Re: "poor" people owning dogs

[KarenMember]

Schooner – I agree, those on the lower fringes of income sometimes need the companionship of a pet more than others, for mental health reasons. That has been documented by many medical and mental health studies. And the Org I volunteer with helps seniors and others when the need arises, if WE have the funds. Bergen, my condolences on having to euthanize your Mastiff. I agree 100%, there is a time when it is a quality of life issue. I could have allowed my 18 yr old blind cat to get lost multiple times a day – in his OWN BASKET – the fear and panic in his yowls when that happened was heartbreaking. I discussed it with my vet, ‘what is it like for him, to ‘be lost’ hourly?’ As his friend, I could not put him through that. I do not treat my pets as ‘children’. They aren’t. They are pets, they think like cats and dogs. I talk ‘baby talk’ to them, my dog and I dance, but they are not ‘just like people’. For Bergen – ‘who decides what is adequate care’? Your local animal control and municipality. And I thank God they do. I help draft a few ordinances. Because a certain segment of our society refuse to take responsibility for their pets and their children (at times). Unfortunate, but it happens. If everyone was a responsible pet owner, there wouldn’t be hundreds of thousands of animals put to death because there are not enough homes for them. If a cat is spayed/neutered, vaccinated, fed a consistent diet and kept INDOORS, they live lone healthy lives.