It's time we had a Pet Parents' Bill of Rights

[meow2u3]

Animal laws are antiquated, in that they never caught up with the American culture concerning common household pets. Animals are legally regarded as mere property, not as the sentient beings they are. The laws need to catch up with this reality, and this include animal cruelty--people get off too easy with torturing and maliciously killing animals. I believe it's high time for Congress to push a Pet Parent's Bill of Rights, covering everything from encouraging adoption from shelters by giving each pet adopted from a shelter a pet tax ID for the purpose of tax breaks, banning housing discrimination against pet parents, to requiring employers to allow pet sick days to let people take their sick pets to a vet for treatment, to toughening animal cruelty laws nationwide.

I propose the idea that animals should be legally regarded not as mere property, not as humans, but in a legal class by themselves between inanimate property and persons. This should hold true especially for common household pets, e.g., cats, dogs, domesticated species of birds, guinea pigs, domesticated rabbits, etc. Pets should be protected from "murder" by punishing offenders a maximum of 20-35 years in prison; from intentional torture and/or petnapping by imposing a maximum sentence less than that of kidnapping, but more than that of mere theft of inanimate objects. This proposed protection would reflect the nature of pets not as property, but as the family members they're treated like at home.

Wild animals, especially endangered species, have more protection than household pets, yet culturally, we regard pets in more esteem than their wild cousins. Wild animals' habitats are better protected by law than the domestic animals with whom we share our homes; for instance, landlords and condo building owners can still legally discriminate against pet guardians either by charging higher rental rates to pet parents than household without cats or dogs; by imposing a high, non-refundable pet fee, ostensibly to cover property damage caused by pets, but in reality, these pet surcharges serve to discourage tenants and/or condo owners from keeping a cat and/or dog. Some landlords or homeowners' assocations even ban pets outright and evict tenants and/or condo owners, forcing the latter either to give up their animals or sell their condos. This discrimination forces human beings to choose between a roof over their heads and their beloved furkids. This injustice must be banned once and for all. Landlords and condo building owners should bear the burden of proof that the pet is antisocial and/or destructive; in other words, a pet should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Any human found guilty of keeping a pet who is proven to be unsocialized, aggressive, destructive, or any and all of the aforementioned should be required to give up the offending animal at his or her own expense. We should put an end to punishing innocent, responsible pet parents along with the guilty, irresponsible sociopaths who use animals as mere objects to be used and abused at will.
Exemptions from complying with the pet anti-discrimination law would be: homeowner is not allowed to keep a pet due to an injunction by a court of law and a tenant is bringing in a pet; if the presence of a pet creates an undue health hardship to the homeowner. Example: the homeowner wants to rent a room yet is severely allergic to cats. The prospective tenant has a cat and wants to move in with the kitty. In this case, the homeowner can tell the tenant he or she has to give up the cat because Boots would make him or her too sick to function.

I think we should be afforded a break on our income taxes if we adopted a cat or dog from a shelter. Each adopted pet would be assigned a tax ID number similar to a Social Security number, only the first character would be an F (feline) for an adopted cat or a C (canine) for an adopted dog. There would be a pet dependent allowance of $500 for each cat and $500-750 for each dog, depending on the size of the dog upon adulthood. For instance, Kitty's Tax ID would look like this: Fxx-xx-xxxx, and Doggie's would be Cxx-xx-xxxx. This number would be used solely for income tax purposes, and can be transferable for a $5.00 fee to a new guardian either upon the death of the human. If the human caregiver can no longer care for the adopted animal due to incarceration or some other reason the people can no longer keep the animal, the pet transfer fee would increase to $20.00. If the animal is brought back to the shelter, or to another shelter, the transfer fee would go up to $50.00.

[ixion]

1. we should start by restoring the Bill of Rights

which have been trampled on over the past 40 years.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

2. You've Got To Be Kidding.

Tax breaks for adopted pets? Pet sick days? Forcing property owners to allow pets to renters?

Ummmmmm...

:crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

[Naturyl]

3. You gave birth to an animal?

What exactly is a "pet parent?"

[Vektor]

38. You don't need to give birth to something to be a parent.

What about all those adoptive parents?

A pet parent is someone who has a pet. They are responsible for the care, feeding, comfort, and safety of that pet. They provide medical care, and make medical decisions for that being, including end of life decisions. I'd say it's safe to call that parenting. :shrug:

[saracat]

59. Wonderful answer Vector!

[shadowknows69]

92. As an adoptee, thank you

[bitchkitty]

4. Pet Parents?

What about an animal bill of rights? Why throw a silly phrase like "Pet Parents" in there? Animals are sentient beings on their own, they don't need a human "mommy" to be that.

