There is no equivocation for that. Let’s look into where this judgment emerges and see if you agree.
Pet Owners
Pet owners are a breed of human which embraces the nurturing instinct which keeps us from eating our young. In some cases, pet owners treat their animals with better care than their human companions, colleagues and children.
You have seen them. They are never -ever- without their dogs or lizards. Single-handedly, they support the pet clothing, food and accessories industries. Veterinarians retire well on these people’s tickets.
They rarely consider themselves owners. Instead, they feel a connection to their animals, an enjoyment in their pet’s happiness and a responsibility for care to ensure longevity and safety. Pets are family members as much as in laws, siblings and children.
Yours truly is one.
Non-pet Owners
Some people own no pets because of circumstances. They have a genuine love of animals and the caring attitude which would adopt, comfort and engage a pet on the same level as they would a child. Whether their living arrangements or income, they simply cannot give a pet a home. These people have the sense to know they are not in a position to provide an appropriate home and do not.
There are a few people who should never have pets. They have no capacity to care for anything beyond themselves emotionally.
Pet Haters
Then, there is a class of people who think anything with more or fewer than two legs or with hooves, scales or feathers should never come in contact with anything except a human plate. Their engagement of neighbor’s and family’s pets is generally intolerant and considered a point of contention at any social function which occurs at the pet’s home.
After such visits, the pet hater generally questions the sanity of the pet owner, takes a shower to scrub away any evidence of the pet and attempts to schedule future engagements at neutral territory away from the animal.
People Who Suck
Lower still on the food chain are the people who suck. These people are not only in this category. Unfortunately, they are in all of the categories so far discussed. They fall into a few (searching for non-derogatory term) orders.
Many of them have pets of their own. This is the disturbing part. These own animals. Their interaction with their pets comes when (if ever) convenient, is not particularly social, does not meet the needs of the animal and more often than admitted is nothing shy of neglect.
A bit further down the scale from them are the non-owners who openly advocate the illegality of pet ownership. These people move for housing restrictions in SFD neighborhoods. They protest for no pets in public spaces: parks, rest areas, sidewalks. They think service animals should be restricted or outlawed. Ironically, they also advocate against zoos using the hypocritical stance they are inhumane.
There is one level lower than this. These are the people who believe they have the obligation to rid the world of unhomed pets. No, they are not taking them to shelters. They are not calling animal control. Instead, they are discharging firearms and poisoning food to exterminate pets which are away from owners or have no owners.
RED
I see it.
I have rescued one such dog. He came to my home to be Super Dog (be invisible, sire puppies and disappear). A year later on a Friday afternoon, he came back.
- 8.5 feet of broken chain attached to the collar which was ingrown into his neck
- Fleas, mites, bugs, worms, heartworms
- 30 pounds underweight
- Abscessed teeth
- Broken teeth
- Fight wounds and scars
- Missing fur from sleeping on concrete
- Bullet hole in his chest
I called animal control. I had the officer deliver this animal to the veterinarian. If I had not, he would have lain on the floor in the shelter for four days until their vet came for his regular Tuesday call.
Zed came home three days (and $783) later with two chest tubes, antibiotics and pain med. Within three months, he had gained 35 pounds (and could have stood a diet) and was very used to sleeping on the couch… all 105 pounds of him.
His brother was not so lucky. He was scraped off the roadside with a shovel.
No applause. I am not proud. There is more.
This past Friday afternoon, another dog came to my home and refused to go back to wherever his owner lives. Cash, Zed’s daughter, pierced his ear for trying to eat her food, but he was content to sleep on the porch beside her for most of the day.
He was a little bit of a thing, about 3/4 Cash’s height but desperately underfed. A healed, broken rib stuck out at a 60 degree angle from the rest of his rib cage. He had fleas (and now we fight fleas again, this late in the season). But there was something else. His head was bloody where I knew Cash had not manhandled him. It was Sunday before I could get close enough to him, without him running away, for me to see it.
I called animal control. After we caught him in a humane trap, I could see the problem… and his brain. The hole in his head was large enough for me to put my thumbprint inside. He had been shot.
Shelters do not always rescue these animals when animal control brings them in. Many are put to sleep. This one is special. He is a sweet little dog who already has found a home. I would have loved to have him come back here, but I have all I can handle with the two I already own.
Cash is Zed’s daughter I kept from the litter my late husband’s dog had. She is fixed and will be bringing no puppies into the world. Beau was a puppy farm rescue who was slated to be starved. He did not sell before it was time to rebreed his dam.
What is the point?
The group of animal lovers, be they pet owners or sympathizers, need to take action. While we could be trite and talk about legislation, picketing and flogging the inhumane, there are specific things we can do. All of them are legal.
1. Call animal control.
These underpaid law enforcement officers do a tremendous, thankless job. They are wrongly blamed for the animals which are destroyed.
In fact, they do far more good than you may imagine. They protect animals from ending up like the red dog’s and Zed’s brothers: roadkill. They take neglected animals away from owners. They are humane in their capture of diseased, hurt and vicious animals.
2. Get to know the shelter.
If you are so inclined, support the shelter where animal control takes animals. Even if your idea of support is a flat of dog food each month, you are helping. If you can spare a few hours, volunteer to bathe dogs, throw a ball or pet cats. All of these animals need love. If you can afford it, have proper environment for it and will make the lifelong commitment, adopt an animal.
3. Report.
If you know of someone who sucks, report them to the police or animal control. The police are the proper authority only in certain instances, but the animal control officer can forward the report if that is the case.
4. Stop breeding.
Ignorant people the world over want puppies and kittens. Farms are big business. They breed animals and starve or destroy the extras. Even if your pet is only an indoor animal, have it spayed or neutered. The overpopulation of domestic animals is epidemic. A fence is not an appropriate method of birth control. (See Cash as an example.)
