Quote Originally Posted by Eden View Post
It's not minimizing those with allergies (I have seasonal allergies and I wouldn't adopt a birch tree....). It's about people probably who do not have allergies just using it as a convenient excuse.....

If you've had a cat for a few years its not all that likely that all of the sudden you'll have developed terrible, untreatable allergies to it (and definitely unlikely in the huge numbers of pets who are given up)...... If someone adopted a cat and a few weeks later realized that they had terrible allergies (like the doc I worked with) I could see it, but on the intake forms there was also a space for how long have you had this pet - most people suddenly develop their allergies after they've had the cat for quite some time, usually around right the age they stop being a cute little kitten....

You won't convince me that most people don't tell the truth when they drop animals off at the shelter.... I'm not saying they shouldn't shelter their unwanted pets - better they go to the shelter, especially a no kill shelter, than the worse things that could happen. Then again if you aren't willing to commit to a pet for a lifetime, better to not get one in the first place....
(and for goodness sake spay and neuter!)
My season allergies started when I was about 30 and didn't start gettng really bad until age 35, so from my limited experience, it's possible for allergies to develop seemingly out of nowhere and/or to worsen over time. My allergy symtoms also change from year to year. Some years, I have itchy, watery eyes. Some years I have a lot of sneezing. This year, I had a mean case of post nasal drip to the point that I had trouble swallowing. Some symptoms are easier to tolerate than others. Some years my drugs work better than others, too. It's a moving target.

It's one thing to blame allergies when that's really not the reason a person is getting rid of a pet. I think we both have a problem with that. But your original post seemed to suggest, at least to me, that people with pet allergies should just take a drug and deal with it. I'm sure some do and feel like it's an acceptable solution. Allergy meds do work for many. For others, however, rehoming might either be the necessary or preferred way to deal with the problem.