[KittyWampus]

84. So you support the assholes who dump dogs and cats in the woods or the edges of neighborhoods?

after all, they are sentient beings on their own....

[Annces]

5. Thanks for sharing

I definitely think people should have to have a license for pets, because too many are just used for entertainment and then discarded or worse.

[ProfessorGAC]

21. We Sort Of Have Licenses

It's a county thing and i don't know if all counties in IL require it, but we have to certify that we have all vaccinations, tests for routine life threatening illness (heartworm for dogs, FL for kitties) and have to file all the paperwork with the county. (The vets take care of that; at least our vet does.)

Maybe not exactly what you meant, but it's a start. I suppose the problem is that if you are an irresponsible pet owner, then you'd never get anything like that done, and there'd be no record of your pets at all. Still, it's a start.
GAC

[suston96]

6. I highly, most highly rec.....Pets are people too....

This is our baby and we are her Poppa and Mommy and whatever she says goes.......especially when I take her on walks....



You don't have a pet? Then you don't have any idea all the unconditional love you are missing.

There is no such love between humans.

[dana_b]

11. disagree about the unconditional love

I love my kid and my parents a lot more and with a much deeper connection than with my dog.
However I do love her a lot. She's a sweety and life is much better with her in it.

[Jamastiene]

14. I think the poster meant unconditional love coming from the pets.

People do not love unconditionally. It just doesn't happen. Animals do.

[dana_b]

17. still disagree

my kid could kill someone and I would still love her. I may be pissed off and befuddled but I would still love her.

[AZBlue]

73. Excellent post!

:thumbsup:

[suston96]

19. I have children, grandchildren and have had a number of pets...I'll take the pets....

Just kidding......but it's a tough choice.

Seriously, I am glad to see courts all over the country getting more and more angry at pet abusers. Pets are as helpless as children when it comes to abuse. Damn ALL those abusers!

[dana_b]

20. lol ...

yeah, I'm not saying that animals aren't easier to deal with, just that we can and do love unconditionally.
Anyway, I couldn't agree more about the abusers. Innocent and defenseless lives need protecting. Our laws aren't tough enough.

[tigereye]

44. last time I checked, pets were not people.

[AZBlue]

74. No they are not! For the most part, they are far superior to people.

[pipi_k]

91. And may I just say

that I agree wholeheartedly!!!!!


There are some people in this world I wouldn't give two cents for.


Anyone who seriously thinks that, for example, George W Bush is worth more than any of the pets I've ever had and loved, just by virtue of the fact that he is a "human being", deserves a swift kick in the ass, which I would administer with gusto.


There are, of course, other people I've known who don't measure up to even ONE of my pets, but using Bush as an example was the best way I knew how to illustrate the point to those people out there who think that animals are somehow inferior to human beings.

[dana_b]

7. I think your heart is in the right place

but this would never fly. You can't force someone who owns a proprty to accept pets. it is their property. Believe me, I wish it were otherwise as I have a pit/beagle mix and the landlordsare not happy about it. However they do have that right to refuse us.

The animal cruelty laws, well, I am all for toughening those up. I do believe that pets ae more than property. They are a being who deserve more consideration than if say someone stole my t.v. Someone who abuses animals shoul do a litle time and if they kill them then they should serve even more time.

[kestrel91316]

8. Transfer fees of up to $50. Um, if that's not a recipe for overt abandonment,

I don't know what is.

I would be content with requiring some sort of basic licensure (with a test you must pass) for pet ownership. Tax breaks for owning pets??? NOPE. Paid time off? HELL NO.

And I'm a veterinarian, for crying out loud.

IMHO having a pet is a privilege, not a right. And if you have one, you better be prepared to take proper care of it and not expect other taxpayers to help foot your bills. Maybe pet INSURANCE should be mandatory.

[LisaL]

22. Basic licensure?

Right after requiring license to have kids.

[tigereye]

45. yup, my mom always said you had to have a license to drive a car, but not to

have kids. She never thought it made any sense.

[northernlights]

27. I mostly agree with you except on the insurance

human health insurance has absolutely ruined health care delivery in this country. It certainly doesn't ensure basic health care for all. No reason to believe pet health insurance would do any better a job of ensuring care.

And while paid time off for vet visits is not gonna happen, certainly we should be able to take unpaid time off for vet visits. Surely you could agree with that -- unless you're prepared as a vet to have your office open 24x7 so that everyone can come in during their nonworking hours.

