. We lucked out and someone at DH's work loved cats and took her in. We get updates occassionally, apparently she now rules the roost.

One of my dogs came to me because the person who owned him no longer could keep him. It was the ex-wife of one of my cousins. He could not keep him so he was out on another cousin's farm who couldn't keep him and my dad mentioned I was in the market for a dog.

Basset hound, one of the best dogs I have ever owned. He died of cancer last December. I like to think that he was happy to have a forever home for those few years I owned him.

My Aussie we think either escaped and no one bothered to look for her or was abandoned. She showed up underneath my car and refused to leave. We put ads in all the papers, contacted the shelter etc and no one claimed her. So after about six months we put a microchip in her and kept her.

[thyme4change]

I don't know if you ever watched "King of the Hill", but they had an episode about a dog who was supposedly racist.

There was an episode on Family Guy where Brian kept barking at a some Hip Hop guy, and then he would say "Oh, so sorry - I'm really not racist." It was pretty funny.

[shanendoah]

Lena: In my experience, "racist" dogs have been dogs that are older/don't see well,and have a harder time reading the facial cues on a darker skinned person. A friend's dog was "heightist" while she was losing her sight (now she can barely see anything), but we had one friend who was over 6'5", and she growled at him every time he stood, because she couldn't see his face.
At the same time, some dogs are crazy for no known reason. My DH's GM bred Scotties back in the early 80s. She had one puppy who feared/hated all human males. There was no reason for it. The dog was never abused or mistreated by anyone. DH lived there and the dog never got used to him. (And as a responsible breeder, she fixed this dog so he was never bred, and she never sold him, because she didn't want her dogs to get a reputation for this kind of temperment.)

[sesfw]

We have an 18 yr old kitty and she will be my last pet. I'm 69 now and I don't want my pet to out-live me. Maybe after she is gone, we'll consider an old kitty that needs a loving home. Don't know, and won't know until the time comes.

[Deleted]

Dec 30, 2010 8:49:16 GMT -5 whoisjohngalt said:

OK, I guess this might be the first time I get flamed on the new board, but here goes:

First of all, there are many people who shouldn't even consider having a pet and it has nothing to do with economy.

No flames here! I've never owned a dog or cat and don't want one, but I agree wholeheartedly with the bumper sticker a friend used to have: "Look before you leap: A dog is for keeps". Another friend trained show dogs and told me how much work it takes to train a dog and be consistent in encouraging it to behave. It's criminal to buy something small and cute without thinking long-term about the commitment. I've read that a lot of family pets have gotten abandoned as they lost the house- most move into rental housing that won't accept pets. Very sad.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

The problem of pet overpopulation isn't new ~ but it is getting worse. Our local animal shelter kills about 100 animals per day, on average ... approximately 85% of the animals that make it to the shelter never make it out. A lot of this could be eliminated if people would be responsible and would spay/neuter their pets (with the exception of designated/licensed breeders).

Anyway, animal rescue is one of my favorite issues/causes, and I probably spend 30 hours a month volunteering for various local animal rescues. (I photograph and post pictures to websites, write up descriptions of adoptable animals, I serve as an adoption counselor and help staff adoption events and over the years we've fostered more than 50 dogs and 100 cats/kittens. We also do animal rescue transport and fundraising.)

The most-oft repeated truism I hear from the animal rescue community? Don't breed or buy while shelter pets die. And, of course, Spay and Neuter. Always.

All of our cats are rescues, by the way.

[dancinmama]

Dec 30, 2010 8:49:16 GMT -5 whoisjohngalt said:

OK, I guess this might be the first time I get flamed on the new board, but here goes:

First of all, there are many people who shouldn't even consider having a pet and it has nothing to do with economy. However, it's like some people have kids so someone would love them, they get a puppy or a cat or whatever else without understanding all the responsibility that comes with it.

Second, we've tried to find a dog for my SIL. The fact that she is one of those people who should NOT be looking for a dog has become irrelevant, since my MIL said she will get one anyway, with our without our help. So, I started looking at various shelter's websites. Do you have any idea how expensive those dogs are?

So, on one hand, we have stupid people who are getting animals when they can't take care of them and on another hand we have people who could and would get a dog, but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars to get one from the shelter, bc if you are spending this much money, you might as well get a puppy from a breeder.

Our puppy from the rescue org. cost $140. That included all his puppy shots and neutering. I called our regular vet to see what they charged for neutering and it was close to $100 so if they are making any money it sure isn't much.

[cronewitch]

Dec 30, 2010 16:49:10 GMT -5 sesfw said:

We have an 18 yr old kitty and she will be my last pet. I'm 69 now and I don't want my pet to out-live me. Maybe after she is gone, we'll consider an old kitty that needs a loving home. Don't know, and won't know until the time comes.

This happened to my mom a few years ago. Her last pet was gone and she wasn't going to get one she might not outlive. She was lonely without a pet but not going to do it. My brother worked at a motel and a big maine coon looking cat was hanging around for weeks crying at doors. On mother's day he brought mom the big old cat. She moved two years ago and took the cat to live with my other brother. So now she lives in a house with two cats, two dogs and three people. Her cat likes the dogs now he has them trained, the other cat lives upstairs and hates every other pet but sleeps on a bed with dogs and people. Mom's cat sleeps with her and in the morning when everyone else is up the dogs come sleep with her. When she has been gone months at a time her cat sleeps with everyone else and when my brother is gone his daughter comes to feed the upstairs cat and dogs because mom doesn't do stairs. Her cat eats with the upstairs cat but has treats downstairs from mom.

Her cat was a very good bargain the other cat was a shelter cat cost $65 and the dogs were puppy mill dogs so expensive and needed fixed.

Sometimes the used pets are the best, no dealing with puppy and kitten issues you can get a calm pet free. I got a 3 year old pure breed black lab, spayed, shots, even a dog house free. A women got divorced and forced to sell the house and couldn't afford to keep the dog because apartments don't usually allow big dogs. I had fenced yard, no dogs so when I saw the ad called and left a message. She called and left a message, my boyfriend heard the message so called her and went and got the dog assuming I wanted a dog or I wouldn't have called. I was just going to ask if it was housebroken or bit people but when I got home he left a message saying he was bringing the dog. The owner called and said he was to look at the dog but left her a message saying he took her dog so she said he could take the dog house too. She had it chained up to her dad's office building in a parking lot and my boyfriend couldn't leave it there when I had a fenced yard and like black labs. She was a pretty good dog but would sneak out the front door and go one block over to play basket ball with kids.

[Small Biz Owner]

The economy has had its share of pet refugees. They become like family to some people. If you have children it seems hard to understand. But for some a pet is thier only companion.

[thyme4change]

Dec 30, 2010 16:49:10 GMT -5 sesfw said:

We have an 18 yr old kitty and she will be my last pet. I'm 69 now and I don't want my pet to out-live me. Maybe after she is gone, we'll consider an old kitty that needs a loving home. Don't know, and won't know until the time comes.

I told my 8 year old that when I'm very, very old I was going to get a cat and it was her duty to take it after I die.

[Deleted]

Beautiful thyme... such a happy conversation to have with an 8 year old... lol...
I actually was wondering last night, what we would do with either grandpa, or his dog, should one go before the other... neither would adjust well, i'm afraid...

[whoisjohngalt]

There is a really cool book that some of you might like about a dog and his owner - by Paul Auster "Timbuktu"

Lena