don't complain

[t.pettet]

To all the idiots who have lost their pets, don't call me whining that your pet is missing, or you've found their dead bodies. If you are stupid enough to put your dog outside unleashed in an un-fenced yard - what do you expect??? or let an untrained dog off leash and he just took off, or your kids aren't responsible enough to close doors or gates behind them, or you let your cat roam., then nobody is to blame but your own irresponsible self. If you can't treat your pet with the same precautions you would a 2 yr. old child then don't own one. Just received info. that this dummies 2 german shepherds were hit and killed by a transport truck while they were out loose and chasing deer. She is SO UPSET. Poor stupid woman.

[BMDLuver]

I find this post to be rather offensive. There's one thing to be upset about something but another to take a shot at someone who is human and made a terrible error. Perhaps toning it down a bit would be in order?

[jesse's mommy]

I agree with BMD. It's definitely a little harsh. Mistakes happen and we all make them and we all learn from them. It's not just with pets, but mistakes happen with children as well. We are here to give support to those who made mistakes and help them learn.

[wdawson]

i have to agree that is a little harsh.....and we don't even know the full story(from the owners perspective)as to what happened.

[doggy lover]

I can understand you getting upset, as these things can be prevented. But accidents happen in life and it is sad that these pets are gone because of them, but what about all the abused animals they aren't accidents or the dogs that die at the hands of puppy millers. I have been lucky and never lost a dog, but I have one now that has a bad habbit of running away is let off leash. So I don't let him do it, if I walk him on my 16 acres he is on a long line, hopefully I will never have to go through what these people have. I think most sit after and say if only I......... But we don't have hind site.

[Writing4Fun]

I agree that's it's a little harsh. By the same token, there are "accidents" and then there are "accidents that are waiting to happen." You can't blame people when children forget to shut a gate (happens to my sister on occasion, since she shares a yard with her neighbour who babysits, so there are any number of kids running in and out of the yard at any given time) or when a cat sneaks out (they are very good at that, after all ). But, yeah, it must be tiring when you keep hearing the same old stories time and time again.

[Prin]

It might get tiring, but you can't assume these people don't love their pets and don't care what happens. A lot of the time, they just don't know better. Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

[Writing4Fun]

Well, let me tell you a little story. On another (non pet related) board I frequent, a woman was gushing over her new puppy. After a couple of weeks, there's suddenly a post from her saying she's lost her puppy - he ran away - and so she now needs help finding a new one. So I very helpfully posted that she should check with all the local shelters & rescue groups, talk to local vets, put up posters, etc... A few days later, she posted back that she found him at a local shelter (of all places! imagine that!) and thanks very much for my suggestions. She may very well have been missing her puppy, much in the same way she would miss her car if it had been stolen. I'm sure most of these people genuinely do love their pets and mourn their loss, and for that I'm terribly sorry. It's a pain I wouldn't wish on anyone. The ones I'm referring to are the ones who treat pets like property and will "trade up" whenever it tickles their fancy.

[BernerLver]

Instead of being so judgemental and critical why not try to educate people like this on the dangers of letting their dogs run loose?

It would certainly be more productive than bashing people who I imagine are already feeling terrible over the loss of their pet(s).

[Frenchy]

I'm with bernerlver ; some people may sound stupid,sometimes they are,most of them just don't know any better because people insult them instead of explaining things to them.I don't want to sound harsh,but really,some people are just not inform,doesn't mean they're idiots.

[Writing4Fun]

Sorry folks. Just trying to play devil's advocate here. I agree that education is key - that's why I was very nice and non-judgemental when responding to that woman (but I know I can vent here ).

But, in defence of the OP, we all have days when we've heard enough and need to vent a little. That's what I'm thinking this post was intended to be. I don't think he/she meant that we should all ignore/berate these people when they come looking for sympathy.

[Prin]

Yeah, that's like me calling Iams feeders idiots. They're not. They either don't know better (yet) or they don't think they have the means to feed better. It's better not to judge right off the bat.

But I do get frustrated sometimes, but we all have to learn to "let it go" and move on.

[Lucky Rescue]

j.pettet, I understand your frustration. There are many pets who die through negligence and very preventable accidents. There are people who habitually let dogs and cats run free, leave dogs outside all night, don't use a leash when walking etc etc.

But there are situations where a pet can be hurt or lost in the blink of an eye in a purely accidental way, and the owners are devastated. These people feel badly enough and have plenty of guilt without someone rubbing it in. Sometimes it's just not possible to foresee every single possibility and guard against it.

[catsnatcher-CDN]

t.pettet,
I understand your reaction was a spontaneous and frustrated one. The first time I found a lost dog, I was out of mind that he wasn't wearing a tag and that the owners hadn't turned the world UPSIDE looking for him.

But after that initial reaction, (and then a second and third lost dog finding their way to my doorstep), I realize it's sometimes very hard to always be so alert to predict our babies' next move. I realized this only after the dogs I found were claimed by their owners.

