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Pets, what price are you willing to pay?

skinsone said:
What are they thinking or inhaling?
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In many places now dogs are being treated like children.

If only real children had much of the same attention as these dogs get society would be better off.

Most people don't forget their dogs in the car in the Arizona heat. Our previous sheriff made it a point to pursue animal cruelty cases over pursuit of criminal cases involving humans.

Up until last year you could get away with murdering someone in Maricopa County and never be arrested for it, but wound or kill an animal and they moved heaven and earth to find you and lock you away.

Yet now, Phoenix is in it's second week of broiling infants to death because they were left in cars in 108º heat.

Someone in PHX has advocated an alarm system being installed to let you know that a child is being left behind in your car.

But we damn well can remember to grab our pets, our wallets, purses, keys and cell phones before we walk away from our cars.

Little kids, not so much. Society's values and priorities are screwed up on this.
 
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eyoungren said:
Someone in PHX has advocated an alarm system being installed to let you know that a child is being left behind in your car.
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Volvo had a "heartbeat sensor" option, part of their "personal communicator key" that would detect if an intruder was hiding in your car and make your key blink. It probably would have been better marketed as a baby-left-in-car-alarm. A lot of higher end cars have interior motion sensors as it is that will set off the alarm. But yes I'm surprised there isn't a law yet that cars must detect locked in babies and doggies.

 
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senseless said:
I recently had to have my dog euthanized and it was heartbreaking. I'm not sure if I want to take this on again, but I miss my furry companion.
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So sorry to hear this. Our little one left us just over 2 years ago now, and I still have moments where I feel my chest is bursting I miss him so much. I know that sounds mental to some, but for 14 years that dog was part of my routine nearly every single day. We shared a huge amount of time together.

Like you say, heartbreaking.
 
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skinsone said:
Years ago we owned several rental properties. We never had issues with our renters except for one. And it was a royal doozie. She was in the middle of a divorce with kids and had her mom co-sign the lease. After about 9 months one of the neighbors called and expressed concern about the condition of our property.

Made a 2 hour trip in the snow in November and found the house destroyed. I mean totally destroyed. Renter had let other family members live there who had large dogs. Renter had cats, dozens of them along with bunnies hutchs kept in one of the bathrooms.

The mom actually had the cahoon's to call and ask that we not evict her daughter but also forgive the December rent so her grandchildren could have X-mas gifts. Seriously, she thought I would be ok with her suggestion.

Evicted her immediately, took only a LEO friend of mine plus the heath dept to get her out quickly.

All the drywall had to be removed down to the studs, all the flooring, including subfloors had to be removed. Two bath tubs had to be replaced because the renter apparently took cinder blocks from outside and just tossed them in each tub creating small holes that leaked water into the floors below. Electric, appliances and kitchen had to be replaced from extensive and deliberate damage.

The house was a total loss. USAA said it was the second worse claim they had seen. We both sued the daughter and the mom. Mom calls crying to please let her make payments, $100.00/month until it was paid off. Yup, I laughed at that too. We won, mom had to sell her very expensive home. Do I feel bad ... nope ... learned afterwards her daughter had done this previously.

I have 3 indoor cats and 2 small dogs. Each cat has a cat tree which they use everyday. They haven't damaged any furniture. 3 litter pans in the utility room get cleaned daily. They scatter when people other than family comes over. My dogs are trained and let me know when they need to go outside. I am retired so we go for walks on a regular basis.

Oh and no longer own any rental properties. I'm done with that headache.
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The real rental property horror story brought to you by cats. ;) Seriously sorry you had that experience. I just don't understand how people can allow their living space to turn into a giant toilet. It would be unacceptable for family members to deficate in the living room, why do we allow our pets to get away with this? And if the argument is it's too much work, then they are not suitable pet owners if they are willing to allow this to happen. There has to be a disconnect from the reality of the situation. In the example I've witnessed I'd guess theres been about $5000 of property damage. At least they've pulled out the carpet in the basement family room (concrete underneath) but they've still have an animal defecating in the house.