[meow2u3]

31. Animal abandonment would be punished under toughened cruelty laws

n/t

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

9. In all sincerity, good luck with that.

In the mean time, I'm going to work on just reestablishing and defending our "existing" rights.

[Muttocracy]

10. How about starting with enforcing existing laws for pets and food animals? nt

[ogneopasno]

12. I have pets, and I think this is way out there.

[MADem]

13. Keep dreaming. We eat animals. We OWN animals as PETS. We aren't their "parents."

I have cats, dogs and birds and give them great care and attention. They're members of our family unit and they add to our lives. However, no human in my family is a "pet parent." We're pet OWNERS. We take responsibility for the pets we own.

Assigning tax ID numbers to animals? Getting tax breaks for owning pets?

That's FLAKY.

I almost thought this was a joke, but I was unable to find the punch line.

[quiet.american]

29. Although when I do take my cat to the vet, the doctor calls for me as "Ready to see Tabby's mom." nt

[Mari333]

42. some of us dont eat animals.

and i dont own my animal friends. we share our lives together as family. we are a tribe.

[JANdad]

51. BWAHHHAAAHHHAAAHHHAAA

:spray:

[Lorien]

57. How predictable

:eyes:

[orleans]

63. lol to your fun response! n/t

[MADem]

69. You're in a minority. Most humans ARE carnivores.

And so are those pets you don't own!

[Realityhack]

104. No. most are Omnivores. n/t

[MADem]

110. You're right! nt

[saracat]

61. Actually, I think my cats own me!

[MADem]

70. My dogs take the same view, at mealtimes, anyway. nt

[AZBlue]

75. My cat definitely owns me.

[flvegan]

15. Why stop at domestic companion animals?

Why not extend that to all animals, from dogs to cows to chickens? Oh, right. We only give value to that which pleases us, the rest just tastes good.

Pets shouldn't be property, I agree, but neither should any other animal.

[LWolf]

83. You've made a point.

A sharp, highly uncomfortable point that most will choose to avoid, rather than acknowledge.

I was out in the barn with my horses yesterday. Didn't actually DO anything with them; it's too cold. Just went out to visit; they saw me coming, rushed into the barn to greet me. They stood there while I chatted, ran a hand all over them to make sure they were all in good shape, picked up their feet, and, of course, scratched all the spots they can't reach themselves, lol. No "catching," no ropes, no tying. We have a relationship. I know them, and trust them, better than most people. They know me, and therefore trust me.

And, in the wrong hands, they would be food.

As would the sheep that "herds" with them and thinks she is a horse. She came in for some attention, as well.

I think this is the year that I find a non-meat diet that works for type II diabetes, if that's possible.

[Jamastiene]

16. I appreciate your effort.

Maybe 4 or 5 of us will agree with you to some degree, but the rest are going to spew hate at you on this thread, unfortunately. It was a nice thought though. :hug:

[Runcible Spoon]

18. the biggest impediment to something like this would be classifying agricultural vs pet animals

Why don't meat animals deserve the same kind of protection? How would you classify traditional farm animals that people keep as pets? Lots of people keep pot bellied pigs, for example. I would love for animals to have more protection, but I don't think our culture is ready to go this far :evilfrown:

It's best to just beef up animal cruelty laws and give more protection to ALL animals, including the not so cute ones that end up on the dinner plate.

[robinlynne]

23. Yes Yes Yes!

Except for the part where you say wild animals have more protections than pets. Wild animals are routinely shot if they wander out past an imaginary line they do not know exists, from protected lands to unprotected lands.....

[navarth]

24. I consider myself a 'Pet Parent' and fuck anybody that doesn't like it. However,

I doubt that we could get anything like these laws passed, sorry to say. But we should surely start by enforcing human rights, and enforcing animal cruelty laws that exist.

There are far too many humans that consider loved ones their 'property'.

[Cid_B]

25. Would this include "man"slaughter?

If I squash a beagle as I drive down the road would that mandate jail time or even fines?

PS. I am an animal lover so untwist your panties. I'm just asking.

[meow2u3]

33. Let's call it dogslaughter or catslaughter

It would have to be the reckless killing of an animal, just as manslaughter is the reckless killing of a human.

[Initech]

26. Would something like this qualify as animal cruelty?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NutzSiRpYBc

Also I agree with the idea about tax breaks for rescue animals. Those shelters work hard to bring dogs in that would otherwise be harmed or worse. I got my dog from a rescue shelter and dont regret it one bit.

[northernlights]

28. we should take animal cruelty very seriously

upgrade and enforce existing laws. For those who think they're "just animals," it's be demonstrated time and again that violent criminals, esp. serial torturers and killers, often start with "just animals" and "move up."

