I don't understand these people. How can so many be so stupid?? (San Antonio: middle-class, renting)

[fierce_flawless]

I am just sick to death of the neglected animals and unsupervised children around here. Enough already. Combined with the heat it's making me REALLY CRANKY lately.

Last night I was leaving to pick up my partner from work and noticed an animal of some sort in the street. Couldn't tell if it was a dog or cat but as it was just sitting there directly in line with my driveway I moved towards it to shoo it out of the street. It was a small black dog making wheezing sounds!

About that time here came an un-leashed pit bull running wildly, followed by 3 or 4 kids, one of which was no more than 18 months old and in a diaper only. The dog started to run into my yard (and towards my cat) so I whistled and got it to head the other way. The kids were squealing and chasing it, and I looked across the street to see "Dad" observing.

No one made a move towards the little dog in the street so I kept heading towards it and asked the adult if it was his, and he replied "Yeah"... but made no move towards it until a truck came along. By this time his kids were still in the road, and one of the older kids pulled the toddler out of the road while "Dad" made a half-hearted attempt at getting the little dog out of harm's way.

Thankfully no one was hurt... but as I drove away I noticed the little dog back in the street and wandering.

This is just one incident, and these people are new (renters) in a multi-family house diagonal from mine... but the story is nothing new. It's been something similar practically everywhere in SA that I've lived; dogs running loose, dogs tied with no water or shelter from the sun, kids wandering around in diapers, kids loud and outside at 2 am... I'm just so sick of it and wanted to vent. I don't buy that it's a "poor" thing. Yeah, I've lived mostly (but not always) in "poor" neighborhoods, have lived most of my life below poverty level...but dangit, I was RAISED that you care for animals the same way you would a child... and that means food, shelter, supervision, protection, love, and CONCERN. Why is that such a freakin' difficult concept for some people to grasp???

[ShaneSA]

I had to make a run to Wal Mart one evening, actually late night, for some medication. I was amazed to see the number of kids on the store. Don't kids belong in bed at an early hour? When do these kids sleep? and who ever told the parents it's Ok to take your kid to Wally world at 10 or 11 PM?
No wonder they can't count or read or have any manners, they sleep all day and run in Wal mart all night.
I'm with ya on this one.....poor kids get no discipline or guidance. Structure is the best tool to raise a kid who knows right from wrong.

[mrstxcop]

^^^ i'm not so sure that it's a poor thing --- you may get flamed on that remark re: poor kids having no discipline or guidance --- i have seen many kids from well to do families that are not being raised with discipline --- the kids seem to be making all the rules --- we are far from poor but also far from rich --- yet we instill lots of discipline and guidance and our kids have so many manners we get comments all the time about how polite they all are --- they speak to all elders with ma'am and sir and always say please, thank you and excuse me --- yet we are also those parents that may have our kids out late ---

it's nothing for us to have our kids at walmart at 10 or 11pm --- but only during the summer or weekends --- during school nights the 6yr old is in bed at 7pm and the 12yr old is in bed at 9pm --- our 2yr old goes to bed at 10pm --- during the summer or the weekends bedtimes are thrown out the window and we may do our grocery shopping late, when it's less crowded --- our kids, all 3, have always been late to bedders and late risers --- our family, dh and i included, have never been morning people --- we are all night owls ---

i really don't think this is an economic thing --- i think it's just a mix of lots of things --- some parents really don't care --- some do attachment parenting and don't believe in letting their kids cry or spanking --- some parents want to let their kids make their own decisions, whether they are 2 or 12 ---

i am sure this can be debated forever --- the point i really wanted to make was, in my opinion, it has to do with parenting style rather than economics ---

[hello13685]

It's so weird that I'm reading this just now. I drove down to see a friend who lives in the Beacon Hill-ish area. I turned from Hildrebrand south onto Michigan (friend lives on Lullwood), and standing in the road, but near the side, was a sickly brown poodle. It looked stunned and had a ton of gunk in its eyes. On the way home and at the end of the Lullwood block there was a white cat crouched in the middle of the road chewing on something. I stopped a good ten feet from it and it just stayed there, staring at me, chewing, like what the heck did I want. It finally waltzed out of my path. The last time I left my friend's house, there was a huge Labrador Retriever curled up and sleeping in one of the huge potholes in the middle of the road!!! It's crazy!

