Do Americans love pets too much?

YahooNews ^ | Thu May 31 | Gary Bauer,

[Daffynition]

Here's a sad story with a bizarre twist: Last year, a 6-year-old girl was accidentally strangled to death by her family pet, a golden retriever. Such animals are usually euthanized, but in this case, the dog was treated to an all-expenses paid trip to an animal center in California.

[Fawn]

While animals make great companions, offer health benefits, and can be a source of endearing affection

.....and people?

[Fawn]

LOL.....

[brytlea]

Yeah, but my dogs don’t take off work and fly into town to drive me 1000 miles (because I don’t fly) so I can get to where my husband is sitting with his dying father.
susie

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

The more people I meet, the more I love my cats.

[Fawn]

One day while downstairs, I was calling my cat....and calling and calling. Then I hear a thump...thump.....coming down the stairs. She had both handles of a shopping plastic bag around her neck....with the bag like a balloon following her. I realized then that even plastic bags could be dangerous to pets.

[tet68]

I don’t have pets, I have canine relatives.

[gcruse]

’ The problem here is that the people involved should have exhibited the responsibility and common sense to NOT put their hand into the cage. Dumb animals don’t know any better.”

Au contraire. Dumb animals are less likely to go around sticking their paws into cages because they know better.

[gcruse]

“I’ve seen people driving their cars with a dog on their lap.’

Depends on how big the dog is. I’ve driven with my miniature dachsund on my lap many, many times.

[NRA2BFree]

I*m guilty. I think of my kitties as my babies. Just look at these faces. How could anyone not love them? ;o)

This is Mr. Bubbles. He*s got one blue eye and one green eye!

This is Molly McGuire. Doesn*t she look guilty? LOL

[OldPossum]

I became a dog owner kind of late in life and I found that I thoroughly enjoy my two dogs. And I really don't care whether Mr. Bauer is distraught by my preferring them to most humans, including the humans that I did not beget. Too bad if people like me distress him; not everyone thinks alike.

It's been my experience that most parents sooner or later are dumped on (synonym for a more descriptive term) by their progeny. So, I missed that experience.

There are other benefits: since I had no children to put through college and to funnel money to for other reasons, I was able to retire over 10 years ago.

[Muzzle_em]

That is one ugly mother fu(hush your mouth)

[pepperdog]

Yes, the accidental strangulation caught my attention too. I believe it was probably a horrible accident, not aggression by the animal. So it is entirely plausible and understandable (except by some idiots) that the parents wouldn’t want to kill the animal.

Some idiot wrote the article.

[beckysueb]

I have eight children and one cat, but we spend about $5 a month on cat food,

You are getting by cheap! I have 2 cats and spend about $12 a week to feed them. They won't even look at anything but canned Fancy Feast.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Golden Retrievers do not have opposable thumbs. Exactly how did this dog “strangle” the child? Did the child get caught in the leash? Is that the dog’s fault, or is that the fault of a negligent parent?

[beckysueb]

Of all those presidential dogs, I’d have to say Clinton had the best one. You just can’t beat a chocolate Lab. Wonderful dogs.

[beckysueb]

Oh how beautiful!

[afraidfortherepublic]

The child in question had a winter scarf tied the new way.... like a loop around the neck...

That's how Hillary ties her scarves -- the parents must be liberals! (Sorry, that was not nice of me, but REALLY!)

[beckysueb]

I have 2 cats. A Siamese mix named Smokey; the sweetest cat in the world and a Tabby Manx named Bob; the onriest cat in the world.

[Mr. Jeeves]

“When one loves animals and children too much, one loves them against human beings.” — Jean Paul Sartre

[Old_Mil]

Last year, a 6-year-old girl was accidentally strangled to death by her family pet, a golden retriever. Such animals are usually euthanized, but in this case, the dog was treated to an all-expenses paid trip to an animal center in California. Why did the parents show so much mercy for the animal that killed their daughter?

This article begins with a lie. As the article says, the girl was accidentally strangled by the golden. This wasn't a case in which the dog chose to attack the girl, it was an accident. As such, the fault lies not with the dog but with the parents who allowed a situation to develop. The dog should no more be put down than a human would be for involuntary manslaughter.