Why don't we have higher regulations on who can own pets?

I came home from work to find a dog under our shed. I would have never known had I not gone near it to turn on the hose so I could water my pots outside. It has been about 3-4 days and it was due time.

First of all, our gate is locked. I have seen a white dog roaming around the streets for a while and she usually hangs around with our neighbor's dog behind us. They leave that poor dog outside in ALL kinds of weather. Part of their yard is exposed due to our other neighbor having taken her fence down and doesn't want to spend the money to have it replaced. Neither side does.

If I had to take a guess, our neighbor's dog got that dog pregnant and has now seeked refuge under OUR shed in a fenced in yard. We just had our landscaping done and this is the very reason I don't like dogs. I have found places in the yard she has dug up to include a hole to get into our yard. I've called animal control to have them come remove her and the puppies because I don't have the necessary training and equipment to get her out. I can't even see her.

My neighbor's are not the responsible type so I'm sure they didn't neuter their dog. Of course, I don't know this 100% Why do people get pets, put them outside in all kinds of weather, with no shelter? They never take this dog inside. Why do people get pets and dump them?

Why don't we have higher regulations on who can own pets? I think it should be much more strict. It may find a home, but that home may not always be able to provide all the animals needs. These are homes that put pets on the very end of their list of needs.

Does anyone else feel this way?

I agree whole heartedly!!

Same goes for people having babies. There should be a test before you can own pets or have children.

I agree also.
We have only lived here since July and we have adog that comes in our yard and causes trouble.
We hate to do this but next time we will report it.
All the neighbors say its not their dog.
We also have to cats that come in our yard.
I wish people wuld keep their pets in.
I do not want to be mena but if you let them out and something happens to them its your own fault.
My cats have never been out once.

Originally Posted by Meowers

I agree whole heartedly!!

Same goes for people having babies. There should be a test before you can own pets or have children.

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'nuff said.

Yeah, I don't blame you! These people will also blame everyone else should something happen to that pet, if they even care that much.

I don't really like the idea of letting someone else decide whether I should be allowed pets or not. Does anyone here really want more laws to take away your rights as pet owners? What happens if the person deciding doesn't like you for some reason? Or maybe you don't have enough square foot in your house/apartment to supposedly have more than one cat (even though we all know that 2-3 cats can happily live in 700sqft or so). Some towns already tell you want breeds of dogs you can't have because of some people's ignorance.

What would be better is if the current laws were actually enforced. No dogs running loose and no allowing pets to be neglected or abused.

On the upside. Some cities in Oklahoma are making incentives for people to spay and neuter their pets. Besides that being free, if the animal is spay or neutered and gets picked up by animal control - there's no fee to get the animal back.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

I don't really like the idea of letting someone else decide whether I should be allowed pets or not. Does anyone here really want more laws to take away your rights as pet owners? What happens if the person deciding doesn't like you for some reason? Or maybe you don't have enough square foot in your house/apartment to supposedly have more than one cat (even though we all know that 2-3 cats can happily live in 700sqft or so). Some towns already tell you want breeds of dogs you can't have because of some people's ignorance.

What would be better is if the current laws were actually enforced. No dogs running loose and no allowing pets to be neglected or abused.

On the upside. Some cities in Oklahoma are making incentives for people to spay and neuter their pets. Besides that being free, if the animal is spay or neutered and gets picked up by animal control - there's no fee to get the animal back.

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Very true points. I would have to agree with the above post more than my original which implies I would be happy with more laws. Sometimes we don't think it through when hearing a sad story about animal abuse. It's quite easy to say that some people shouldn't own animals or have kids, but who decides that? I wouldn't want someone taking away my right to own any of my animals for whatever reason is decided.

My town recently changed the by-laws concerning exotic animals...(snakes, spiders, etc). Most of my snakes are on the prohibited list, but because I had them prior to the by-law changing, I am grandfathered in. I really don't approve of the new by-laws because some of the best "starter" snakes are on the prohibited list.

In all reality, no, I don't want more laws telling me what I can and cannot keep. But enforcing the laws there are, to stop the abuse of animals/children/etc, I fully support.

I wish we had more incentives here to get our animals spayed/neutered. I have not heard of a low cost spay clinic or anything like that. The only motivation to get animals spayed is for lisencing purposes. In my town only dogs are lisenced. An unaltered dog costs $30/yr to lisence whereas an altered dog costs $20/yr. There is no incentive for cats.

Trust me - I see tons of people come through - either wanting to adopt at the shelter or dumping their pet. You wouldn't believe the morons who have pets!

I agree that having too many regulations would be an issue, but having to license an unaltered dog - or having to pay a fee to keep a dog strictly outdoors (esp in town) would be fantastic.