No way! My pup is part of my family
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?
No way! My pup is part of my family
Thank God we have a van, because I don't think I could leave her behind if we had to evacuate.
After our first son was born, I helped Cheyenne (see profile) into her role as Big Sister. When I was nursing, she sat beside me. Diaper duty? Right beside me. There was never any need to be less affectionate toward my pooch. She really acts like Big Sister to the kids. Never lets a stranger come between her and the boys. Enforces the rules when I'm busy. If the boys run in the house while I'm busy, she chases them down and nips their tushes until they stop.
Some people were just never meant to be pet owners. Not even goldfish.
It would break my heart to leave my dog. She would go with me. I can pick her up and carry her. If need be, I could drape her around my neck.
On the subject of PETA. It's longhand version sounds, so, so, benign. Who isn't for the ethical treatment of animals, afterall? (Okay, I know, there's a few exceptions here in the FReeper crowd-- please don't feel the need to publically identify yourselves here :-) ...).
What many do not realize, however, is that not all animal rights groups out there are only opposed to testing, research or inhumane treatment of animals. There are some (i.e. PETA) that believe that pet ownership is a form of _animal abuse_ and that people should not interact or interfere with animals in any way.
PETA activists are ones who write threats on dog show premiums, and who feel it is more humane for a dog to be poisoned than it is for the dog to be shown in obedience or agility or... Or even to be living in a home as a family pet.
You see, they view being a pet as demeaning to the animal. PETA activists have actually gone to dog shows and let dogs out of their crates. Their view is that they are freeing the animal, saving it from some horrible fate.
They have released minks from mink farms. Minks that then went out and starved or got themselves otherwise killed. You know, freeing them. They view milking cows as cruel and inumane. (And if anybody knows anything about cows, it would be that NOT millking them would be cruel and inhumane!)
Some were really puzzled this year about why some PETA activists had been caught having killed animals that they had taken from shelters under the guise of trying to re-home them. To me, it fit right in with their mission. To them, death is preferable for the animals than their being adopted as pets.
aren't big dogs great?!?
My parents have a 180lb Newfie. He takes up a lot of space, but he is a great dog.
I have a dog and a cat. I could not leave them behind.
HELL NO.
If they don't come with me, I'm not leaving.
Period.
Cheyenne is beautiful...I think the female dogs DO take an active role nurturing, I know our little minipin Bebe did with Tinker, size didn't make a difference.
Some dogs are just treasures of the heart, they fit themselves into a family and seamlessly add a dimension to living that is literally priceless.
OK,
My answer is easy....
I'm never evacuating again. I've got gas for cooking, a source of water etc. Mostly cuz I don't wanna leave my critters.
Partially because I just won't do it again.
So no, I'm not leaving them.
We did everything we could in those two months to treat them with the same affection and attention as we had in the past. They refused to accept my son as part of the household, despite following all the "cat" advice from neighbors and friends, including sleeping on his unused blankets and such so that he would carry my scent, "introducing" them to him and his environment, etc.
First they destroyed my house and furniture, which we tolerated because everyone assured me it would pass, and then they started to destroy his things, which I would not tolerate.
Hmmm...tough choice. Cats, or my beloved child?
I'll proudly wear the "cruel" label and choose my children EVERYTIME.
LOL, Newfies are terrific dogs! My SIL has ALWAYS owned at least one of them, they can be great comedians, all with those big sad eyes. ;-D
Her daughter, my niece, was bitten on the face by a stray in the neighborhood, and had to have a lot of stitches when she was about 11. Later, part of her recovery and therapy was having a big gentle dog raised by her from a pup, to help her get over her fears of dogs, and a Newfie was the breed they chose. As a side note, all without any training because it is bred into them, her Newfie was her protector from then on.
ohh yeah, whenever my brother or I had either one of our wives over when we were dating or ever now, he is very protective of them.
He is also rather protective of the neighborhood yappers too. There was this Great Dane that would come across my parent's yard to the neighbors and he would start to kick the crap out of the Beagle there.
One day Duke happened to be outside when the Dane attempted to cross. They kinda nosed each other for a minute and then Duke had the Dane by his neck. We never say that Great Dane again :)
the wife and I have 2 Huskies and they are our "girls". Especially Princess. My wife picked her up at a rescue when I was in Iraq. The 2 of them are inseparable, which is kinda odd for a Husky in the first place.
LIfe is seldom an either / or. Of course the safety of your kids come first That said, planning is the key. 4 months ago was the time to decide what to do if you live on the Gulf Coast.
No. We take care of each other.
My last dog, a GS, saved my life when a druggie broke into my apartment while I was sleeping and my guy chased him out with a butcher knife in his hand.
In NYC a day after 9/11, they let people back into their apartments to get their pets.
Ahhh,
My Uncle had a newfie that he adored.
He would say "Moose, you worry too much!" and the dog literally look up at him, look sadder and sigh.
It was so funny.
If we had to evacuate, we sure as heck wouldn't wait until the last second (assuming there were warnings before). Therefore, we'd take the dogs with us, and the cat as well. I've often thought it would be nice living on the coast, but I'm not fond of hurricanes. A forest fire might be a problem, but we're not in a hurricane nor tornado prone area.
We've got a network of dog owning friends in various parts of the country, and we'd head for a safe area, where the dogs wouldn't be turned away.
Our friends with beasts have a place here, if need be.
But, that said, if it was my daughter's life or one of the dogs, I'd take the kid without missing a beat. Then, I'd mourn the dog like crazy for the rest of my life.
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