For the rest of us, sentient beings and sentient beings and ought not to be tortured, period. So tough, tough penalties plus fines including any and all vet bills incurred, funeral expenses, replacement costs and punitive damages, plus hard community service and/or jail, depending.

And something needs to be done to encourage adopting from shelters. 4-5 million cats and dogs are "euthanized" (if you consider slow, painful death from CO poisoning or "heartstick" euthanasia) each year. That is inexcusable. To quote Obama, "We can do better."

There are things I hate about where I live, but at least they have been serious up here (Maine) about neutering programs, offer annual low-cost rabies vax in most towns and through the university vet tech school, have many, many no kill shelters, crack down hard on puppy mills when they find them, and have a very, very low kill rate as a result. We brought a lot of Katrina dogs and other rescues from high-kill states in the south for years. Even the maligned MSM gets in on the puppy mill act, with lots of airtime on the news. My own dog was rescued with 25 other puppies and mamas from deathrow in Arkansas and their story was featured on the news. The state contracts mill puppies out to several large no-kill shelters to be brought back to health and they always seem to get adopted out in no time.

[uppityperson]

32. "For the rest of us, sentient beings and sentient beings and ought not to be tortured, period."

what?

I agree more spay/neuter funding is needed, but wouldn't a tax break for more animals be rather counter to that?

[northernlights]

47. not a tax break for rescues from shelters

again, 4-5 MILLION dogs and cats are "euthanized" at shelters each year.

If people adopted those dogs and cats instead of paying breeders, then long term it could put puppy mills out of business and reduce the number of strays breeding (we were still getting Katrina stray puppies last year!). And a tax break for doing that is not a bad thing. Actually, many rescues are 5013c's and their adoption fees are already deductible.

The neuter programs are first for strays at shelters and secondly make it more affordable for people to adopt pets, since neutering can be expensive.

[meow2u3]

99. Some states have animal cruelty laws that amount to a slap on the wrist

with no real punishment for animal abusers. People who abuse animals need to learn a lesson that malicious treatment of another helpless being is not to be tolerated. In Pennsylvania, about 10 years ago, a pet shop worker mutilated a tiny kitten to death and got off with probation. I'd like to see mandatory minimum sentences of those convicted of killing or abducting an animal.

[uppityperson]

30. Does this mean I would get arrested for feeding my cat tuna?

Mandated vegan-ism for all? I'd start breeding my gerbils again if I could get a tax break, I wonder how many people would stop neutering their cats/dogs if that became law.

[the other one]

34. Pet ownership should require licensing, and yearly fees

People think they should be entitled to just go out and get an animal and not be responsible for its needs for life. I find that repugnant. Require them to qualify for a license before they acquire one, and then add yearly breeding fees for those pet owners who choose not to have their pet neutered, an amount equal to neutering.

Of course if we give animals legal stature, then next stop will be the elimination of animal exploitation: Meat, leather, fur, circuses, testing. The basis of our culture will be taken out from under our society. I think its a great idea, and long overdue.

[rosesaylavee]

35. You make some good points.

The last bit may be just too much paperwork to assign them numbers. But getting tax breaks for taking on the financial responsibility of caring for an animal friend would be welcome. I think tax breaks esp for neutering would be even better.

[Withywindle]

36. I agree with a lot of this, not so sure about others.

I don't think we can enforce housing for pets and their people as a "discrimination" law - however, I would be all in favor of tax breaks that encourage landlords to allow pets. :D We should also look into why it's easier to find pet-friendly housing in some places than others, and what the economic factors are. I've never had much trouble finding pet-friendly apartments in Chicago, for example;.

I absolutely think it's outrageous that pets are valued only as inanimate objects when it comes to petnapping, deliberate killing, etcetera. I think the penalty should be lower than for kidnapping or killing a human, but definitely higher than for stealing a car or fine jewelry or robbing a bank or stealing any other object that can't feel pain and fear.

[Vektor]

37. Hell yes. Animal cruelty/neglect laws need to be a hell of a lot stricter.

And this business of property owners discriminating against renters with family pets needs to come to an end, too.

I agree wholeheartedly - pets need more protection under law.

[ZombieHorde]

39. "an F (feline) for an adopted cat or a C (canine)"

Funny.

If the human caregiver can no longer care for the adopted animal due to incarceration or some other reason the people can no longer keep the animal, the pet transfer fee would increase to $20.00. If the animal is brought back to the shelter, or to another shelter, the transfer fee would go up to $50.00.

Hypothetical:

I get laid off from my job and I no longer have enough money to feed both my dog and my kids. If I get rid of my dog, I will have to pay money which I desperately need. If I kill my dog, and throw it in the woods, I won't have to pay anything. I will just say that it ran away.