We currently do not own pets. I'm not sure I'll ever get another. During my adult life we've gave one dog, bought as a puppy back to the seller because we could not get it reliably House trained, and one cat who got mad at us for leaving it at home and stopped using the litter box reliable, whenever we left the house. It became a clinic cat at a local vet. I learned, we did not give up on cats, after that we ended first with 2, then 3 cats to keep each other company, no messes in the house other than the litter box. And taking care of 3 cats was not that much more work than 1 cat, just more poop to clean out of the boxes. :)
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eyoungren said:
I've been where you're at.

When we used to live rural we had a dog that my parent's had got as a puppy when I was 1 year old or so. I used to crawl out of my room as a little kid and go sleep with the dog on her bed in the living room.

My dad hit the dog coming home one night because it was dark and he couldn't see her. I was about 12 or so.

We took her to the vet and she was ultimately fine. But later on when we had issues with a rogue dog the county animal catcher screwed up.

We captured the rogue dog in our garage, left the door unlocked and called the dog catcher. He shows up, sees our old, blind basset hound roaming the property and takes HER!

We got her back, but it was another point against rural living for me then.

Had to euthanize the dog later on which was sad but her age and condition demanded the humane thing.
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I see this a lot now.

Restaurants, stores etc. People abuse the 'service animal' tag and use it to just bring their lap dogs everywhere with them. I'm sorry, but if your nervous chihuahua is snarling at me and crapping all over Walmart's produce section I am less inclined to shop Walmart.

It gets out of hand and these places don't realize the health violations they can run into by not tossing these customers out.

There are laws against non-service animals being in these places and they are not being enforced.
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In the airline business, some percentage of service/ especially comfort animals are a scam to get free transportation for them.

Some Pet Owners Game the Emotional Support Animal System to Fly Pets for Free
Federal regulations allow a legitimate emotional support animal, whether it be a dog, a cat, a pot-bellied pig or even a miniature horse in one case, to travel on airplanes in the cabin with the owner, outside of a carrier, and for free if the owner has proper documentation, which means a letter from a doctor or other ...Apr 3, 2015
 
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Huntn said:
In the airline business, some percentage of service/ especially comfort animals are a scam to get free transportation for them.

Some Pet Owners Game the Emotional Support Animal System to Fly Pets for Free
Federal regulations allow a legitimate emotional support animal, whether it be a dog, a cat, a pot-bellied pig or even a miniature horse in one case, to travel on airplanes in the cabin with the owner, outside of a carrier, and for free if the owner has proper documentation, which means a letter from a doctor or other ...Apr 3, 2015
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Reminds me of that ridiculous story of the emotional support pig that was kicked off a flight at Bradley. Flying pigs, murderous chimpanzees... Just another crazy pet story out of CT.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/30/travel/emotional-support-pig-booted-flight/index.html
 
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Huntn said:
This thread is not what you think it's about, although the up front price of pets is fair game. :) My observation is that we have some grown up kids of close friends who are basically of family status, who have allowed the last three residences they have lived in, the last a $200,000 house be partially destroyed and turned to into a 2000 square foot toilet by their pets, specifically currently two large dogs. Sliding glass and regular doors ruined, clawed down to bare wood. The wife is the the one who pushes for pets, but the family, 2 working adults, including a couple of children who are completely unsuited to the responsibility of pet ownership. It boggles my mind that they are willing to allow the destruction of their primary asset for pain in the ass animals.

My spouse I had 3 cats for 17 years, and visitors to out house had no clue we had cat until they saw them. In the example I'm referencing your nose (the lovely smell of **** and piss) would tell you there are animals as soon as you walk through the front door. Her parents are dismayed.

This is not the worst case I've seen. The worst was when I was dating, I met a girl as a young adult, and when I stepped through the door, she lived with her parents, I was knocked over by the prevalent smell of ammonia, produced by 17 cats, in a closed up house during the winter. It was a short lived relationship.
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I would never pay for a cat (cats aren't pets). I would pay $500 for a dog if it was from a good line and bred well.

