How
to help: don't give up your pet
A large
number of pets are given up each year. Some are let out
on the side of the road, in the woods, in other people's
back yards, others are left behind in empty houses when
the owners move out, and still others are brought to local
animal shelters as "give ups".
Giving
up an animal should not be taken lightly; animals bond very
strongly to humans, and the longer a pet has lived with
a human, the stronger the bond and the greater the pain
of abandonment. Adopting a pet in the first place means
taking responsibility for a life -- for a pet's whole
life, not just for as long as it is convenient or cute.
Why
do people give up their pets? There are many excuses,
but here are a few of the classics:
-
I'm
moving
- We just
had a baby
- My son/daughter/wife/cousin-in-law
is suddenly allergic
- The
new dog doesn't like the old cat
- The
old dog doesn't match the new carpet
- He's
not housebroken
- She
sheds
Here are
some useful articles that may help in making a decision NOT
to give up a pet simply because certain life conditions change.
Can
we help you keep your pet?
On moving/renting
with pets:
On allergies:
On new
babies and pets:
- HRS:
Bringing Baby Home
- Denver
Dumb Friends League: Children and Dogs
- Books:
- Lane,
Marion. The Humane Society of the United States Complete
Guide to Dog Care. Boston: Little Brown and Company,
1998.
- McLennan,
Bardi. Dogs & Kids. New York: Howell Book House, 1993.
- Magazine
Articles:
- Gambino,
Erica Lynn. *who*s the baby?* PetLife, June/July 1997.
- Hodgkins,
Fran. *And Baby Makes Seven.* Cat Fancy, May 1999.
-
McCarthy, Claudine. *Oh, Baby.* Cat Fancy, April 1998.
- Moan,
Ann M. *Your Pregnancy and Your Cat.* Catnip, March
1999.
- Wexler-Mitchell,
Elaine. *Pregnant Women Can Keep Cats.* Cat Fancy, May
1999.
- Wolf,
Diana. *Another Baby in the House.* Cats, March 1995.
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