As I checked my facebook page today I saw one of the typical posts, “to be destroyed – Friday.” next to this caption was a photo of a loving dog, head cocked, looking straight into the camera with all of the innocence a child would show in his school pictures. Unaware of the fate that awaits him, cast upon him by a society that sees him as an expendable casualty in this thing called life.
I don’t find these lives expendable, and am frustrated at the cavalier attitude with which many approach pets. Animals in general are seen as second class citizens in “our” world, and we will do with them and to them as we see fit, or as it benefits us. From where does this come? How do we justify killing an animal because it doesn’t fit into our lives any more? More importantly, who are the morons who get a pet and then decide it’s no longer convenient?
Personally I don’t have a big issue with breeders, and I will address that in another post. So, if you get your dog from a breeder (a legitimate one) and care for it its entire life, good on you! However, if you are one of those people that causally enter into getting a pet like you would getting a new pair of jeans, STOP.
When the pet no longer fits into your life, you can just dump it at the shelter and walk away guilt-free. That is the messed up part of life. There is a terrible shame that should follow you the rest of your life for doing this. Just like a child molester or sexual abuser, people should know who you are. And, if you’re not capable of caring for this pet, who’s to say that you will care for your next pet. Unfortunately, these people often times do get new pets. This one got to big, barked too much, got too old, just wasn’t fitting in, didn’t get along with the other dog, the list goes on and on. It’s all BS…
Responsibility starts on the first day you get your new pet, and doesn’t end till you put that pet dies. And notice I said DIES. Not until you’re done with it and dump it at a shelter and it gets put it down because of your cowardice attitude. If you drop your dog at the shelter, you’re a coward, because you don’t have to courage to face the reality of what’s gonna happen – the dog is gonna get killed. Whether the dog has issues or not, his chances are around 40% of getting adopted, then I’m not sure what the numbers are if they’ll end up dumped back into the shelter.
The sad truth is that dogs get messed up when there is no consistency. If you get them as a puppy, have them for a while and pass them along and along, you’re screwing up the dog. Dogs like consistency and thrive under structure. They are pack animals and will stay with their pack for life. Unlike humans who drift and drift and cheat and lie and steal.
If you are one of those idiots who gets a pet on a whim, or if you know one of these idiots, please help them along and have them get a stuffed animal. If you know someone who doesn’t have the ability to commit to an animal, chances are they are crappy human beings who can’t commit to a job, a friendship or a relationship. Look at the signs from early on. It’s true, animal abusers many times turn into child abusers. But since we don’t really take the animal abuse issue all that seriously, we deal with it a little more heavily when they get to the humans – but still not heavy enough. We live in a terribly politically correct society that give rights to the guilty, all the while robbing the victims.
The main focus of this post is to highlight the insensitivity that surrounds people who allow loving pets to be destroyed because of their insensitivity, carelessness and selfishness. When things don’t work out any more – they move on. In the wake of their destruction may only be the life of a discarded dog for now…. but remind yourself, when you become that inconvenience – you’ll be next. I don’t associate with child molesters, those who prey on the weak or those who have no regard for innocent lives – including the lives of animals.