Why do People do This?!

[LumLumPop]

I've heard a lot of stories that go like this: Someone is walking down town and they pass a pet store. Inside they see an adorable puppy/kitten/other baby animal. They know nothing of how to care for it but in a whim buy this adorable baby animal. They spoil it and shower it with love and attention. The animal grows into an adult. The person takes it to a humane society where it will most likely be put down.

I've hear many things like this happening but I don't understand why they would do it? Why would you care for an animal who adores and depends on you until it is an adult then cruelly dump him at some shelter. I've seen animals that look so heartbroken and just sit in the back of their kennel not bothering to interact with the other animals or people. It's just plain sad. If you don't plan on making a lifelong commitment to this animal why would you adopt it? I've met some 'friends' who did this and felt no guilt or remorse and those 'friends' always turned out to be spoiled and unreliable. I'm not sure if that's a coincidence but it makes me so anger that people would do such a thing to an animal who only desires for a family with love and a forever home!

Sorry for the rant.anic:

 

[jemm]

I am with you on that one it annoys me too, I have always said if my numbers come up on the lottery I would set up a rescue centre without hesitation, I wish I could do more for animals, you do not rant alone my friend!

 

[LumLumPop]

I am with you on that one it annoys me too, I have always said if my numbers come up on the lottery I would set up a rescue centre without hesitation, I wish I could do more for animals, you do not rant alone my friend!

Yes but unfortunately animal shelters are almost always crowded to the max with foster homes on the side. If only we could educate people that they're living,breathing,sentient creatures...not a fashion trend!

 

[jemm]

Yep, we are supposed to be the intelligent ones, Ha! Unfortunately it's business for some people to sell and trade in animals maybe if they could be regulated more tightly and not so easy as just walking in a shop and buying what you fancy, maybe if the industry could be held more to account then they might be more interested who they sell to and then the right people get the right pet for them. Oh we'll in a perfect world!!

 

[fsshaer]

I've seen it happen too many times. My mother and father got a lot of 'family pets' when I was younger too. None of them are still here except for one cat that was specified as my first pet--she's 13 now. All the other 'family' pets (hamsters, snakes, iguanas, cats, dogs) ended up being 'taken back' as far as I know. My fiance and I have three cats right now and we're adopting this lovely girl bun the end of this month after a mini vacation (if the no-kill shelter thinks we are going to be a fit home for her). We've agreed that even though we want 100 cats and 100 bunnies--we're only going to take in what we can manage. Three cats and one rabbit, that is, for now. I never understood why my family always got pets, then got rid of said pets. It made me so mad when I was little. A cat would pee outside of her box a few times from it being too dirty and OOPS. She's outta there for good. We'll never be that kind of people. Never. We like to rescue 'lost' or kicked out pets when we see them wandering outside, too. We've found a home for a beautiful dog and returned a lost cat this year. It's something!

A lot of people want all of the reward for none of the work with pets, and it disgusts me to the point of crying. Trust me, you're not alone.

 

[PaGal]

I feel the exact same way when looking at Craigs list. Now I am the type that I like animals so much I will look at Petfinder and Craigslist just to even see the photos although I will not be taking in any more animals as we are more than full at the moment.

I see it all the time people looking for someone to take their pet because they are having a kid and the dog is too much now. Or they are moving and can't take the cat. How could you keep a dog for 12 years and then hand it to someone else? I think most people don't really put themselves in the animals place and think of how they must really feel. How would they like for this to happen to them?

I also get upset because I know someone (definitely not a friend!!!) who buys small animals as pets for their kids. The kids are not bad but are too young to be the main care givers but this person does not care for the animals at all. No research is ever done on knowing what the animal needs. I can't tell you how many pets have died. And they'll just go and get another.

 

[carlysoup]

Honestly, I feel as committed to my pets as someone would to their children. How anyone can feel otherwise is confusing and unfamiliar to me, but I suppose that they just don't feel the same way I do, or see animals as creatures with individual personalities and intrinsic value, as I do. But, it will continue to frustrate me, as it does you, for a long time. To be fair, though, sometimes things happen - job loss, moving to a smaller home/a home that doesn't allow pets, illness, etc. But, those people can't help what has happened to them & are trying to be responsible, unlike the people who buy animals on a whim. I guess the best I can do is to take the best care of my rabbits as possible, and try to educate as many people as possible (albeit, politely) on being responsible with animals. If I have my way, someday I will have a farm with a barn converted into a kennel where I will take in abandoned animals. Both of my rabbits are rescues, too. Its a lot of work, as they do come with their own "baggage", but I love them endlessly.

 

[Tauntz]

This is one of my soapbox topics. You asked so I will give my take on why people do this. I've met too many spoiled people who "want" everything but they don't want the work or responsibility that goes with the thing they want. Too many parents get their children everything they want & don't teach them to care for or how to be responsible for another living creature. Many smaller pets are relatively inexpensive to buy compared to peoples incomes so they are disposable; if it dies, or doesn't behave then you toss it out & buy another. People often get pets without considering the need to spend time with it & training it how to behave. An animal can't open the door & go out to potty especially if it isn't trained as a young pet where to go potty. I've found just being consistent with training almost any animal will do as you want & it becomes a habit. Animals usually want to please their person but people don't reward them & teach them. I could go on & on about this but will stop. Those are just a few of my observations on this topic. Many people while they may be in adult bodies have never been taught responsibility & how to be a good grown up so they are still children in adult bodies. They always buy whatever catches their fancy without thinking of anything past their desire for the desired object. No self-disipline, much less ability to teach another creature anything. If animals were born knowing exactly what these lazy, selfish people wanted out of them maybe they would continue to have a home but probably not. Okay, sorry! Off my soapbox & ranting. I really should have the self-disipline myself not to get started with my ranting on these subjects.

