Doesn’t Pass the Obvious Test
If you were a dog, where would you like to live? Outside, where you answer the call of nature as you please, sniff at anything that seems promising, chase a passing squirrel … or inside, where you may get more than your share of treats but have to ask when nature calls and generally be bored a lot?
The Animal Deciders have Decided that you’re not a fit pet owner if you think a few acres and a lot of wide open space are at least as good for dogs as being inside knocking over furniture and chewing shoes. The arrogance is stupendous.
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There is a reason the animal shelter has a dog in the first place, Anwyn. Possibly because someone treated it like a toy that he got tired of and passed on to the next kid?
Comment by nk — October 18, 2007 @ 2:37 pm
… which has nothing to do with the argument I just made.
I am not suggesting the shelter let whoever wants a pet take one. I am saying that “you’ll keep it outside” is not a good reason to reject somebody as a pet owner.
Comment by Anwyn — October 18, 2007 @ 2:55 pm
Sorry. I was responding more the link’s defense of Degeneres.
Comment by nk — October 18, 2007 @ 2:59 pm
Gotcha. Without knowing more about the family in question I couldn’t begin to opine on that. Ellen broke her contract and then expected to strong-arm the shelter people, which I don’t approve of at all. As to whether the dog would be better off with the hairdresser’s family or not, I have no idea. But I got a feeling dogs would be better off at Anne’s (Life Pundit) than in the shelter.
Comment by Anwyn — October 18, 2007 @ 3:03 pm
Well … Anne may be a little bit overwrought. I don’t know that you can traumatize a cat with anything less than a baseball bat. They’re conscienceless little monsters. ;)
Comment by nk — October 18, 2007 @ 3:20 pm
Her cat, her call.
Comment by Anwyn — October 18, 2007 @ 3:23 pm
More on the animal police (with a link to you) here: http://lifepundit.typepad.com/smellshorsey/2007/10/animal-police.html
Comment by Anne — October 24, 2007 @ 3:24 pm
I, personally, would like to live inside. I agree with rescues and shelters that have a no outdoors policy. You have to remember that there is a reason why those policies are in place. I foster for a boxer rescue in Wisconsin. In the past years we have rescued over 50 dogs that have been left outside, with little to no shelter, little food and water. Outside dogs are often not properly socialized.
While there are a few people that take excellent care of the outside dogs, there are even more that dont. I also feel that leaving just one dog outside by themselves, is cruel. Dogs crave attention and affection, they are pack animals…they want to be with there pack (humans/kids/other animals, etc.)
I agree that dogs should have plenty of access to the outdoors and be allowed to run and play…but either in a fenced area or on a long time. Too many things can go wrong too fast.
Just my two cents.
Comment by Beth — October 25, 2007 @ 6:34 am
I am all in favor of not giving animals to people who will abuse them, and I understand that the situations the shelters have seen tend to lead to these rules. But I think a blanket policy of assuming keeping animals outdoors will result in their abuse is rather a lazy way of doing things–i.e. they’re not checking out the family and the situation, they’re making an assumption based on a very lowest common denominator. It’s just sad.
Comment by Anwyn — October 25, 2007 @ 1:08 pm