There would be a pet dependent allowance of $500 for each cat and $500-750 for each dog

What about tarantulas? Should their owners get a tax break as well?

What if your cat has a litter of cute kittens, should you get the break for each kitten?

Tarantulas have larger 'litters' than cats.

Pets are a luxury for most people. When I get a tax break for my PS3, I will be cool with people getting a tax break for their cat.

for instance, landlords and condo building owners can still legally discriminate against pet guardians either by charging higher rental rates to pet parents than household without cats or dogs; by imposing a high, non-refundable pet fee, ostensibly to cover property damage caused by pets,

I know that I would charge an extra fee for pet owners, unless the pet was a 'helper animal'.

responsible pet parents

Pets and Human children do not compare. Is it really a big deal if your adolescent dog becomes pregnant, or impregnates another dog at the park?

When you care for an animal, it is called 'husbandry'.

[tritsofme]

40. If I want my rental property to be free of the smell and sounds of animals

who are you to tell me any different?

No one is forcing you to rent from me.

Making "pet owner" a protected class is ridiculous.

[Mari333]

43. I assume you mean the smells and sounds of non human animals

the human animal can smell pretty bad and make some awful sounds too. :)

[Withywindle]

48. If I were a landlord, I would like to refuse to rent to people who burn microwave popcorn.

[orleans]

64. ...gasp!... i would never rent from you!

i love burned microwave popcorn

[AZBlue]

76. I was just thinking the same thing.

[Vektor]

50. It's the human animals that refuse to clean up after their pets ( and themselves) who are gross.

Animals would rather NOT live in filth - it's humans that often choose to.

[PVnRT]

81. I'm going to get some property to rent and ban anyone with a child from renting it

They're noisy, messy and generally a nuisance, and I simply cannot afford the extra insurance because of it.

I wonder how much support the DU intelligentsia would give that one?

[Lilith Velkor]

112. I would want to live there

As would many of the childfree.

Does that make me "persona non DU intelligentsia"?

[Mari333]

41. all good ideas

i treat the non human animals who live with me like children, because i think non human animals and human animals are pretty much the same to me, but the non human ones are more innocent, like children, and deserve special consideration as human children do.

[HEyHEY]

46. And how much is all this going to cost?

[Sanctified]

49. The crazy cat lady down the street would probably get around $15,000 a year with your plan.

She also has about 4 or 5 raccoons that she feeds and goes ape if she gets any wind that someone might be trying to get rid of them.

[meow2u3]

97. No. There would be a limit on how many pets would be adopted

1. Animal hoarding is already illegal and constitutes cruelty in the eyes of the law.
2. State and local laws must be abided by. Some local laws limit the number of pets one household can have. For instance, Philadelphia, PA has a maximum pet limit of 12.
3. Tax evasion charges would be filed against those who exceed the allowable number of pets in their households.

[Bryn]

52. Ignore posters who laugh at your suggestion

Those who are not animal lovers aren't like us who love our animals like members of a family. I just don't care for eating meat, but I don't make fun who do. DU posters need to see that we all are different like deaf, hearing, hetro, gay, etc. My life would be AWFULLY boring if I see humans only and no animals. No birds flying in sky, no animal companions, no majestic animals...life would be boring! Barf I have two dogs and 4 cats. I really really enjoy their company, taking care of them.

Anyway, I do get tax break for having a service dog. Feeding, training, vet visits, supplies, etc. for pets are very expensive. I support for all who have beloved pets to have a tax break not just the handicapped people who have assistance dogs/animals who do get tax breaks anyway.

:hi:

[Lorien]

56. Agreed. Pets help some of us stay sane in an uncaring world

human beings can be so hateful, cruel, judgmental, arrogant and self centered; many of the posts on this thread prove that. Your service dog is worth 1000 Dick Cheneys, so YES, some animals ARE far more valuable than human beings! We've spent most of our existence on this planet causing all other species little more than suffering and death. It's time that we turned that around and started showing a little of our "humanity" toward other living beings.

[orleans]

65. don't you think people would start breeding their pets just to get more money/

tax breaks?

i don't think all this financial benefit would truly be a benefit in the long run.

btw--don't assume that some people here do not love animals simply because they see this op as impractical or unrealistic.

this is my beautiful morgan; she's been a member of our family since i brought her home from a shelter when she was almost one year old.

spoiled, cherished, she has made all our lives richer.

