Giving up cherished pets
It seems lately, more and more people are giving up their pets and use the current economic troubles as the reason. I cannot claim to know what is really going on with these people, but I do know we have had economic hard times before, as individuals and as a country. The flood of pets coming into the system now has never been seen before.
This is why I question how many of these people are actually in hard times.
You see, I grew up in a military family when we were considered low class. There were people who would not rent to military folks period.
We always, I mean always, had a dog. Sometimes more than one, but always at least one. He was part of our family. He had food and medical care when he needed it and the thought of ever getting rid of him was a foreign idea, at least to my parents. It had to do with responsibility.
My father, God rest his soul, would have never taken on the responsibility of a pet, unless he planned on taking care of the animal the rest of the animal's life.
I have seen my father work two jobs to help support his family. I am sure he didn't want to go to work at the building supply store or the gas station after he left the military base, but he did what was necessary to keep the family together. We didn't own a house, there were 3 kids and we always had a car, one car, for the family. He always found a place to live, we always made to where we needed to be, there was always food on the table, and as kids, we never worried about the family not being together, dog included.
So the next time someone tells me they HAVE to give up there cherished? pet, because they can't find a place to live, or they can't afford it, or the simply can't whatever, remind me to bite my tongue and smile. I am simply not buying that excuse any longer.
This is why I question how many of these people are actually in hard times.
You see, I grew up in a military family when we were considered low class. There were people who would not rent to military folks period.
We always, I mean always, had a dog. Sometimes more than one, but always at least one. He was part of our family. He had food and medical care when he needed it and the thought of ever getting rid of him was a foreign idea, at least to my parents. It had to do with responsibility.
My father, God rest his soul, would have never taken on the responsibility of a pet, unless he planned on taking care of the animal the rest of the animal's life.
I have seen my father work two jobs to help support his family. I am sure he didn't want to go to work at the building supply store or the gas station after he left the military base, but he did what was necessary to keep the family together. We didn't own a house, there were 3 kids and we always had a car, one car, for the family. He always found a place to live, we always made to where we needed to be, there was always food on the table, and as kids, we never worried about the family not being together, dog included.
So the next time someone tells me they HAVE to give up there cherished? pet, because they can't find a place to live, or they can't afford it, or the simply can't whatever, remind me to bite my tongue and smile. I am simply not buying that excuse any longer.
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