Posted on 09/06/2005 2:42:24 PM PDT by maxwellp
Watching the news on Hurrican Katrina, I've seen a few people who refused to leave their dogs because they could not bring them along to a people shelter. I thought about it and asked my husband if he would leave our two cats to fend for themselves. My husband thought about it and said "If we had young children, we would have to go and leave the cats. Well we don't have young children so I would not abandon the cats." I agreed with him. Pets are like members of your family. I simply couldn't walk out the door and leave them. Any comments from other Freepers?
Did you ever take them to get blessed at the mass for animals, St. Francis' Feast Day? We have...
We've noticed over the years that our pets are sensitive to prayers...Tinker bows his head and lays down when we say grace, but Bebe barks her "quiet bark." And they both recognize the end of the prayers, when we cross ourselves and say amen, and perk right up, because they get a teeny bite of table food then.
When I say my morning prayers, Tink is right beside me. No treats then, he just likes the sound of me talking, I guess. But if I could love God with half the fidelity and patience that my dogs love me, I think I'd be a saint (which I'm not, by any means!). They're a wonderful example of devotion, good humor, faithfulness, and obedience.
I could not leave our dogs behind. They are major players around here..providing the love you spoke of, great humor and endless work! LOL
My 3rd youngest Lab and I had MANY Mexican stand offs during his training.
Had to meet him half way on some issues like loading up in the van he prefers using the WC lift and can't jump up or won't in the back end to get in his crate.
BUT he is the All Nite guard arond the perimeter of the house by choice and would not be a chicken like my other 2 older boys.
They each have their talents and stubborn habits for sure.
Most of all they all give good lovin and companionship!
I may be single for life when it comes to human men but I feel like the luckiest woman in the world with my canine male crew.
Three of us went blackberry picking yes the Labs pick and eat around the property and the stubborn one had to stay in the fenced in area around he house as he will not stay with me and run across the blind corner road to go swimmin in the Yaquina bay.
So he whined from behind the fence while the other 3 and I went berry pickin'
NO! Never leave them behind!
No way would I leave my Labrador Retrievers. They are FAMILY! Vitamin pills, Labs for exercise, and good food is what keeps me going!
I have assumed the responsibility to feed and protect my Labs. The Camo cat is family too.
Good Hunting... from Varmint Al
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It's my experience that dogs are different to women than to men. I'm totally serious. Some will try harder to dominate a woman, but I don't hit, and I don't get into power struggles with any animal.
But I have to agree with the above posters, a newborn baby takes everything a mom has, can't deal with neurotic cats too. After all, you're recovering physically and emotionally, bonding with the baby, your sleep schedule is disrupted, and you still have a household to run--cats that caused me that many problems would DEFINITELY have a new home, and if I had no other options, it would be the pound.
[Freepmail me to get on or off the Kitty Ping List.]
My first three children had 4 legs and fur. Almost 10 years later I had one with 2 legs & skin. My mother showed me how to care of pets as part of the family. That would be something to teach my daughter as well; hard to do if they were left behind. Of course I would stay with family and not at a shelter.
My first-born (dog) was also the last one to leave me about 2 years ago. When she made her last trip to the vet, a technician I had been talking to on the 'phone about her condition came in to see her. My German-Shorthaired Pointer/Lab mix was 1 month away from her 17th birthday. When she perked up for attention from the tech., put her head in her lap and wagged her tail, she commented that she had 10 yr. old dogs that didn't look that good. Then she said, "That's it, I'm coming back as a dog at your house."
Hard to get those comments unless you treat them as one of the family; the animals know!
The only thing that my boyz can't get over is when the surround sound DVD system has a barking dog in a movie.
They go on high alert.
And every time I say it's the movie guys.
Every time. LOL.
HHMMMMM.....interesting thread. I've read most of the posts up to this point.
Personally, I don't think anyone would know what they would do in some of the circumstances that people found themselves in NO.
If your stranded on a roof top and being rescued and told you can't bring the pet....what then...I'd think putting the animal down would be the humane thing.
Of course most pet owners would not leave their pets if there is time to get them out. That was not the case for alot of people.
Becky
Never! Especially since I traded my POS F-150 for my Jeep so that he could travel with me.
Then you should never have owned it in the first place and as everyone says here, where is the father, or the husband to take up animal husbandry
No. I would put a muzzle on my little cat, one of the most friendly, affectionate and loving cats you ever met. Then I would put him in my knapsack. My solution is an easy one.
Agree with you on the strict house rules and OTOH losta rewards for appropriate actions.
My two middle boyz didn't get to have access to other rooms in the house alone until now that they are over a year and a half old and are mature.
But I am LOL about the little snip you put in your post " I am guilty for letting the cat beat up on dog now and then" or something to that effect.
As I read all these animal threads tonight, he is sitting beside me giving me kisses.
I love my dogs. Always have--all the animals I've ever owned have taught me in one way or another, including the horses I've "broke" when I was younger. I think they have ESP. I used to fall asleep, planning my next move for tomorrow with the horse, and then it was like the horse knew what I wanted with very little prompting.
We've had all kinds of animals, big and little, feathered and furred, and the only ones that ever attacked me (or each other) were the geese, when I pulled their feathers. But geese are plain crazy, and will attack anything, often for no reason.
I was thinking the same thing. Another GOOD reason to get out of Dodge BEFORE the storm hits.
The Felonious Feline will never own a gun much to the delight of the local dog population.
ROFLOL!!!!! I know exactly what you mean--!
Bebe, the minipin, goes nuts at that, but Tink just ignores the barking. What gets HIM going is a siren, on TV or in the car on a trip.
Tinker sees the cats at his vet visits, and is very polite. They seem to like him...
I wouldn't leave my pets, no matter what they were, and I wouldn't leave my children. People don't seem to understand the word "DOMESTIC."
I have a DOMESTIC short-hair cat (DSH) but I have had DLH cats, as well a DSH and DLH dogs. I have had canaries, parakeets, cocktiels and tropical fish. I would NEVER have left any of them behind. I would have made provisions ahead of time to take them with me, just as I would have made provisions for my photos, my legal documents and my cell phone... oh yah...the latter of which, I would have made sure was fully charged and that I had a fully charged extra battery.
There is no excuse for not being prepared when one lives in a hurricane-prone area. Each person/child/pet in the household should have a backpack ready to go with water, food, T-paper, meds, etc., "JUST IN CASE" for a MINIMUM of three days.
DOMESTIC animals cannot survive in the wild because they don't know how to find food. That's why they are called DOMESTIC! DUH!
</ end of rant>
(Sorry SAA...I got kinda carried away for minute...)
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