People see "really cool" dogs on tv and think that it just happens. A dog that obeys,does tricks and is house trained takes alot of work. It takes everyday kind of work,it doesn't just "poof" happen,it isn't because they started out as a great dog. Its because they feel like they belong to a pack and are loved and therefore want to please.
We live in such a microwave/instant gratification society. Everything is disposible,it is very sad because there isn't saving up for and working for the things that you want,there is a lack of value. It broke so I will just get another one tomarrow.

That is so sad....I could NEVER let one of my babies go. I just dont get how people can be so heartless.....

Unfortunately, pets are seen as disposable commodities that are easily replaced when the mood strikes. Puppies are cute; an older dog with behavioral problems or expensive health needs...not so much.

It really doesn't say anything good about us as a society.

Responsibility
 

People should consider the responsibility before they get the pets. They are not toys that you can put on the shelf after you are finished playing. I have 4 dogs and a cat(who does not realized that he is not supposed to like dogs) and they are all my children. I have a Lab mix, a minature schnauzer, and two yorkies. I do not know what I would have done without them since my wife died.
Our home is filled with love from them and from me to them.

I don't think I could ever take an animal to a shelter. It just breaks my heart to even think about that life (what little they have left). I would be so mad at the family member that took a furbaby to a shelter..oohhh what a piece of my mind they would get...Yep, I get a little hot when it comes to animals and children and the elderly!!!
I love my baies so mucha nd won't even let anyone raise their voice at them!!!

I have a few family member sthat are heartless and clueless too. It just breaks my heart!!!!

Dog not going to shelter is why I have my mother's pom. She is sweet and quite the princess. Noone else in the family would take her and between me and my brothers,I am the only one that even has pets. She has been with us for 2 1/2 years and is a senior doggie. The up side is I dont have to pay for her upkeep. If she goes to the vet then somebody else pays for it.

I wish all people were as passionate as we are when it comes to our dogs... I wouldn't trade my 2 pups for all the riches in the world, and I mean that.

It's sad how neglected some dogs are, it truly breaks my heart.

I am hoping since my cousin's dog is still a puppy...he was only 10 weeks when they gave him up, that someone will adopt him. The only reason I didnt take him is because I can only have one dog at home.

That is terrible!! Wish they'd listen to you!

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 :D 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 :p 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 :mad:

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 :thumbup:). 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 :eek: I was being soooo rude, talking about our financial privacy with strangers, OMG, how could I, how dare I :mad:

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 :thumbup:

RIGHT ON KIONINI!!!! Good on you!! I would have done the same thing. I can't count the times I have talked people OUT of getting dogs. The worst times are when movies come out and people think they will get a puppy that will act like they do in the movie. When Babe came out everyone kept asking me where I got my girl and I did my best to discourage them. A Border Collie is a LOT of work even when they are trained. Not only do they need physical exercise you have to challenge their minds ALL DAY LONG. I bet over 100 people asked me and there was ONE I thought a BC was a good fit for. Then when 101 Dalmatians came out everyone wanted one of those! They were bred to RUN ALL DAY LONG! No, someone with three kids and a smallish yard should not have one! And every time I hear someone say they want a puppy so their very young kids can grow up with one I cringe. They don't have time in the day to watch their kids as it is. The dog goes outside, tears up the yard, never learns manners and then they all hate the poor dog! GRRRRRRRRR can you tell this is a sore subject with me? If you don't have two hours a day, EVERY day for at least six months to devote to a pup DON'T GET ONE!

Oh, good, I'm not the only one deliberately trying to save furchildren from clueless people ;)

I hadn't thought about the connection between movies and adoption spikes, but it makes sense, how sad :(

When my sister-in-law adopted 2 Chihuahuas after meeting my babies, I suspected it was "little puppy fever." The Chihuahuas are older now, so I suspect that the novelty is over now and that they must be treating them like they do the older dogs they already had (not good). I tell you, I saw her and my brother under a new light after I found out how they treat their furkids :mad: Sore subject for me too :(

I believe he'll be adopted sooner than the older ones, I just hope that he doesn't end up with heartless people again :(