My father would never pay for any dog. We was also perfectly comfortable throwing the dog in the trash when it died. No sentiment, no burial costs.
 
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Volgin said:
I would never pay for a cat (cats aren't pets). I would pay $500 for a dog if it was from a good line and bred well.

My father would never pay for any dog. We was also perfectly comfortable throwing the dog in the trash when it died. No sentiment, no burial costs.
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I have at least 4-6 different stray cats that like to roam pass my backyard each day. That's what I get for having a garden.

I would be willing to pay for a dog of the same breed as the one from my childhood.
 
I have two dogs (lovable labs). I grew up with dogs (taken care of my elders in the family) and when it came time for my wife and I to get dogs, we waiting until we were in a situation (financially and location) to be able to handle it. We got our first lab nearly 6 years ago as a puppy after doing a lot of research on exercise, dietary needs and other care for the pets. The labs fit our lifestyle well (they are playful when need be, but complete slouches as well).

They enjoy their walks and playtime but don't require hours of either..

I feed my dogs well and would like to them to have a good life without a variety of physical/medical issues causing them pain. I have pet insurance to cover any random stuff that happens..

These dogs aren't spoiled though and aren't allowed to sit/sleep wherever they want. They are well behaved (trained from young age) and properly groomed so you never know we have dogs by smell or anything.

It absolutely irks me when people get dogs without doing any research or get it as a novelty and then tie it outside for most of the day. Dogs, unlike any other pet, is very much affected by the human connection and lack of it causes all sorts of issues. So getting pets based on just one person in the family asking for it without everyone enjoying it's company is just stupid IMO..

Regards
 
I personally grew up with cats, dogs, many types of rodents and birds. I currently don’t have any pets and never had in my adult life so far. I love animals but I love a clean house more. Not that it isn’t possible to have a clean home, but it is a lot more work with pets.

My nieghbor is in her 60’s and is single. She has 3 large dogs, at least a few cats and god knows how many birds. Her house was cute before she bought it. It now smells so bad when she opens the door. I walk past a house often a couple of blocks away that reeks of cat urine from the middle of the street.

Personally I can’t believe people live like that.

My kids are young, I think my daughter is starting to develop an interest in cats. I’d be willing to entertain the idea, but only short haired to start with.
 
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TheAppleFairy said:
I personally grew up with cats, dogs, many types of rodents and birds. I currently don’t have any pets and never had in my adult life so far. I love animals but I love a clean house more. Not that it isn’t possible to have a clean home, but it is a lot more work with pets.

My nieghbor is in her 60’s and is single. She has 3 large dogs, at least a few cats and god knows how many birds. Her house was cute before she bought it. It now smells so bad when she opens the door. I walk past a house often a couple of blocks away that reeks of cat urine from the middle of the street.

Personally I can’t believe people live like that.

My kids are young, I think my daughter is starting to develop an interest in cats. I’d be willing to entertain the idea, but only short haired to start with.
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If you have a room without carpet, put a new kitten in there with a litter box until you are sure, using the box is a habit. During this period, spend a lot of time with them bonding.

Edit: Also if you travel and plan on leaving the cat alone, consider getting two cats, really no more work than having one and they will keep each other company. Cat's can act up, ie, stop using the litter box if they get unhappy with you. We had multiple cat's, but when we left on a trip, they all got put down in our uncarpeted basement, in case they protested.
 
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A.Goldberg said:
I grew up with at least one dog in the house. They were always loyal companions of the family. Getting the right breed is always a factor and more importantly training. It doesn't take too much effort to house train most dogs. My last dog was even trained to pee in the woods so as not to ruin the grass.

Having the appropriate property to own a dog is important. If you have a small house and/or no real yard space, it's a poor decision to get a high energy dog.

Too many people get dogs but don't take the time and effort (of money) to adequately train them. Then they are left with a wild beast in their home.
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Yep! Could not have said it better. You do have to be careful with puppies and chewing, but once again, all of this comes down to the owner.