 

[LumLumPop]

I think breeders and shelters work a little backwards. They make it easy for someone to toss away an animal they don't want and have a bunch of pointless rules that makes it difficult for those genuinely interested in spending the rest of the animals life as their companions. I think if breeders and shelters turned their rules around(harder to throw away unwanted pets and easier to adopt to loving homes)then it would make some people think twice before impulsively buying an animal,but alas. When my sister went to our local shelter to adopt her dog they were very rude to her and my Grandfather(the lady was certainly not taught to respect her elders,sorry mini rant)and they refused to give her the dog that was a few days away from being put down because our Grandfather wasn't our Father! Even though they had it down in writing that he had given his consent and even when they got him on the phone she refused to sell. It was only when my VERY angry father came to the shelter that she agreed to sell the dog. Considering the fact that she was stumbling over her words and very red in the face we think that if my Dad wasn't the intimidating looking man he is(<Ha,he's more of an overprotective mother hen)she probably would have continued to treat my sister and Grandfather very poorly.

 

[Troller]

Today my rabbits accidently got out and got into a fight. My wife relates the story to her father and he gets all upset about being responsible and how could this happen etc. and then assumes our second bunny Xena will now be returned because it was a trial basis pick up. Luckily I wasn't around or I would have been pissed. I don't take my responsibilities lightly and before I get any animal I **** sure know what I'm doing, what I need to do, and would never let go a precious little creature because the going gets tough. Just got annoyed that he would think I would do that.

That's the problem with some people. A thing becomes inconveniant and they drop it or look to shirk their duty. It's even more terrible when a living creature who's dependant on you is failed because you couldn't deal. Now I know some circumstances warrent you giving up an animal but it should be for the animals best interests not the persons.

 

[Rabbit Lover02]

And its not just giving away the animals, people buy them (the poor little creatures) then treat them terribly because they don't know how to care for them. I know a family who loses about 5-8 chickens a week. Around Easter, they got some chicks and ducklings. They kept the ducklings with the chicks and my mom said that the baby birds didn't have any pine shavings where they were kept, all it was was 1-3 inches of poop and muck that they were walking around in. Poor fish kept in about 1/5 of a gallon of water, thats just terrible.

I even have seen little rabbit hutches stuffed with rabbits. I think this problem is terrible and wish there is someway it could be fixed. But until stupid people who dont know what they're doing start learning what they're suppose to do, its just gonna keep on getting worse.

 

[PaGal]

I understand that sometimes things happen in life that change circumstances. I used to live in an area where you could not find a place to rent that would allow animals. My issue is more with people that get an animal and treat it as a child and then give it up as soon as they have a human child because now it's too much work. I think of animals as a responsibility that is not taken lightly.

The other is people that get a pet and never take care of it properly. I know sometimes you learn with experience but there are people that never learn and have no interest in learning and do not even provide the necessary basics like food and water on a regular basis. And when the animal dies just get another and repeat the process. And then these people may raise children that view the animals the same way.

 

[DUSTBUNNY-CLYDE]

I think its the area too! out where my boyfriend grew up everyone has dogs tied up to doghouses! no shade, no food, water, shelter!! and they think that its ok and normal to do this! why have a dog then?? A dog is a pack animal and needs to be with a familly!! Where I work, 90% of people have pitbulls to " protect the house". they are not well taken care of either and are constantly roaming the streets! I get so mad too! My fiancee wants to kidnap a bunny on his mail route that's in a itty bitty hutch, no shade, on a wire floor! He says it looks so sad!!! I think of my animals before I think of myself!! they get fed, played with, cleaned before I even get a chance to eat or shower! I think most people think of animals as just a material object!! ugg!!! they have feelings, emotions, and are so very precious!! Our animals are blessed to have wonderful owners like us!!!

 

[hannaroo]

It doesn't surprise me at all. I think it's human nature to want to nurture a baby animal but when they grow up they go off the idea when responsibility sets in.
It happens to humans too. People have babies not realising how much work it all is or what it's like when they grow up but it's not as easy to neglect a human unlike animals that can't speak out.
I think shelters and a lot of pet stores and responsible breeders so a great job of letting people know what they're in for more than ever now and I've seen rising awareness in all three in educating potential owners about what they're getting into.
My local pet store has recently given better care advice and the pet shop my cousin works for even refuses to sell an animal if they don't think the owners are responsible or ill equipt for the animal they want which is a step forward in recent years.
Unfortunately it's down to the owner in the end to calm their impulses!

 

[LumLumPop]

One think I absolutely hate more than anything is those people who decide they don't want an animal anymore and think it's a wild animal that can care for itself so they dump them on the side of the road! This is a house pet! Not a wild animal! The poor animal will probably spend the rest of its life hiding in alleys and taking whatever scraps it can find. They can be from a dumpster or from a kind person who feeds the animals. Either way it's just sad and wrong for people to leave a scared and confused animal on the side of the road.