5. Choose wisely.
We are a consumer driven society. If you are spending your money with people who support puppy farms and kitten mills, you are not part of the solution. These are the ones we should let starve.
Do not buy animals. Adopt.
Make a difference.
~~~~~~~~~~
Are your animals adopted? Do you know how to contact animal control? Do you know anything about your local shelter? Have you ever called animal control?
When you tweet or +1 this post, please use the hashtags #pets and #rescue. Thank you for sharing.
Androgoth
/ November 4, 2012I read this last evening and I agree with you there are loads of unwanted and needy animals out there requiring good homes and those are always my first choice.
I think that I may have mentioned about my new cat, I adopted her because her family were moving house and was unable to take her with them, and what a beautiful cat she is too. She has fitted right in and of course is pampered all the time, she is an indoor cat and… Well to cut a long story short let me just say that she is adorable.
Those people that are cruel to animals are the ones that need locking up; personally I would throw the key away and let them suffer for their shameful acts upon their so called pets.
At the moment I am saving postage stamps (yes there are still stamps around here Red 😉 lol) for the horse sanctuary, of course I don’t know what they get out of those but whatever it is I am happy to help them out a little and I have a bag full ready to be delivered shortly.
You are right…
Some people SUCK big time 🙁
Andro xxx
Red
/ November 4, 2012There are a number of societies who collect postage. You can donate money. We still have an old prohibition against the donation of stamps 😉 Oh, and I looked it up…our country does still make and sell stamps. *giggles* I do not get out much 😉
I am glad your cat is such a joy. I miss mine. Perhaps once we move house, we will get another one. Something to keep the dog in line, mind you 😉
Androgoth
/ November 4, 2012I agree, hey did you watch that video clip on Loon’s Space, the one of the incredibly fearless kitten 🙂 That Rottweiler didn’t stand a chance 🙂 lol
You need to get out a lot more Red, but watch out they don’t palm you off with any of those lickable stamps as there is a stick-on version now 🙂
Andro xxx
Red
/ November 4, 2012LOL! I have been out of the house since the stick on kind! I do not even use lickable envelopes *giggles* I will be by Loon’s, and Peter’s and everywhere else I travel on Sunday evenings when I return. TTFN 😉
Angela Young
/ November 5, 2012Wow, that’s awful! I am not a pet lover (not a hater either) but I would never condone harming animals in this way. My allergies and issues aside, they are living beings who deserve to be treated humanely. I bet its hard not to put a hole in the people who do this kind of thing.
Angela Young recently posted..Whose plan are you following?
Red
/ November 5, 2012This is definitely a place where I wish the law allowed for an eye for an eye. I see these atrocities all the time. Not nearly as much as Bear, but I have seen enough of them come to me for rescue. Animals know they are safe here. Luckily, I believe animals communicate and know where safe haven can be found.
Novroz
/ November 5, 2012I read this post this morning but can’t leave comment because something wrong with my mobile phone.
This is an awesome post!!
You know how I love my turtles soooo much I feel like they are my own children…but here in my country, I am a freak! There aren’t many people who have pets here and when they do have pets only few really think that the pets are part of the family…that’s why they think I am a bit loose in the head especially when I said my pets are turtle…they can understand the furry animals but reptile is just out of the question.
We also has very little animal shelter, all the cats are scattered around but most people don’t bother them…they just let them be.
Red
/ November 5, 2012You are quite uncommon where you live. Here there are few who see all animals in the same light as domestic animals. I have had a laundry list of pets. I have had all the reptiles, including alligators, birds (wild and domestic), large animals (jaguars, cattle, horses, mule), house pets, rats, fish. I love animals. They are so good for you in so many ways. When you truly love an animal, you can see its love for you. <3
Novroz
/ November 7, 2012When you truly love an animal, you can see its love for you. << so true!! we can see it in their eyes. I love the way they look at me every time they see me after working.
Yup…I am very uncommon, even my students often 'questioned' my head when I am talking about my turtles.
Wow…I wish I had that many experience with animals… How can you have a Jaguar?
Novroz recently posted..The Mighty Boosh – History and Pilot
Red
/ November 7, 2012I have already talked to you about your turtles’ eyes 😉 They are so cute.
I had a pair of Jaguar kittens I kept on a bottle. They were orphans who needed some Momma time while a zoo agreed to take them. My local zoos were not in a position to add them, so we had to find someplace for them. It was really quite fun. They are like any other kittens, just with bigger teeth and claws 😉
Most of my more exotic animals came from zoo rescues. Except for the alligators…those were either hatched or rescued. I have had almost half a dozen of them. <3
Novroz
/ November 5, 2012You are a wonderful person Red…taking those dogs in was a great thing to do ((hug))
Novroz recently posted..The Mighty Boosh – History and Pilot
Red
/ November 5, 2012It was just the right thing to do, Nov <3 {HUGZ}
Noeleen
/ November 5, 2012I wondered what I would encounter, with a title like ‘People Suck’. This is just so so so disgusting – truly, people go shooting animals?
That sign of no animals past this point should be shot – 100 times.
Red, I can’t believe little one had been shot in the head. This is just so, so so upsetting.
Bless you for putting your money out, & taking CARE.
N.
Noeleen recently posted..A conversation with my doctor
Red
/ November 5, 2012In a few days, I will post an update. He had his surgery to close his skull. <3
Noeleen
/ March 23, 2013I do remember reading this, Red. It is very true, that some people suck.
Bless you for caring.
Frank
/ May 8, 2013Cheers to you as a pet owner …. and for your encouraging points!
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Red of M3
/ May 28, 2013Thank you. I love animals… occasionally more than people.