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Ok, so a little spur of tdna's thread about needing advice on the puppy and the irresponsible owners, it brings a question to mind and I'm desperate for other opinions...
Cultural differences or language differences aside, which I can't excuse no matter how hard I try, what do you do to try and change mindsets of people?
To explain more thoroughly, I am a transplant in my current state. I find the companion animal situation here abysmal (my new favorite word as it applies to sooo many things lately) and I try desperately to lead by example. I return lost dogs daily; I captured 2 wandering dogs yesterday, 1 pup and 1 juvenile with a chain around his neck dodging traffic; I weep like a lunatic over dogs hit on the side of the road and since I never seem to make it in time except once, I try to move them aside into the brushy areas so they may rest in peace. This keeps me up at night. I lobby with a volunteer org, I do the spay day events etc....but I meet up with apathy and indifference.
When I return dogs whom I know they belong to, I'm met with a shrug and often annoyance. I get a lot of "yeah he likes to run in the road." What? WHAT?? That's not a past-time I'd endorse is usually my return line because I'm tired of being huffed at like I'm the irritating *****hole...I've worn out my faux surprised face and my concerned but confused smile is threadbare these days.
I'm trying to change mindsets with flamboyantly obvious behavior. I force people to stop with my car and put on my hazards if a dog is running in traffic. I volunteer with a group that likes to 'educate.' I find that 1. if anyone shows up at events at all, they are already there; or 2. I'm met with yeah whatever, gimme free dog treats after you're done lecturing me.
Do you know if anyone in your area goes to the schools to educate the children on how to treat animals? I am just figuring that if they are taught early it may change the way the animals are treated in their generation and the next.
There may well be; I have encountered none. I have a friend that has been trained by one of the orgs we volunteer with, I've been thinking of becoming trained also.
My husband says something that I believe is true about mindsets -- such as rules, laws, etc...people who follow rules will always follow rules; they will abide by laws and read signs - they are the 'reachable ones.' People who never read signs or abide by laws are not reachable. No amount of education (or rules, or laws) will change that. I agree. Hopefully starting with the younger generation is the answer...before I throttle some adults.
I know my husband's coworkers hear about my trials and tribulations and do little things now to change the way they live...I find it hilarious when he comes home to tell me that one of his clients will say something like "I saw a loose Beagle running across the road and thought of your wife and what would she do??" Cracks me up. But that's a rule reader and a law abider. That person was already a 'win' so to speak, just may have needed an example to follow. The problem then arises when he returned that Beagle to the home on its tag and the "owners" were very blase and put out by the knock on their door at 8.30pm. That, unfortunately, discourages that person from doing that good deed again, and that drives me NUTS.
I live in NE GA and the "porch dog" mentality is alive and well here. Only in the last 2 years has my county enacted leash laws and they are very rarely enforced. The only time you can get the dog catcher out is if you feel you are endangered by a dog AND you know who owns the dog and where they live. In my neighborhood alone I've had problems with 3 different land owners (I live rural around small and large agri tracts) and their herds of loose large dogs. We have problems with dogs running livestock out here and one of these peoples pack of dogs killed 3 calves and chewed the ears off a momma cow before the owner could shoot them, then the dog owners had the nerve to show up and harrass the cattle farmer about shooting their dogs. Spay and neuter is almost non-existant and most are resistant. Another problem we have in my little area is people can drive on our country unpaved roads and dump dogs. I can't tell you how much $$ I've spent to get them re-homed, one responsible neighbor has 4 dogs right now all who were show up at my door and feed me, they do such a wonderful job keeping them on their property and caring and training them.
Over the last several years the feed stores and several other vendors have sponsered "rabies clinics" where you can bring your pets and get shots for $10. and discounts on spays and neuters and it has help a lot. We have NO rescue services in this county and the ajoining counties are so overwhelmed that they will check your DL and license plate before you can drop off a dog.
To the OP I wish you luck in changing the "mind set" that seems so prevelant in the rural south. Myself and all my friends are very pro-spay/neuter and vacination, however, we are horse owners and tend to stay up to date on the latest and greatest health care for our horses and other farm animals.
I live in a city of 800,000+ and the apathy is the same We euthanize 26,000+ animals every year, ran PetLand out of our community, have leash, spay/neuter ordinances but they are not enforced. The BYB's, selling of puppies at the flea market and on street corners still goes on daily and oh, pit and **** fighting are the big "sport" events.
I'm not encouraged by any of this news, but I see the blatant geographical trend and it is half of the reason why I am choosing to change my location. Spitting on forest fires isn't doing anything for my morale, that's for sure.
I know how you feel and I agree that it's a regional thing. I moved to Texas a year ago from Maryland. I think my experience is slightly better because I'm in a city environment as opposed to living in rural Texas, but I definitely notice a different attitude towards pets here. People in my neighborhood just let their dogs and cats outside in their front yard, no fence, no supervision, just hoping that they'll come back. And if they don't, oh well. There are always cats roaming the neighborhood. It's hard to watch animals being treated so carelessly. I try to give advice without being overbearing. It's tricky though; it's a fine line.
It sounds like you're doing a lot to help already. I'm sure even though you don't realize it, your example changes some people's minds. Maybe for the sake of your morale you should take a little break from the volunteering and come back to it. I think everyone will agree that it's really emotionally draining. It sounds like you're experiencing a bit of burnout
I try to give advice without being overbearing. It's tricky though; it's a fine line.
It sounds like you're doing a lot to help already. I'm sure even though you don't realize it, your example changes some people's minds. Maybe for the sake of your morale you should take a little break from the volunteering and come back to it. I think everyone will agree that it's really emotionally draining. It sounds like you're experiencing a bit of burnout
Burnt like toast forgotten in the toaster, you're absolutely right. Now I've gotten to the point where educating someone is step 2 after step 1 which is asking are you functionally retarded or just an run o'the mill @**#!^ for locking that dog in hot car???
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What? WHAT?? That's not a past-time I'd endorse is usually my return line because I'm tired of being huffed at like I'm the irritating *****hole...I've worn out my faux surprised face and my concerned but confused smile is threadbare these days.
. Only in the last 2 years has my county enacted leash laws and they are very rarely enforced. The only time you can get the dog catcher out is if you feel you are endangered by a dog AND you know who owns the dog and where they live
. In my neighborhood alone I've had problems with 3 different land owners (I live rural around small and large agri tracts) and their herds of loose large dogs. We have problems with dogs running livestock out here and one of these peoples pack of dogs killed 3 calves and chewed the ears off a momma cow before the owner could shoot them, then the dog owners had the nerve to show up and harrass the cattle farmer about shooting their dogs
We euthanize 26,000+ animals every year, ran PetLand out of our community, have leash, spay/neuter ordinances but they are not enforced. The BYB's, selling of puppies at the flea market and on street corners still goes on daily and oh, pit and **** fighting are the big "sport" events.
that's me...toasty
