Help me educate someone

tavia'smom

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Who thinks it's cruel to have your pets fixed. Okay this guy I know thinks I am a cruel person because all of my dogs and Tavia are fixed. And when I said I didn't want puppies he said it was just nature and if you get good dogs you can sell the puppies. And I explained about all of the health benefits and behavior and it went in one ear and out the other.

And he was infront of his 11 year old nephew telling me this stuff and he was agreeing with him and on top of that apparently his family is the same way because his Grandma has a three legged cat who is outside and is not spayed.

I honestly don't know how to educate him because when I asked if he would go to a shelter with me and see all of the animals that will never see a family he got mad and said well I'm right and you're wrong. Even though you could tell that he knew I was right because I could back my argument up and all he could say was its the way I feel and he didn't have a bit of research on his beliefs.

And I don't want to make him angry because that decreases the chances of me educating him. I offered for him to visit TCS and hear about all of the cats and dogs in rescue and he declined. He said he had better things to do then be on a catsite.
So how do I fix this if not for his sake but the children in his family.
 

trixie23

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Honey, you cant always educate the ignorant. We had a post on here that was the same awhile ago, the poster never say all the benefits of it, ended up getting peeved, and leaving the site for good. Some people really just dont know!
 

trixie23

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Also I'd like to see him deal with a female dog in heat... We did it once (our neighbors gave their dog away to us, yeah cuz she was in heat) it was such a pain having to change her pads and make her wear the sanitary belt (especially since she had a nub tail and the belt kept falling off). Never again, my dog also had health issues that improved greatly after being spayed.
 

white cat lover

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Talk to him, gently, about all the animals in shelters. Ask him how much it costs for a spay or neuter. Than ask him how much it would cost to raise just ONE litter of puppies or kittens. Ask him about what a kitten or puppy feels like as it dies because of a cold....when that kittten/puppy could've never been born into the world & saved pain. Focus on the money approach. Then go for the "a woman in labor gets pain meds, a cat or dog gets nothing" approach. Go for the cats/dogs feel pain....what must having 8, 10, 14 kids feel like to them?
 

cococat

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Maybe if they worked at a shelter for a bit that would help. Many people can't even understand it unless it is right there in front of them.
Even if he had "good dogs" (whatever that means to him, there is no telling) if everyone else didn't alter their pets, before you know it, his good dogs would be bred by dogs that he didn't even know, temperament and/or health wouldn't even be though of, and the cycle will go on and on and the puppies will suffer from it. One male dog can sire an amazing amount of puppies. I read stats somewhere that the majority of registered dogs weren't bred by puppy mills or even responsible breeders, but by those people who believe like this man, one litter won't hurt, friends or family will take the puppies, females need to be mothers, they are good dogs, pretty dogs, the smartest dogs ever, etc. And that is why our shelters are full
There are so many wonderful animals waiting for homes!
 

consumerkitty

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He doesn't care that millions and millions of healthy, adoptable cats and dogs are euthanized-- i.e., exterminated-- every year because there are not enough homes for them? Would he like to find out that the puppies his dog had were caged and then killed? Would he even care?

It sounds like this person is too stupid and closed minded to educate. Is it possible to talk to his kid's teachers about having someone from the humane society give a talk in their class?
 

cococat

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Originally Posted by white cat lover

Talk to him, gently, about all the animals in shelters. Ask him how much it costs for a spay or neuter. Than ask him how much it would cost to raise just ONE litter of puppies or kittens.
That is a smart approach! Good idea.
It would be much cheaper to spay than deal with bloody seasons, or wild loud cat seasons, male coming to call on the female randomly, many puppies/kittens to feed/raise/give shots, house, and all of that. Males intact roaming around and marking everything and getting into fights. I know in many smaller countries they don't believe in spay/neuter unless there is a valid health problem. In our large country, with our shelters full and everyone owning so many animals, we need to be proactive and I am glad many do believe in spay/neuter.
 

yosemite

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You may be just banging your head against a brick wall. I don't mean to be sexist, but I have found it is mostly men that have the problem with neutering animals. It seems they take it "personally".


No matter how right you are, he'll never give in because HIS masculinity is in jeopardy.
 
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tavia'smom

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Thank you all for the advise I really just feel like shaking people like him. I don't think he has ever had a female dog because when I explained what a mess it is to have a dog in the house going in heat he was dumb founded he didn't even know that they would bleed everywhere. And then when it was all said and done he said well my dogs will be outside dogs don't belong in the house. So I think I am going to focuse on educating his nephew instead. Maybe he will learn something in the meantime.
 

natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by trixie23

Honey, you cant always educate the ignorant. We had a post on here that was the same awhile ago, the poster never say all the benefits of it, ended up getting peeved, and leaving the site for good. Some people really just dont know!
Yes, I agree!
 

samantha1979

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

You may be just banging your head against a brick wall. I don't mean to be sexist, but I have found it is mostly men that have the problem with neutering animals. It seems they take it "personally".


No matter how right you are, he'll never give in because HIS masculinity is in jeopardy.
sounds like a lost cause. We can just hope that his kids will grow up and learn from someone other than him and understand.
 

shopcat

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In situations like this, one must always remember...
"Stupid people don't know they're stupid"
Do what you can, but don't beat yourself up-you will always know that you tried.
 

tierre0

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Some people just don't get what it means to be a responsible pet owner.

I have two male cats, both have been fixed and the reality of the situation is simple. If they weren't fixed I certainly would not be able to keep them as house cats.
My guys are perfectly happy, very healthy and show no aggression towards me or each other (except of coarse when they are play fighting). They are clean, they don't spray and except for rubbing themselves all over me don't mark their territory.
As for the idea you can always sell the kittens or puppies, get real if that was the case there wouldn't thousands of Animal Shelters full of animals worldwide needing homes..
 

bonnie1965

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

You may be just banging your head against a brick wall. I don't mean to be sexist, but I have found it is mostly men that have the problem with neutering animals. It seems they take it "personally".


No matter how right you are, he'll never give in because HIS masculinity is in jeopardy.
(this is not meant to include the men on this site)
Also, who do we hear lamenting the end of childbearing years? Women who have had children often welcome that time. Even women who do not have children look forward to it - I do! Tell a man he will never be able to father children again and his masculinity is called into question. The men I know/have known are that way. Wish they could argue so fervently for spay/neuter


Education is the only thing that will cure ignorance. I agree the way is through the children.
 

sarahp

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Originally Posted by Tavia'smom

So I think I am going to focuse on educating his nephew instead. Maybe he will learn something in the meantime.
That's a great idea!!! Tell him you're taking his nephew out for the day and go to a shelter so he can see the problem


Some people are just too closed minded to look at the big picture, and are just plain stupid not to listen to other people - god forbid they have to *change their opinion*.
 

trixie23

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As Ron White says "You can't fix stupid"... I know that is mean but come on lets look at the facts here, he can't back up any of his beliefs and how they are benficial, because they aren't. Seems to be a lost cause in my opinion. My neighbor is this way. He has a clawed cat that is 6 (been letting him roam outside under supervision for years) now he is getting new furniture and says the cat's claws have to go. Now the cat will be punished for his benefit and due to his ignorance. Some people shouldn't have pets.
 
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