[MajorChode]

53. This falls under the, 'You've got to be $#!+ing me' category

First of all, let me explain that I have always adopted pound puppies and I currently have two rescued dogs at my house that are 15 and 16 yrs old respectively. I also volunteer with an organization that transfers pets from pounds that are full to those that aren't to prevent them from being euthanized.

However....

Let's be clear on what a pet is. A pet is a nonnative species(generally) that exists for the sole purpose of the entertainment of humans. Furthermore keeping an animal as a pet, pretty much deprives it of it's ability to procreate which is arguably the most fundamental right that we as humans enjoy. So if you want to take the ethical responsibility of pets to it's natural extreme, then humans shouldn't have them as pets to begin with. So as well meaning as you might think this is, I'm not sure if you really want to go down this road.

Personally I'd rather focus on the humanizing of humans. We have areas of this country with higher infant mortality rates than some 3rd world countries and that's something I'd much rather spend my time being concerned about.

[Rhiannon12866]

54. You've got my vote!!! K&R.

I take rescue pets and each of my guys has come with a very sad story. Animal protection laws need to be stricter in all 50 states! :grr:

[snot]

55. We are human chauvinists.

It's absurd to accord a human foetus with the I.Q. of a carrot more protection than all other animals, many of whom have real feelings and some of whom can actually learn to talk to us, albeit in sign language or the like.

A rational discussion about these things is long overdue.

[saracat]

58. Excellent!

[Greyhound]

60. We need to rid ourselves of the notion that some life is more valuable

than others. With that comes acceptance that death is part of life.

Tall order.

K&R

[Bonn1997]

62. I'm actually picking up today a Spaniel Mix I adopted

What coincidental timing! Here's the beautiful young lady:

[MajorChode]

67. I have a Spaniel mix that looked much like that one

I got her when she was a puppy from the pound. Now she is 16 years old, has lost most of her hair, and doesn't get around as well as she once did.

She has been a wonderful member of the family all this time. One of her faults is she tends to be a bit ill-tempered at times, especially as she got older. I'm sure that is the Spaniel part coming out. It's something to look out for, but it's not a big problem. You just can't let kids love on them too much because they might get nippy at times. Other than that they are very smart and easily trainable.

Mine was also an escape artist. She could literally climb a 6' privacy fence like it was nothing.

[Bonn1997]

94. Wow, do you have any pics of her?

How big was she? Mine's 25 lbs (and about 1 1/2 yrs old). I don't think she can climb my 6' privacy fence but I am a little worried about it after reading your message.

[glinda]

68. Beautiful! Good for you. We have 10 rescues. Didn't plan it but we do.

We value their company and the love they have given us. I am childless so for me they are my kids. Half of ours are quite old now so.....Just felt it my duty to do something for the glut of homeless animals and as our house and acreage is sufficient, we committed. I would like to see stricter laws on abuse but also on breeding as well as all Mills shut down over the whole Country.

[Bonn1997]

95. Update:

I've had her for less than 24 hrs but here's an update.
Positive side:
-Wow, she is the sweetest thing in the world! Very gentle and friendly.
-She really likes me. She follows me around and gets very excited (fast tail wagging) as soon as I approach her.
-She LOVES having her belly rubbed. When I sit next to her. She'll roll over so that I can rub her belly and then she licks me and looks really happy while I rub her belly. Then she'll lift one of her front legs so that I can rub under it. Sometimes she'll go 100% upside down on the floor so I can really rub her belly.
-Negative side:
-She's anxious and submissive. (She actually cried non-stop for about half an hour in the car when I took her.) She backs away from strangers (sometimes) or other dogs if they start barking at her. The belly rubbing might be a sign of submission too.
-As soon as I let her into my house, she spent 10 min. sniffing everywhere. Then she had multiple accidents on my carpet! Pretty loose stool. Oh well! This is a big change for her and she's probably scared and confused.
-She does not seem remotely interested in any of the toys I got her, although she likes her doggy bone. I'll give her some time with the toys.
-She loves chasing cars and squirrels. I'll try to get her to stop that.

So there's definitely gonna be some work involved but she's worth it! She's such a sweetie.

[glinda]

102. On Update:

She just needs some time and a steady better diet. If you can get her Evo or some grain free made in America dog food. Toxins still being found in some pet foods. The chasing cars will get her run over and reward bad behavior so definitely on a leash for walks or fence an area. We had a dog that had issues and after a dog training obedience class she is a lot better since she could learn too socialize and obey commands. Now she sits immediately and heels all the time. :>)

[Bonn1997]

103. I'm feeding her Beneful right now.

What do you think of Beneful? I've heard good things about it.
Right now, I do not let her outside unleashed. I also have a 6 foot privacy fence that fully encloses my backyard. However, I will try to get her to stop chasing cars (and squirrels). Basically, as soon as she started to go after them, I said "No!" and gently pulled on the leash. Then as soon as she started walking appropriately, I said "good girl." I'd have given her a treat too but she doesn't seem to like the treats I bought her! (I got beggin' strips.)

