Did ya'll get to look at that eagle cam? Is that not a GREAT camera?
You are going to be getting some animal posts again as I am back in the industry again after five years and technically, other than being a writer, the animal industry is a dream job for me. Though I am not working directly with the animals, I am working FOR them and there is no where else I'd rather be.
What blows my mind and has always blown my mind (and you all who are my FB friends know I have talked about this before) is why do people consider animals dispensable? If they don't act the way you want them to, or if you have a baby and suddenly have concerns about having a dog, or if they have bathroom issues, or if they suddenly encounter medical problems, people think they can just drop them off somewhere and be done with them. Now granted, any of those things mentioned above are problems, but let me tell you something else, compared to the issues I can have with my kids (who never act the way I want them to!) the pet problems are no big deal!
My pets have never been disposable to me. They are my other kids with fur. When my human kids tick me off, obviously I am not taking them somewhere else to live and hoping for the best, no matter how much in the moment I may want to! The same goes for my cats (and soon to be dog). They don't get thrown away when things don't go the way I think they should go.
And here's the other thing. When you get a pet, you should go into that situation knowing that times they are going to cost you money; maybe a lot of it. Most important? You must have them spayed or neutered. If you are planning to breed them for a profit that is one thing (not the way I would go but I don't want to tick off any breeders) but otherwise, stop them from accidental breeding. All it does is fill up our shelters with unwanted animals. Here's a wake up call: One unspayed dog and her offspring can lead to 67,000 dogs in six years. One unspayed cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats in seven years. Sounds like a great reason to spay and neuter to me. Believe me, I am seeing these poor animals that are brought into the shelter, desperate for a home of which a large number of them will not find. Get your animals spayed and neutered. I don't care if Snowball will never go outside. Mine don't go out either but they have, on occasion, played Houdini and gotten out...and it only takes one time. Get it done.
Your pet will probably also encounter an occasional medical problem that is going to cost you money. If you have concerns about this, you are not ready to adopt a pet. If your kids need medical attention, you get it for them. Your pets should not be any different.
You need to plan before you adopt. The same way you would plan to have a human child, you need to plan for your furry kid, who will always be a kid. You will always be their person and they will love you unconditionally. They deserve the same thing from you.
Am very much in agreement with you! I also have noticed that due to the economy, the pets are the first to go to save money. Clinics are available for vaccinations which helps ease some of that cost. Petco hosts Luv My Pet clinics at least twice a month a year long - every vaccine is available at a reduced rate. Course, I do believe check ups at a Vet are very important, but if regular vaccine costs are what's making you give a pet up - clinics could be the answer.
ReplyDeleteAmen Sista! You are talking to the man who dropped his Hubby off at the Emergency Room the day he was 36 hours from death because the dog had a vet appointment that day too. I will take pets over people any day. They always love you no matter what, they always agree with you no matter what you say, and they don't throw you shade when you forget their birthday.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is a sad state that people throw away the very thing that gives them unconditional love and will always be there for them no matter how much money they make or how what they look like. I struggled to afford to keep Jerry when I first took her in from a couple who were moving to a place that charged more for rent if you had an animal. And then I moved to a place that allowed animals.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I do have limits as to how much I will spend at the vet, but that is mainly because I know my cats are older and have to question if the treatments are helping them or just because I'm not ready to let them go. That is where Hubby comes in as the voice of sanity.
This is probably why we all get along so well. We prefer animals to most of the people in our lives!