We have had indoor dogs for most of my life. One of them was a Dalmatian that spent most of his life outside with a barrel of water and a meal thrown out on the patio once a day. We ended up taking him because the owners could no longer deal with his high energy level...of course he got excited with his one visit a day. When we got him, we walked him everyday and let him out to play for a while each day. When he was in the house, he was an absolute gentleman. Oh, not sure if people know, but humans are animals, too.

My life has always been happier when we had a dog and I am not alone:

"According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the human–canine bond is influenced by emotional, psychological, and physical interactions that are essential to the health and well-being of both people and dogs.

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT), service dogs, and animal-assisted activities demonstrate this human–canine bond and this interaction with an animal; in most cases a dog helps improve the quality of life.[8]

The AVMA officially recognizes that the human-animal bond exists, that it has existed for thousands of years, and that it has had a major impact on veterinary medicine.[9]

The human–canine bond also pertains to working dogs, such as modern police dogs and search and rescue dogs"

As for cats, I have never owned one, so I can't really comment on them.

As for this destruction, it is almost always the owners fault. If they would rather have their house ruined than training their dog properly, they get what they deserve.
 
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If you adopt a pet you should accept the associated cost and care. By that I mean vet & vaccinations, food, grooming, and training (which is not hard). If you forgo that and the pet destroys your home then you are to blame. You shouldn't even have a pet.

I have had pets for many years, always indoors, and never a problem. I prefer dogs over cats, and don't currently have a cat. But I wouldn't rule out another one. I have only one dog now, a Bichon, who is the happiest and most lovable dog I have ever had. Very high energy. I got her at 6 weeks and it only took a week to train her to go outside. Yep for that week I had to get up 3 times a night or more to run her outside, but after that she was able to make it through the night. Most of my dogs have been similar, unless they were no longer a puppy when we got them.

I don't really get people who would raise a pet to destroy their home, let alone live in disgusting filth. But then again I don't get hoarders either.



Mike
 
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I have no pets, nor do I want any. It's hard enough to afford what I want and need, much less a pet. No children here either.
 
Septembersrain said:
I have no pets, nor do I want any. It's hard enough to afford what I want and need, much less a pet. No children here either.
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Children are like needy pets. ;) :D
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Uofmtiger said:
Yep! Could not have said it better. You do have to be careful with puppies and chewing, but once again, all of this comes down to the owner.

We have had indoor dogs for most of my life. One of them was a Dalmatian that spent most of his life outside with a barrel of water and a meal thrown out on the patio once a day. We ended up taking him because the owners could no longer deal with his high energy level...of course he got excited with his one visit a day. When we got him, we walked him everyday and let him out to play for a while each day. When he was in the house, he was an absolute gentleman. Oh, not sure if people know, but humans are animals, too.

My life has always been happier when we had a dog and I am not alone:

"According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the human–canine bond is influenced by emotional, psychological, and physical interactions that are essential to the health and well-being of both people and dogs.

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT), service dogs, and animal-assisted activities demonstrate this human–canine bond and this interaction with an animal; in most cases a dog helps improve the quality of life.[8]

The AVMA officially recognizes that the human-animal bond exists, that it has existed for thousands of years, and that it has had a major impact on veterinary medicine.[9]

The human–canine bond also pertains to working dogs, such as modern police dogs and search and rescue dogs"

As for cats, I have never owned one, so I can't really comment on them.

As for this destruction, it is almost always the owners fault. If they would rather have their house ruined than training their dog properly, they get what they deserve.
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Cats are wonderful, less needy versions of dogs and very affectionate as long as you bond with them as kittens. They say it has to do with dogs being domesticated longer than felines.
 
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Huntn said:
Children are like needy pets. ;) :D
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Cats are wonderful, less needy versions of dogs and very affectionate as long as you bond with them as kittens. They say it has to do with dogs being domesticated longer than felines.
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Dogs are pack animals and subservient to the Alpha dog (or human) that creates their intense need for approval. Is it love? Or are they just very practical animals?
 
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