temporary storage of article

[dg]

Feel free to ignore this. I was ready to print a reply at the ASPCA website when the site went down for maintenance. Since I did have the foresight (ie luck) of saving it, I am putting it here until I next turn on my computer, copy and post it appropriately. At our current level of activity, I doubt if any will even notice it before I remove it. HE HE HE

Threads like this convince me more and more that there should be required "hands on" study courses one should have to take and pass (with licenses issued) before obtaining and caring for animals. After that, each acquisition should have to be approved with sign offs from the town of residence and all local SPCA sites -- such that dumpers and/or abusers have no chance at ever obtaining another animal. And unless said owners are also trained and registered as qualified breeders, all animals acquired as pets should be neutered prior to transfer to the forever owners.

If we are ever going to get a handle on this problem, we have to begin attacking the problem at its source. The breeders and owners are the source of the problems. They need to be better educated and better controlled. State legislation needs to be enacted to make this happen. It needs to be more difficult for people to purchase pets. We need to stop thinking of pets as property anyone has a right to own and deal with however is convenient; and we need to start thinking of pets as living beings with an ethical right to quality of life treatment. The question shouldn't be whether the pet is suitable for the owner(s), but rather, are the owners suitable for the pet. Any basic care not suitable for a child is not suitable for a pet either.

[ira85]

When I saw DG's post above was a reply to the ASPCA, I thought someone at the ASPCA must have seen my stock picks in the horse race and was claiming cruelty to animals. I can assure no horses were injured by my lame picks.

On a more serious note, I support your position DG.

[dg]

ira:

Thanks. I really wasn't expecting anyone to notice it and respond. Approximately 9 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year by animal controls and SPCAs. These organizations haven't the funds to save these animals and count on adoptions and rescue organizations to save the rest.

Since the post was responded to, I'll leave it up.

[blyghme]

If you want to know what kind of person someone is, see how he/she trests animals.

Blygh

[dg]

blyghme:

Amen to that! I read recently at the ASPCA website that a 17 year old girl put a "friend's" kitten in a hot oven, then left while the kitten screamed itself to death. I also read of a fireman who prior to going on vacation strung up the two dogs and shot them to death -- even though he had friends that were willing to look after them for the 2 weeks they would be gone. I read of a gang of hoodlums that shot to death a returned soldier's therapy dog (and several other dogs of the neighborhood) for kicks. And I even read of a soldier stationed in IRAQ that took the troop's adopted pup and threw it over a cliff to it's death.

Add to that the many many reports of police shooting non-agressive dogs (sometimes restrained in the owner's yard and sometime even in the owner's home) -- often despite pleas that the dogs were not agressive. (one such dog was a small daschund pup -- ooh! how terrifying!) And even SPCA shelters "euthanize" over 9 million animals (most healthy) each year just to keep facilities clear for more animals that will be brought in homeless or abused -- due to an irresponsible public that won't help control the animal population and/or won't treat their animals properly.

Based on cases like this, I really have to wonder what kind of people americans are. I once thought that we were the shining light on top of the hill. Anymore, I'm starting to believe that a lot of us are just rats at the dump.