Ranting about stupid dog ownership

[smilingcat]

An acquaintance was talking to a ranger in Yosemite NP. There, my acquaintace was capturing the bullfrogs. As he put it, removing the problem. The ranger had to radio in to make sure my acquaintance was correct. Removing of native species in national park is very illegal.

The acquaintance was cleared to keep on collecting the bullfrogs for curiosity and for removal from the eco-system. What he told me was about the african variety and not the north american variety. Just did a google search and really didn't come up with any.
North American specie is Rana while the African specie is Pyxicephalus.

I think I need to call him and get a more detailed info...

Regardless, whether its Rana or Pyxicephalus bullfrogs, neither belongs in western US (especially here in california).Rana's are native to the east coast.

I do owe an apology to those on the east coast though...

The lowly earthworm is a shocker... Who could have imagined. When I first read it it was I was taught earthworm, good for the soil.

And thank you for keeping me honest.
smilingcat

[andtckrtoo]

This dog was not high energy, oddly enough. My friend just changed her mind. She's stupid, inconsiderate and has no heart. Dogs are for life. Another poster said something I loved - dogs are not shoes. You don't bring them home, find out they don't match your furniture & take them back. It's a living being, fer-cryin-out-loud. This dog was picked up as a stray, so there was zero information. I went with her to the humane society initially to evaluate this dog. (I have 25 years of dog training experience, so I know a little bit about behavior.) This dog was a sweetheart. I watched her sit & wag her little tail when other dogs walked by. She was curious but not obnoxious at all. She did not show fear to other people or children. Her leash manners were good.

This dog freaked at being taken back to the humane society. Another poster said that this was a good reason to put it down. Oh really??? Go to any vet's office & watch the freaked out dogs. I close my case.

During the week she had the dog, the dog did not soil her house, chew anything or bark excessively. She did dig, but it's over 100 degrees right now. I had offered obedience lessons, but during that time she had her "conversation" with her vet who told her that this dog was a vicious pit bull, would turn on her and needed to be returned immediately. My "friend" knows nothing about breeds. I told her to google pit bull & look at the picture. She didn't, because she didn't want to "get confused."

OK, enough of this. I'm going to ride my bike. I can tell it's going to be hills at full-tilt-boogie today. I have some emotions to work out.

I did not say that this was a good reason to put the dog down. I said the Humane Society MIGHT consider this a good reason to put the dog down. Humane Societies in general are so overburdened that returning a dog and having that dog freak out, may be enough to have that organization decide that the dog is not adoptable and have him put down in the effort to save a dog who might be adoptable.

[Biciclista]

I did not say that this was a good reason to put the dog down. I said the Humane Society MIGHT consider this a good reason to put the dog down. Humane Societies in general are so overburdened that returning a dog and having that dog freak out, may be enough to have that organization decide that the dog is not adoptable and have him put down in the effort to save a dog who might be adoptable.

they are closing our county animal shelter! They have really dedicated staff there and have over 200 cats there right now..

[Dogmama]

I did not say that this was a good reason to put the dog down. I said the Humane Society MIGHT consider this a good reason to put the dog down. Humane Societies in general are so overburdened that returning a dog and having that dog freak out, may be enough to have that organization decide that the dog is not adoptable and have him put down in the effort to save a dog who might be adoptable.

I would hope that the Humane Society could recognize a dog freaking out in a strange situation vs a biologically problematic dog. Especially because this dog was going back to a situation that was unpleasant. I'm sure the dog recognized the scents, etc. It had only been gone a week.

[Trek420]

I'd believe it that shelter dogs recognize or remember the sights, smells and/or sounds of a shelter. I went to my local shelter to drop off extra/worn sheets, towels, old blankets as I always do whenever I have 'em. My mutt, who loves going anywhere in the car practically cowered in the back seat as if she thought she was going back. It's not even the same one she was adopted from.

[smilingcat]

Best not to take your animal to the shelter even for a visit.

Carson shelter in Los Angeles area has a bad reputation. If you walk onto their facility with your dog. They can confiscate your dog. Their assumption is that you took your dog there for drop off. Never mind about your dog helping you out with finding his new bud.

And if the animal is dropped off by the owner, the animal doesn't even get a 72 hour reprieve. They are put down that DAY. I hope I'm wrong but I've heard it from several people who deal quite a bit with them. And their policy keeps changing ever so frequently so no one really seems to know.

And yes cats and dogs have very good memory of good and bad. We've had rescue dogs returned to us and they knew my house was their home. Their new owners didn't want them after 6 month or so in one case and in another case the new owner, against our instruction not to over feed, allowed the poor golden to become about 120 pounds. She couldn't play any more or go for a walk so she was returned.

And two of our kittens we recovered, when they came back to my house, you could see in their body language, sigh of relief. Then they went and greeted all the other cats in the house.

[Trek420]

Best not to take your animal to the shelter even for a visit.

Mae wasn't in the shelter, she stayed outside in the car while I ran in. She loves going anywhere with me in the car. Sometimes she jumps in the front seat when I leave. She knows dogs can't drive, she's supposed to be in the back seat but normally just lounges on the back seat on her blanket.

This time when I came back out she was cowered on the floor of the back seat.

Then I reflected there are things we don't hear or smell but dogs can. Even though I thought she was yards away from the building she may have known.

Now this is one errand I don't take her with me on.

[crazycanuck]

At the the doggie refuge(www.dogshome.org.au) we adopted Yukon from, they request you to bring in your present doggie to check compatibility with the potential new friend.

WHen we visit Shenton Park next weekend, we'll make it a doggie beach day as well

[OakLeaf]

I don't doubt that their memories are good, but they'd probably react the same way to an unfamiliar shelter just from smelling the pheromones of the animals inside.

[badger]

I thought it apt to put my thoughts in this thread as it already addresses stupid dog ownership.

Between yesterday and today, I saw two people who mistreat their dogs. I was sickened by what I saw yesterday. A woman with an energetic pit bull was at a crosswalk. He was obviously ball-obsessed and was trying to get at the ball in her hand. It dropped out of her hand and he reached for it just as a truck went by.

She violently yanked his leash, smacked him in the hind end, forced him to sit down with her hand and when that didn't produce the result she wanted (the dog was visibly cowering at this point), she kicked him down!

I was in my car watching all this and I had to hold everything within me from getting out and kicking her.

Granted pit bulls sometimes need a firm hand, but this was outright abuse and it sickened me.

Then today, just as I was walking my cat through the courtyard of my building, I hear a "wait. wait. WAIT!". A man with a small dog (maltese-ish) yanked on the leash and waved his fist at the dog. Again, this dog was cowering.

Why do these morons own dogs? They'll wonder why their dog is not behaving properly so they abuse them. They get worse and the morons surrender them to shelters because, in their minds, there's something wrong with the dog. Grr!!