[AZBlue]

77. She's beautiful! Congrats!!

[aikoaiko]

66. No thank you. Next......

[smalll]

71. God in Heaven. There's no such thing as "pet parents" or "fur babies" or any other such else --

Instead, it's about time society offered free-of-charge mental health treatment to all you crypto-furry lost souls to help you get through whatever happened to you at summer camp/in your first marriage/to your posterior as a result of reckless Haagen-Daas consumption that turned you against your fellow human beings.

[saracat]

72. How nasty. And yet you call on God? Lovely.

[AZBlue]

78. Wow. Your post makes me sad. You are missing so much in life.

[PVnRT]

82. You are a piece of shit

All too indicative of the type of poster that is seemingly the majority at this forum anymore.

[Political Tiger]

89. Cold, very cold.

You must be a joy to live with.....
:sarcasm:

[pipi_k]

93. Oh sweet irony

This is EXACTLY the reason why we have such a low opinion of our "fellow human beings".


Such understanding...such compassion...Oh lord, I can just FEEL the love oozing out of your reply...

:sarcasm:



I think people who don't understand why some of us turn to animals for solace need to take a good long look in the mirror and ask themselves if they're part of the problem.

[zagging]

96. Purrrrfect commentary

That fur-baby shit in in the upper tier of creepiness along with the pictures of animals saying shit like, "Me haz a mowse".

Revolting!!!

[dysfunctional press]

79. so the crazy cat-lady could get $50,000 in tax credits for her 100 cats?

[Statistical]

86. $50,000.... If thats the case I might run me a cat farm. Joking (n/t)

[dysfunctional press]

87. "cat farm"? the technical term is "house of squalor".

[Statistical]

90. Squalor? No sir. You are thinking too small

I will have my house (minus the squalor)
Then a nice plot of land with my 1000 registered cats. Plenty of barns & land for them to play on.

I figure $500,000 in annual deductions.
Figure I could run a "farm" like that for $100,00 - $200,000 a year easy. Pocket the the rest and think of all the animals I am "helping".

[Burma Jones]

80. Well then, could you marry your Cat?

If you get ridicule on DU, you can figure that the general population will nominate you for Commitment to an Institution.....

Silliest thing I've seen here in a long time.....

[KittyWampus]

85. I think the term GUARDIAN is more appropriate than parent.

[MadHound]

88. As a pet lover myself, I find most of your proposal to be rather, well, stupid

First of all, having been both a tenant and a landlord, I can understand why many places ban pets, because they are destructive. Even cute little Kitty, who is so very well behaved, is going to claw some wooden fixture in the house. Dogs will puke and piddle, cats will do the same. Oh, and if you have wooden floors, they will have to be refinished after your pet loving tenant moves on, no matter how well behaved the animal is.

Plus, I find the entire notion of putting the right of a person to have an animal above the right of the owner rather, well, unjust.

Secondly, since nobody is forcing you to have a pet(and unlike kids, accidents don't happen) I find the notion of pet owners getting a tax break rather repugnant. Why should a pet owner get a tax break for having a pet, when the fact of the matter is that it is their choice to incur those extra expenses?

Third, how are you going to determine who is an unfit pet owner? For instance, when I was a kid we had a German Shepard who hated the meter reader, salesmen and others who visited the house that she didn't know. According to those people she would have been labeled as unsocialized, yet she was a very gentle, loving dog to those that she knew(and she never bit anybody, just scared them).

Sorry, but this is simply ridiculous.

[saracat]

111. Why should the parent's of a child get a tax break either when for the

"the fact of the matter is that it is their choice to incur those extras expenses" ?

Just pointing out that your argument against this works against tax cuts for human parents as well.

[meow2u3]

98. Allow me to explain "Pet Parent", and other stuff

Petsmart uses the term "pet parent" to describe a pet owner in their commercials. "Pet parent" is a pro-animal term implying that an animal is part of your family as opposed to a mere piece of property.
I know some of what I propose is controversial, but this is a discussion board and I'm inviting DUers to discuss the pros and cons of my idea.

BTW, I might as well scrap the punitive fees of transfering "parenthood" from one human to another and keep the fee at $10.00, which would cover administrative costs.

