You can't keep your pet?? Really?

I used to have a Dalmatian. She was an awesome dog. Here is my current pooch. I could never take her to a shelter or get rid of her. I love her just like one of the kids.
2010-12-25_11-18-34_727.jpg
 
ok- i got sumthin in my eye...
my princess came from the shelter where i used to do some work...
left cause i couldn't take it anymore- its just like the letter said!
and to think that other puppies that are just as smart/pretty/loveable/whatever as mine are put down every day just breaks my heart...i need to go home and cuddle with my fluffy one now...

Galadriel.jpg
 
I realize that the narrative was made to evoke a response, but the shock factor is a little overdone. Are the local shelters terrible places?? Yes, I hate going to them and seeing how animals are treated.

BUT, the line about the "pink burning fluid" and the thrashing and gasping, along with not having a vet to "tranquilize" the animal are incorrect.

The "pink fluid" IS A POTENT ANESTHETIC! It does not "burn" the animal, and sometimes there are involuntary muscle tremors and twitching that appear to be breaths. Not the trashing death throes described in the article and gasping for air..... The reason they may defecate or urinate is for the same reasons that a human does, because the muscles relax and can no longer control these functions!
 
I realize that the narrative was made to evoke a response, but the shock factor is a little overdone. Are the local shelters terrible places?? Yes, I hate going to them and seeing how animals are treated.

BUT, the line about the "pink burning fluid" and the thrashing and gasping, along with not having a vet to "tranquilize" the animal are incorrect.

The "pink fluid" IS A POTENT ANESTHETIC! It does not "burn" the animal, and sometimes there are involuntary muscle tremors and twitching that appear to be breaths. Not the trashing death throes described in the article and gasping for air..... The reason they may defecate or urinate is for the same reasons that a human does, because the muscles relax and can no longer control these functions!

Yet, the most shocking factor of all is that there is only one small passage that even merits debate. :(

I don't know what the pink stuff is. I do know that there are cases all over the country of people and businesses that are perfectly willing to completely disregard the welfare and "humanity" in the treatment of animals in favor of profit/cost cutting or because "it's my job" and the article reflects the overall issue with all animal welfare issues: People avoid seeing, most time altogether, and rationalize a fantasy that all is well, a stark contrast to the reality of virtuallly all profit based animal businesses.

Ironically, studies indicate that an overwhelming majority of people are in favor of the humane treatment of all animals, yet only a tiny percentage of the population is active in working to support that goal, most folks not even aware of the attrocities that animals face every day at the hands of humans.

The bottom line point of this particular writing is that the irresponsible, short sighted behavior of people is directly responsible for creating the shelter situation as it is today. Every time an pet owner opts to not spay or newter their pets, situation is worsened just as it is when an animal is purchased from a pet store or puppy mill. Every owner that sees their pet as nothing more than family entertainment to be discarded or replaced at whim worsens the situation. Every owner that thinks so little of an animal as to discard it for financial or convenience reasons worsens the situation.

Consider if folks did the same with their children? They'd save a LOT more over the same period of time (kids are WAY more expensive than dogs), existing children would likely be on their BEST behavior, so as to avoid the shelters, and parents could have a lot more "fun" making new children to replace the previous ones they were so fortunately able to discard when they stopped being cute, entertaining, inexpensive or covenient.
 
Unfortunately, I agree with most of the rest of the post.

My wife is a Certified Vet Tech (basically an animal nurse) so I hear all the horror stories about people who get animals that cannot afford them, buy from pet stores and puppy mills and get sick animals, and then there are the people who "rescue" animals that want them taken care of, but have no money to pay for the surgeries, etc the animal needs......

Our animals are part of our family, and I cried like a little kid when they had to euthanize the cat that belonged to my wife when we met. He became "my" cat, and he was my little buddy until that day came...... I love animals more than anyone, but I hate articles written for shock value.......
 
I am a dog lover that that is really messed up. I gave up a dog thinking i was doing the right thing after reading that i made a grave mistake
 
I realize that the narrative was made to evoke a response, but the shock factor is a little overdone. Are the local shelters terrible places?? Yes, I hate going to them and seeing how animals are treated.

