So sad to hear this type of stories
I hope they give up on the idea of adopting and instead buy their kids a bicycle or something that doesn't feel. I always try to mind my business, but in cases like this, I just can't.
I recently talk to one of my cousins and very nicely, I talked him out of getting a puppy
He's one of those people that SHOULD NOT have a house plant, let alone a doggie.
Come to think about it, I've done it a few times. Not necessarily with the intention of talking them out of it, but more to make them aware of what they're doing and what is involved.
There was a young college student that wanted, IMO, a play thing for whenever she had free time, a distraction. I related to her my experience with my college work and I asked her, "would you be willing to get up at 2 a.m. the day of finals to find an emergency vet when your pup is sick? With all of your expenses, can you afford dog food, doctor bills, groomer, etc?" Long story short, she decided to wait until she had more time to give to a puppy
I met a couple at Petsmart a while ago. They had 4 boys and 1 girl ranging from about 3 years old to about 9. Petsmart holds 'Adoption days' and these family was there precisely to adopt a puppy, but the adoption people and the pups were running late so they were just killing time. The kids wanted to hold Nicky, but Nicky kept avoiding them
and hb kept trying to keep the kids away from Nini (Nini loves kids but daddy's overprotective).
We got to talking about how cute my babies were, blah, blah, blah. Finally the husband gathered the nerve to ask me some 'personal' questions. He asked me if I had adopted my babies from petsmart, I said no. So where? he asked and I told him. Then he asked how much had I paid to adopt them, I told him.
His and the wife's jaw dropped to the floor. Apparantly, they had come to the adoption expecting to walk away with a 'puppy', not an older dog, free to dirt cheap, and on the spot, no questions asked
Well...I put the fear of God in this people. I was very candid about the $$$$$ MONEY $$$$ issues with these beautiful "TOYS" we call our furbabies (sarcasm). I told them everything, from the amount of money I paid to adopt, to latest vet bill when Nicky had to be admitted to the hospital with pancrititis.
I told him about the insurance and what percentage would be covered if God forbid, one of my babies broke just one their legs. How they had to warn the children not to play rough or share their potato chips with them...and on, and on about what it means to adopt a 'toy breed.'
I could see that the husband was having second thoughts and that the kids were sensing it by the look in their eyes (I felt for them, they might not get their toy
). So the wife tried to do a bit of damage control and said that in her country, there's not that much of a fuss, dogs could be left outside, no need for vets, etc...I said not here, here the authorities will be called if the dog is neglected or maltreated, you'll be fined and or jailed, or both.
They walked out of Petsmart before the adoption tables were set up. My hb was mortified
I was being soooo rude, talking about our financial privacy with strangers, OMG, how could I, how dare I
I felt it was for a good cause, I don't regret it and I'll do it again. I explain to my hb that I felt that if these people did adopt a puppy, the puppy would be hurt by those kids or worse. I saw nothing but the desire to satisfy a kid's want for a new toy---no sympathy for a living thing, no affinity, nothing. This was a toy, simple as that. Finally, if the furbaby survived, he will end up in a shelter. I would bet on it, trust me.
I do a lot of advertising for Yorkie Talk, I tell everyone to come here and read, ask, research before they adopt. An informed person makes better decisions which will either make them better furbaby parents or make them rethink adopting. I believe that