[joeysmama]

I just have to say something about being informed. I appreciate the fact that people here are so willing to share their knowledge. I was very uninformed when we had Joey and I really DID think that feeding him IAMS was a good choice. And I thought that he couldn't learn because he had been abused.

And most tragically I thought that it would be cruel to have him pts so we allowed him to suffer longer than he needed to. I can't even think about it without crying. It took a team of caring vets to convince me.

But I did love him greatly and did what I thought was best for him. Spoiled him and loved him but didn't always know the best way to care for him.

But since I've found this site I have learned so much. Everyone here is so generous with their knowledge. We are in puppy classes, we are eating well. I was always a little safety conscious about leashes and such but now I know that learning basic commands is a safety issue. It makes so much sense, but to someone who wasn't raised with animals those are the kinds of things you aren't born knowing.

So thanks to everyone here. Keep on educating !!!!!!!

[Prin]

What a great positive reply, joeysmama.
No matter how much we learn, we still don't know the half of it.

[t.pettet]

Hey guys, this was definitely a RANT and perhaps did sound a little harsh but I refuse to give any sympathy to people who don't cherish their pets as though they were fur children. The woman whose german shepherds were killed has had her 2, 9 month old dogs (brothers) since they were 8 wks. old. She never thought they'd take off to chase a deer!!!!! They had been complained about for being off her property by a couple of her neighbours but had done nothing to secure them. The fact that they hadn't even reached the age of 1 and while one died instantly at the scene the other died in the trucker's arms who by the way said he was devastated and did everything possible to avoid hitting them. Putting your pets outside loose and expecting them to stay around unsupervised is insane as in the case of Punky. Where do these owners get-off - would any of you put a little kid out in an unfenced yard alone? I agree that accidents do happen but is that the only way negligent owners ever learn? Are they deaf, dumb and blind to the fact that pets are picked up for re-sale, the reward money, selling to labs, reproduction purposes or to be used as bait. What happens to parents of kids that are found wandering, its head-line news, CAS gets involved and it usually ends up in court. I repeat again that if you can't, don't or won't treat your pets as you would a small child and offer them all the same protection and love then you shouldn't have pets. Considering the life-span of cats/dogs is 20 yrs. max and we're lucky if they don't die from their inherited genetics or viruses I can't comprehend extending the average owner's broad arena for mistakes. My deepest sympathy goes out to anyone who suffers a loss of their pet due to old age or incurable illness but not for those who allow preventable "mistakes".

[Frenchy]

t.pettet,yes it was a little harsh.But I do understand what you meant and I do wish this ; some people should take more care of their pets.You can't expect pets to run loose without any accident happen to them.I know my dogs are secured in my fenced yard.Wouldn't have it any other way!And when I used to have cats,they were indoors 24/7.

[Luvmypit]

I agree with T pettet and then I agree with others.

I told my sister not to buy from a pet store b/c it supports puppy mills. I told her that they will tell her that they get the dog from a reputable breeder no matter what. She bought a pug anyways. 6 months later he was dead.
She knew better.
So in this case as T pettet described its a case of the owners knowing better. It was a rant.

I also agree that if know better you will do better but as far as I can see if you know better and you don't do better then as T pettet said... Don't complain

[LianneCatherine]

Originally Posted by Prin

Yeah, that's like me calling Iams feeders idiots. They're not. They either don't know better (yet) or they don't think they have the means to feed better. It's better not to judge right off the bat.

But I do get frustrated sometimes, but we all have to learn to "let it go" and move on.

Please explain what you mean about "Iams feeders idiots." I'm lost.

[Prin]

Iams is not a good food. When you research dog food in depth, you'll find that it's full of by-products and cost saving fillers that don't benefit the dog at all, but boost the protein numbers and make the food appear good. Ingredients like corn. Dogs don't digest corn. There's some protein in corn so that raises the crude protein content of the food, but since it's not digested, it's useless protein. On top of that, Procter and Gamble, the company who makes Iams, tests most if not all their products on animals.

If you lurk around the dog food forum here, you'll see what we mean by "good food". Personally, I feed Solid Gold Wolf King: Wolf King. Check out the ingredients and compare them to Iams. They're in two different leagues.

But for the "idiots" part, I was saying that even though I don't like Iams and I think it's not a good food, I understand that people have very strong budget constraints and have no choice but to feed that. As long as they know what they are feeding, it's their choice. Frankly though, if budget is a concern, I'd feed Kirkland's Lamb and rice formula (the Costco house brand). It's about the same price as Iams but better quality (though still not the best).

[ZebbyZeb]

I guess I don't understand why there is such a need to resort to name calling. If your knowledge base is greater than those you talk do, don't you think it would be better to educate them in a non-condescending manner? It seems to me that discussions that are civil tend to teach a person more than insulting ones do. Most people are less likely to take your advice seriously when attached to a nasty attitude.

[CyberKitten]

I have to join the chorus of being totally frustrated when a =n animal dies needlessly - like the pet who was chained and was attacked w=by a larger dog. What were they thinking?

