OT: Rant - Pets

[Ziela]

I really don't understand some people's attitudes towards pets...all of ours are rescue babies. One was basically feral, took 3 weeks to coax her out from under the bed and now she's the sweetest cat (with me at least). Our other cat when we got him had ringworm, girardia, and weighed 5.5 lbs- at 2 years old! I was almost afraid to pet him because his bones stuck out all over. Now he is a plump (they tell me they're starving but the jiggling when they waddle..err walk gives them away), sleek gorgeous tuxedo who is the most easy going cat I've ever met. You can carry him around, clip his nails, put pills down his throat, and he just purrs. When I think of the person who let him get in that shape...
To round out our menagerie we have a deaf dalmation...whoever took her to the pound seriously missed out. She is incredibly smart, knows many hand signals and how to open doors (she found it highly entertaining to walk in on people in the bathroom until I changed the knobs to round ones) You could put your face next to hers and never in a million years worry about anything except getting licked. She loves everyone and everything with a great deal of enthusiasm. Because she is deaf she likes to be close, able to see and/or touch you, but I consider washing the sheets frequently to be fair exchange for cuddling
When you look through rescue postings it's horrible the reasons they are up there..."went on vacation and didn't want to pay for kennel" "don't have time to spend with them anymore" and these are 6,7 year old pets. How would you like to be ripped out of your home at middle age with no explanation and stuck somewhere else? Well, I could rant a long time about bad pet owners but in the interest of space I'll stop

[Aryse Andenter]

I just have to share this story because it was one of the most encouraing things I have heard. I was visiting my Mom's friend, who has been involved in their community's human society, and she was telling me that dogs are adopted out so fast in their community they actually have a shortage and frequently 'import' dogs from the humane society in other communities who weren't finding a home there. They actually had a waiting list of people who wanted to adopt pets who really needed it!

[Silound]

When I was a kid, my parents were anti pet people. Rodents were as good as we got, and those things got more attention than school did sometimes But my uncle had a chocolate lab that I loved. He wasn't a licker, he was a nuzzler. He would get up on the bed next to you, lay down and rub his ear against your face and nuzzle you a bit, then he'd kinda doze off with you holding him. They took real good care of him and he had the softest coat you could imagine, was absolutely my favorite dog ever. Was sad when he eventually had to be put down for old age.

[Aiero]

I have to agree with Kyahra about "Well, it's just an animal".

Back to the main topic of pets, I have a spaniel that is spoiled rotten! He is an indoor dog that is almost never alone and loves attention. If he is not getting enough attention he has no problem hopping up next to someone and nudging you with his nose or rubbing his head on you until you give him some attention. He has everyone here at the house well trained! He is considered part of the family by everyone.