Mitt Romney ties dog to roof of car for 12 hour road trip

[gidget529]

I cannot believe this. I remember 1983. It was not that long ago to an old fart like me. It was not the stone age. We were not uneducated barbarians in that year here in this country. There is no excuse for this. We have all made mistakes, some bigger than others, but if he was continuing to grow and evolve I think he would be embarrassed by this obvious show of ignorance and callousness - not giving every excuse in the book why this was ok.

[Ringo1]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

Oh no...it looks like he will be the Republican choice for President.

Well naturally.

[dawn27]

Originally Posted by JMuedog

I think someone needs to strap him in a crate to the top of their car so he can see how it feels... wow

[quote]

Originally Posted by [B

KazzyK810[/B];3792726]Can you imagine the fear that poor dog had to be experiencing while locked up there....probably wondering what the hell he did to deserve such treatment. Then to be hosed down & locked back up....I can't even wrap my mind around it.{QUOTE]

I totally agree !!

[dispatcher]

Really people...this was back in 1983!!! At least I doubt that he would do to the national debt what our current pres. has done!!! Raise it more than every other president put together!!!!! I pray that we get a Republican back in office!!!

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by dispatcher

Really people...this was back in 1983!!! At least I doubt that he would do to the national debt what our current pres. has done!!! Raise it more than every other president put together!!!!! I pray that we get a Republican back in office!!!

This really isn't about democrats or republicans. I wish people could see beyond a party.

[CouversMom]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

This really isn't about democrats or republicans. I wish people could see beyond a party.

Thank you! I think some people have blinders on... If this had been President Obama, they would be up in arms about it.

[CouversMom]

Originally Posted by gracielove

T
This is from and article written by Lenny Davis, an extreme left reporter who is quoting the Boston Globe. Obviously neither one of them were there in 1983 to witness this event.

People believe what they want to believe. As I have said I prefer to have a dog on a roof in a carrier than in loose in the back of a pick up truck. I don't approve of either but I also don't approve of people who dig up things like this and bloviate all over the internet, not because they care about the matter, but because they have a political issue they want to beat.

Obviously the carrier was not air tight or the dog would have died quickly. I think he was trying to make the point that the carrier was sound and the dog was not being hit by the wind but you feel free to think what you want to. That is what our country is about.

Here is an article from a Fox News contributer- a RIGHT wing news organization. This has nothing to do about right or left, but is about blatant animal abuse.

[Wylie's Mom]

Hey guys, let's try to keep in mind this thread truly isn't about politics - it's about the way a person treated an animal. The fact that it may be inconvenient timing for Mitt Romney doesn't mean the story shouldn't be discussed.

If the Dalai Lama or the Pope strapped a kennel to a roof of a car, put a dog in the kennel, and drove 70mph for 12 hours -- we'd talk about it. And it wouldn't be about religion any more than this thread is about politics.

At the end of the day, it's about individual opinions regarding strapping a dog in a kennel to the top of a car. I'm not trying to sound flippant, but rather, factual.

[Yorkiesatwork]

I can't even imagine how one arrives at the conclusion to place a dog in a confinement object that one places on the top of a car. It's not about politics... it's about compassion and judgement... Mitt says the dog was happier than he would have been with the 5 kids in the car. I don't think so... every dog I've ever known would have been in heaven with 5 kids in the car. How freakin' scared was that dog riding on the top of the car?!

[ArmaniMan]

Originally Posted by Britster

I think it's messed up, for sure, but this happened in 1983!! Just another example of people making a huge deal out of something that happened years ago. We can dig up all kinds of skeletons from everyone's closets. The title kind of misinterprets the fact that the dog was in a CRATE, it's not like he was hanging from his collar on a roof top. Do I think it's a wise decision? No... I would never do it. But there is lots of things I wouldn't do with my dog that others still find completely acceptable. I am not sure it classifies him as an animal abuser. The dog was probably safer in a crate on top of the car than being loose inside the car during an accident, just sayin' (which is probably how 90% of American's dogs ride in the car). Again, I still do not think it's right. But I think this is going to be one of those things made into a huge deal from many many years ago and I am sure his family dogs have not rode on the rooftops since.

This- the same thing was dragged up last time he ran for office and a huge deal was made out of it then. Is it terrible? yes But it was a really long time ago and sadly pets were viewed very differently at that time.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by Yorkiesatwork

I can't even imagine how one arrives at the conclusion to place a dog in a confinement object that one places on the top of a car. It's not about politics... it's about compassion and judgement... Mitt says the dog was happier than he would have been with the 5 kids in the car. I don't think so... every dog I've ever known would have been in heaven with 5 kids in the car. How freakin' scared was that dog riding on the top of the car?!

Even if the dog did enjoy it the way dogs enjoy riding in pickups or on motorcycles, as Romney claims, I agree with you and with Nancy's earlier post about tying things to the top of a car -- it is too dangerous and it does show poor judgement.

If I recall correctly, Romney was in a bad car accident when he was younger and a couple of people riding in the car were killed. You would think this would have made him a little smarter.

Plus, as Jenni mentioned, who knows what the weather was like when they took this trip. The dog was probably overheated or too cold.

12 hours on a car rooftop. Terrible.

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by ArmaniMan

This- the same thing was dragged up last time he ran for office and a huge deal was made out of it then. Is it terrible? yes But it was a really long time ago and sadly pets were viewed very differently at that time.

Pets were viewed differently? I'm 43 years old, and I've treasured animals my whole life, from my earliest memory. I don't think his action had to do w/ an era-related belief.

William Wilberforce started the SPCA in England in the late 18th century....compassion for animals and how to treat them accordingly goes way back. The way we treat others, animal or non-animal, isn't as simple as a symptom of the times, in my opinion.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by ArmaniMan

This- the same thing was dragged up last time he ran for office and a huge deal was made out of it then. Is it terrible? yes But it was a really long time ago and sadly pets were viewed very differently at that time.

Things were different in 1983, but I think of my family making the journey from Phoenix to Washington DC in 1976. The dog was in the backseat with 3 kids. When we moved from DC to Chicago, the cat was in the back seat with us. This was all before we were the crazy pet people we are today.

[QuickSilver]

I am also one of those ancients who was alive in 1983 , and I have to say, I have NEVER seen anyone driving around with an animal enclosure on the top of their car in all my life. That would have been shockingly stupid, even in 1983.

And it appears that it was illegal in his state, so it wasn't widely accepted where he lived or something. This is one of those things it's amazing that we have to have laws for.

[Maximo]

At about the same time Mitt Romney tied his dog to top of his car, my father risked his life entering our burning house to rescue our dog. He was successful.