Still, I really think we can discuss this without resorting to being nasty, name calling or sarcasm. It never helps! Education and suppot does!

[Writing4Fun]

There is no need to resort to name calling. No one was named in the original post. It's just a matter of someone letting off a little steam in an area where they thought it would be safe to do so.

I have to admit that the members of this board have come a long way in their reactions to those types of posts. I remember a time (not too long ago) when someone would have posted about - say, for example - about a pregnant cat who has started bleeding profusely. Back in the "old days," they would have had their heads figuratively ripped off and mounted on a pike as an example to others contemplating asking the same question. I think everyone has been doing a very admirable job of trying to remain calm and educating the uneducated. The mods are also doing a great job of heading off a problem before it escalates.

And, on the rare occasion that someone comes on asking for advice, is told what to do in very polite terms, and then the op comes back to tell us we're all fruitcakes and "it's just a freakin dog/cat!" ... well, then I'd say that's pretty much the cry for "Open Season on Trolls" don't you think?

[ZebbyZeb]

No one said it wasn't safe to let off steam. We all need to do it now and then. What I am talking about has nothing to do with accidents or even "accidents waiting to happen", but rather opinions about pet care...feeding, exercise, medical, etc. I find most people on this board genuinely care and love their pets, but insinuating that someone does not, simply because they do not feel or think or do the things you do is condescending and insulting. Most people do the absolute best they can and when they ask for advice and guidance, a sarcastic, belittling remark is unproductive and downright mean. I guess in my own way...I am venting. I am more likely accepting of someone's views who speaks to me as an equal not an inferior. I guess we should all learn something from our pets....they are never judgemental or critical.

[Writing4Fun]

Originally Posted by ZebbyZeb

I find most people on this board genuinely care and love their pets, but insinuating that someone does not, simply because they do not feel or think or do the things you do is condescending and insulting. Most people do the absolute best they can and when they ask for advice and guidance, a sarcastic, belittling remark is unproductive and downright mean.

Oh, see, I guess I haven't seen a post like that in a while. Like I said, I've seen a vast improvement lately in the way people conduct themselves on this board. Lately, insults have only flown when the OP instigates it (generally speaking ).

[jawert1]

Agreed W4F, I haven't seen anything rude or inflammatory in quite some time, and generally only in response to the OP initiating the conduct. As for personal opinions, I think most of us feel very strongly for our pets, we come here to learn and grow as owners and companions. To varying degrees, we all have our moments where we're ready to do battle for what we believe, and in that spirit, one must remove personal feelings when reading a post. Remember, the written word, be it email, instant message or post, may not have been written with the same tone a person READS it with. If one takes offence, it is one's prerogative to do so, however, it may not have been meant with the same force and feeling one projects upon the statement. Just my 2 cents, but working for a company where the only communications we really use are via email and IM, I've made the unfortunate mistake of unwittingly taking out my bad day on someone who sent an email that truly meant nothing and had no tone, but I took it as such.

[ZebbyZeb]

Originally Posted by Writing4Fun

Oh, see, I guess I haven't seen a post like that in a while. Like I said, I've seen a vast improvement lately in the way people conduct themselves on this board. Lately, insults have only flown when the OP instigates it (generally speaking ).

What does that mean? (generally speaking????) Did you actually READ what I wrote???? I just can't abide anyone talking DOWN to me or anyone else!
I'll say it again....we need to learn a little from our furbabies...You have your opinion (and I may not agree) but I'll treat and feed my dogs what I think is best...no matter what you or anyone else thinks!!!!! (Unless you can otherwise convince me in an intelligent and civil manner!). I refuse to let anyone think or feel better than me!! My babies are loved more than some children are. SORRY!!!!!

[happycats]

okay, lets just take a deep breath.........*in through the nose, out through the mouth*.....Everyone here has a rght to their opinion, but should be respectfull in stating it.
If some are of a diffirent opinion, why not agree to disagree??

As for OP, I think this was a "totally frustrated post" as for being a bad person for having a missing pet, I have indoor cats, and have had them escape on more then one occasion, does that make me a bad person? I would hate to think that I would be considered a bad pet owner. some things happen beyond our control, and we shouldn't be judged by it!!! THere are posters who have come here posting missing pets, and have found their pets dead, so I am sure reading this post must have added to their already broken heart!

[Writing4Fun]

Originally Posted by ZebbyZeb

What does that mean? (generally speaking????) Did you actually READ what I wrote???? I just can't abide anyone talking DOWN to me or anyone else!

Whoa! Easy there, Zebby! I wasn't directing that at you. You are not the OP here, first of all, and second of all, "generally speaking" meant just that. Generally, people have been very civil and only retaliate when the OP gets nasty. I had to put "generally" in there because it isn't the case 100% of the time, but enough so that I don't see it as a problem anymore (or at least, the problem it used to be). Again, you are not the person in question here. I was tring to make the point that it really hasn't been that bad lately, in my opinion. That's all. Nothing more sinister or condescending or insulting than that. Really. Honest. Cool?