Sick and tired of people thinking that pets are disposable

[taryn]

On being allergic to cats, not everyone knows until they actually live with a cat. I didn't know if I was allergic to cats before Spaz since I had never lived with a cat before. Visiting someone with a cat is different from living with one full time when it comes to allergies. So that can be a very valid reason, same if their child is allergic, it sucks but if you are highly allergic there isn't much you can do. Like I said in another post a woman had to surrender her cat to the animal shelter due to her severe allergies and she was upset, she was reacting like a great pet owner beside herself crying about having to give up her cat. So allergies aren't necessarily a BS excuse.

The closest thing I did to that was to let MIL watch Spaz for us while Patrick and I moved and got settled(that and we were going out of town for a week the very next week.) We didn't want her getting loose or hurting herself because she wasn't always the sharpest tool in the shed. Well, my MIL LOST HER, she left the door open to bring in groceries and somehow Spaz slipped out the door unnoticed and was never seen again. I did not just dump my cat with my MIL, she was watching her for us and she lost her. However if I did have to re-home a cat she would be a great choice since she dotes on her animals, she also fosters BBDs(big black dogs) until they can find a home so she is an animal lover and I know she would be well taken care of. That's why we were having her watch Spaz in the first place.

When I lived in TX the people upstairs from us moved so they could keep their dogs after they were told that they would have to give them $600 for a nonrefundable pet deposit and no they had to pay it in full now they couldn't spread it out over time. Instead of getting rid of the dogs they moved. It can be difficult to find a place to live with more than one animal, Paul had trouble finding a place to rent when he had a cat and a dog but he wasn't about to get rid of them so he kept looking for a new place that would accept pets.

I will never forget the woman who surrendered her orange tabby because he clashed with her new furniture. I mean

?!

Taryn

 

[icklemiss21]

Originally Posted by Taryn

I will never forget the woman who surrendered her orange tabby because he clashed with her new furniture. I mean

?!

Taryn

I had one of those too, and a woman who constantly came to the shelter looking for a 6 week old kitten (we do not adopt them that young, unless its a foster mom who wants to keep their foster etc) who wouldn't shed too much, would match her furniture and like going for rides in her mustang

 

[ldg]

Originally Posted by Taryn

On being allergic to cats, not everyone knows until they actually live with a cat. I didn't know if I was allergic to cats before Spaz since I had never lived with a cat before. Visiting someone with a cat is different from living with one full time when it comes to allergies. So that can be a very valid reason, same if their child is allergic, it sucks but if you are highly allergic there isn't much you can do. Like I said in another post a woman had to surrender her cat to the animal shelter due to her severe allergies and she was upset, she was reacting like a great pet owner beside herself crying about having to give up her cat. So allergies aren't necessarily a BS excuse.

No, not necessarily. But I'd want to make sure they really had tried. I tend not to "buy" allergies as much of an excuse. I'm highly allergic and live with seven cats in a really small space. There are lots of things that can be done, and OTC meds that generally work really well now available.

 

[rahma]

Originally Posted by Taryn

I will never forget the woman who surrendered her orange tabby because he clashed with her new furniture. I mean

?!

When we were looking to adopt, my aunt reminded us to keep in mind our furniture color

We're thinking about moving to the UAE, and one of the first things I did (ok, the very first thing I did), was google how to move the Squeakster with us.

 

[kailie]

Originally Posted by LDG

No, not necessarily. But I'd want to make sure they really had tried. I tend not to "buy" allergies as much of an excuse. I'm highly allergic and live with seven cats in a really small space. There are lots of things that can be done, and OTC meds that generally work really well now available.

Not only though but there is no way you can get me to believe that if someone is giving up a cat due to allergies (especially severe allergies) that they didn't know they were allergic to begin with, so WHY adopt a cat when there is the potential they couldn't live with it?!? I agree with you 100%, take a pill, get the shot, if they can't afford the treatment, then they shouldn't have adopted a cat to begin with.

 

[ondine]

When we were looking to adopt, my aunt reminded us to keep in mind our furniture color I was always told that too but it was so we picked a color the fur would blend into!

But seriously, I know before I understood what I do now, I didn't question giving up a pet when times got tough or someone moved. I know better now but had to learn it from here and other places.

I get angry too but only when the person has proven that he or she "gets it" but still think pets are disposable. Until then, I'd use it as a golden opportunity to educate her. It may fall on deaf ears but I think she needs to know why.

If it does, unfortunately, she will find a way to get another pet but at least she'll know you know...

 

[m935]

I live near a few beach towns and it at least USED to be a (very strange and disgusting) practice to "adopt" pets for the summer and then either leave the animals behind or take them to our shelter before they returned home in the fall.

The shelter was packed due to these horrible and heartless people.

Im not sure if this still continues - I HATE hearing/knowing about this stuff so I havent searched out this info. But my mom and I were just talking about it the other day - she was saying how could anyone do that to their kids - let them get attached and then tell them teh pet was being left behind. Let alone what that does to the animal - (which to me and Im sure you guys - is WORSE)

Just really sick, twisted and WEIRD people in this world.

 

[ebrillblaiddes]

Originally Posted by Ondine

When we were looking to adopt, my aunt reminded us to keep in mind our furniture color I was always told that too but it was so we picked a color the fur would blend into!

I did it the other way around...I had a black cat, so, black couch.

Then I got Ginger, and nothing is going to blend in with both black and orange, so I gave in to the fact that wherever I live is going to look like cats live there.

 

[icklemiss21]

Originally Posted by ebrillblaiddes

I did it the other way around...I had a black cat, so, black couch.

Then I got Ginger, and nothing is going to blend in with both black and orange, so I gave in to the fact that wherever I live is going to look like cats live there.

Yes, but some people would come into the shelter and ask if they could exchange the black cat for a brown one when they got a new brown sofa

 

[ebrillblaiddes]

Originally Posted by icklemiss21

Yes, but some people would come into the shelter and ask if they could exchange the black cat for a brown one when they got a new brown sofa

Humans...what can you do?