Spaying and neutering of adopted pets would be mandatory, even in purebreds, to prevent animal overpopulation. The spay or neuter surgery would be performed prior to adoption, except if the animal is under 6 months old. Only animals 6 months and older with evidence of being altered would be eligible for a pet tax ID. Kittens and puppies under 6 months old would be ineligible, as well an unaltered cats and dogs. Breeders would also be ineligible for any pet tax relief.

Cats and dogs would have to be licensed, regularly vaccinated, and microchipped (in the event the pet is lost or petnapped).

[dem629]

100. My dogs have parents

One is a German Shepherd and the other a Golden Retriever. Trust me, those parents not only don't want a tax break, they don't even know about taxes!

Also, they do not wish to have human-type rights because that would pave the way for human-type responsibilities. For instance, if they take something that doesn't belong to them, well, off to jail they go.

Further, for people who think their cat or dog "owns" them, just see what happens if you stop buying dog/cat food. You can also keep a record of how many times YOU take THEM to the doctor, and how many times THEY take YOU to the doctor.

Cheers!

[snooper2]

106. So, what about the other 10,000 types of pets?

Or what about my pet cow ( yes cow ) I had growing up on a little farm I refused to let be killed?

Cattle
Exotic Cats
Ferrets
Goats
Horses & Ponies
Marsupials
Other Exotic Mammals
Pigs
Primates
Rabbits
Rodents & Squirrels
Sheep
Skunks
Domesticated Birds
Parrots
Raptors
Ratites Song Birds / Cage Birds Wild Birds
Saltwater Fish
Saltwater Invertebrates
Freshwater Fish
Freshwater Invertebrates
Frogs
Lizards
Salamanders & Newts
Snakes
Toads
Tortoises
Turtles
Ants
Beetles
Millipedes & Centipedes
Other Insects
Praying Mantis
Roaches
Scorpions
Spiders
Stick Insects
Tarantulas

What do you purpose I do with Scrappy- a wild cat that hangs out in the back yard/neighborhood and will not let anybody get close? Yes, I feed Scrappy and put out boxes when freezing rain comes....I guess Scrappy gets killed huh? I say you should scrap this whole thread and get some better weed :rofl:

[Realityhack]

101. Incredibly Stupid. n/t

[snooper2]

105. This is a joke right?

"requiring employers to allow pet sick days to let people take their sick pets to a vet for treatment" :rofl:

"There would be a pet dependent allowance of $500 for each cat and $500-750 for each dog, depending on the size of the dog upon adulthood" - See you are already discriminating against cats :rofl:

"I propose the idea that animals should be legally regarded not as mere property, not as humans, but in a legal class by themselves between inanimate property and persons." :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


:rofl:

thanks- now people are wondering why I am laughing out loud at work

:rofl:

:rofl:

[Xithras]

107. Define "domesticated rabbits"

I ask because one of my neighbors raises Californian's for food. Californian's are "meat rabbits", but they're domesticated and are popular pets as well.

How do those factor in?

Oh, and as a landlord, I'll consent to your argument that we have to stop anti-pet discrimination in housing if YOU will consent to permitting landlords to bill tenants a carpet deposit equal to the replacement costs of all the carpets in the residence being rented. Oh, and landscaping charges too. Show me a dog that NEVER relieves itself indoors and I'll show you a stuffed dog. Getting pet odors out of an OSB subfloor is one of the hardest things a landlord can be asked to do.

[Lisa0825]

108. Good place to post this essay.... "I RESCUED A HUMAN TODAY"

I RESCUED A HUMAN TODAY by Janine Allen

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her.

I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn’t be afraid. As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn’t want her to know that I hadn’t been walked today. Sometimes the overworked shelter keepers get too busy and I didn’t want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn’t feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone’s life.

She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.

Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms.

I would promise to keep her safe.
I would promise to always be by her side.
I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.

I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven’t walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.

http://rescuemedog.org/dog-blog/i-rescued-a-human-today-by-janine-allen/

Written by Janine Allen CPDT, Rescue Me Dog's professional dog trainer. Janine's passion is working with people and their dogs. She provides demonstrations for those who have adopted shelter dogs, lends email support to adopted dog owners that need information beyond our Training Support Pages, and aids shelter staff and volunteers in understanding dog behavior to increase their adoptability. Copyright 2009 Rescue Me Dog; www.rescuemedog.org

[Cetacea]

109. I agree with your reasons but not the method.

l'd rather see stiffer laws related to abuse and just as importantly, abandonment, which I believe should be elevated to felony status. "Throwing away" another being that has grown dependent on a person (much as a human child) should be given near equal weight in the justice system

[NNN0LHI]

113. I think I just seen a UFO

Oops, wrong thread.

Don