BUT, the line about the "pink burning fluid" and the thrashing and gasping, along with not having a vet to "tranquilize" the animal are incorrect.

The "pink fluid" IS A POTENT ANESTHETIC! It does not "burn" the animal, and sometimes there are involuntary muscle tremors and twitching that appear to be breaths. Not the trashing death throes described in the article and gasping for air..... The reason they may defecate or urinate is for the same reasons that a human does, because the muscles relax and can no longer control these functions!

Do you know what the name of the anesthetic is? Are you sure that a vet is not required - is this state regulated or federal?

Many intravenous medications do burn, even some anesthetics, thankfully the periamnesia effect of anesthetizing medications prevents you from remembering this.

Agonal respirations are common near death and may very well be present for quite some time depending on how this drug works. Again, do you know what this drug is?

If no vet is required, then who the hell knows what they are giving (I highly doubt anesthetics are cheap). Again, unless you KNOW what they are giving, they could be giving straight potassium, which could easily reproduce the symptoms described. Pain at injection site (Potassium is commonly described as "burning like a mother.."), cardiac arrest which can lead to agonal respirations, seizure-like activity, etc. etc.

Definite tear jerker, sad to read this stuff.
 
Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.
--Albert Schweitzer

And realize that we all, in small ways, have the opportunity daily to make choices that increase or decrease the suffering of animals. - Melodic
 
Unfortunately, I agree with most of the rest of the post.

My wife is a Certified Vet Tech (basically an animal nurse) so I hear all the horror stories about people who get animals that cannot afford them, buy from pet stores and puppy mills and get sick animals, and then there are the people who "rescue" animals that want them taken care of, but have no money to pay for the surgeries, etc the animal needs......

Our animals are part of our family, and I cried like a little kid when they had to euthanize the cat that belonged to my wife when we met. He became "my" cat, and he was my little buddy until that day came...... I love animals more than anyone, but I hate articles written for shock value.......

Condolonces on your loss.

Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened.
-- Mark Twain



Regarding the shock value of the article, I would prefer less shock value. However, most, if not all, successful animal welfare campaigns use shock because the average person is so completely unaware of the reality of how animals are treated. When presenting the truth to folks, their first response is very often that of actual disbelief, as in they truly do not believe that these abuses occur with any significant regularity.

PETA, the shock king of them all, has always used shock value in much of their marketing on animal welfare issues. When asked why they "resort" to such tactics, their answer is simple. While they do much more than create shocking marketing to generate awareness and support for animal welfare, most of it receives very little attention compared to the shock value stuff. So it's the audience, not the presenter, that pretty much guarantees that shock value will continue to be utilised. It's effective in getting the word out. If something is effective, it makes sense to continue to use it, so long as truth is maintained. Much of the shock value used, is simply truth that we are generally uncomfortable with. For example:

Ringling Bros Circus is marketed as fun family entertainment for all ages. Yet here is how they treat the animals that they market as happy performers:

Ringling's Baby Elephants Tied Up and Electro-Shocked by Trainers | RinglingBeatsAnimals.com

They abuse the hell outta these animals so that they can used to make entertainment money. Abuse for money. That's all it. Yet for most of us, myself included, it would have never occurred to me that circus animals were abused unless the information were presented to me. With this information, we have to face the fact that buying a ticket to the circus is the same as paying Ringling to abuse their animals. If nobody buys those tickets, the abuse stops and no new animals are brought in to live the same horrid existence.

Apologies for the straying, but my point is, the shock value works. When I first learned about these things I was shocked. That made me think about what I was seeing/learning and that led me to consider my role in all of it and that led me to make choices consistent with my philosophy rather than just blindly doing what the dollars would have you do without thought or awareness.
 
Sad thing is, I could write something equally grim about the nursing homes in this country - they are on par if not worse. Why worse you say? Because we keep these poor people alive..... for years... and years....

Euthanasia seems to be a touchy topic in this country, but that's a whole 'nother can of worms and would require a whole nother thread. We already spawned one gremlin from this thread, so I shant.

To quote Einstein on this topic:

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. "

and Voltaire:

"As long as people believe in absurdities they will continue to commit atrocities."
 
Back
Top