As far as causes for fierceflawless's comments are concerned, I believe that economics, education, and parenting skills may be related in some interesting ways. I can think of no explanation. Do toddlers in diapers run into traffic in Stone Oak? And if not, why not?

[googie2525]

It's no big secret in San Antonio that in poorer/neglected neighborhoods, pets tend to suffer torturous treatment.

I've seen it so many time it makes me ill - especially when I lived in Monticello Park.

I remember a group of kids/tweens in a beat-up old truck laughing hysterically as their dad - or whoever the driver was, a guy in his 50's - I just assume it was the father of this ragged tribe of rotten children) ran over a dog (and I SWEAR it was purposely done, as he made absolutely no attempt to swerve or honk - even a smidgeon - and we're not talking a heavy traffic area here, no cars even remotely close to his - nada.

I can only imagine what wonderful contributions to society these wonderful young fellas will make when full grown...as for the father, I don't want to know, as anyone who would purposely run over a dog is just a garden-variety sicko IMO.

I can only attribute the fact that they use these dogs primarily for property protection and perhaps think of them as mere props to be beaten, neglected and just kicked around for s**ts and giggles.

Cats just seem to be hated in general in these neighborhoods and simply invite good ol' fun with firecrackers in orifices from these kids straight out of "Gummo."

As you can see, this particular topic just boils my blood as I practice TNR with feral cats; and living in '09, I've yet to see a dog chained to a tree, etc. - and on the rare occassion a dog gets loose in the street, it becomes a major scene with cars pulled over, folks trying to cajole the dog over, take it home, and post "lost dog" flyers (just go to Hollywood Video on N. New Braunfels for proof of this, heck, just drive around the general area for proof).

I can't wait for the responses to this posting

[rd2007]

More proof that dogs are better than most humans: Abandoned baby found safe with dog - Yahoo! News (broken link)

and yes I mean that literally

[mtdave2]

While its true its not fully a poor thing, it is true that the poor are more likely to be this way. I would call it being irresponsible. That of course leads people to being poor.


Being irresponsible makes people have babies they can’t pay for, not get an education, spend more money than they make, not take care of their pets or kids. They can’t show up to work on time; they usually are cheating on their spouse…and on and on and on. I have met tons of these people unfortunately. I work with a few as well, they make good money so they can have a good standard of living, but of course they are broke and in debt too.

Does anyone remember the baby that was shot setting in her walker out side of the family home? it was a drive by and the kid was hit by a stray bullet. Most people remember that part, but no one seems to remember what caught my attention. It was 2am. That fact tells more about the family than anything to me….see above paragraph.

[ShaneSA]

I'm sorry, I did not mean to say "poor" kids as in economically challenged...I meant those poor kids as in lacking guidance and discipline. The lack of inflection and tone when typing leaves some things to be desired on here. It is by no means an economic situation. I've seen the lack of structure and discipline across all economic strata.

[hadleyzoo]

Yes, lack of structure and discipline is everywhere. I don't live in a rich area, but not an economically challenged area either. Average, middle-class is what I'd call it. And the kids around here have no control or supervision either. Just the other day when the storms were rolling in, there were a bunch of 14-15 year olds at the pool in the water with it lightning. We had already yelled at the kids to get out of the pool and they didn't flinch. Someone drove up, rolled down their window in pouring rain and told them to get out of the pool. After the kids belted a few cuss words at the guy, the guy threatened to call the cops, and most of the kids left, but several others stayed. I have had to tell kids not to throw the furniture in the pool, only to find after I go in my house them throw the furniture in the pool. Yeah, there are pool rules the HOA has sent out on numerous occasions and nobody adheres to them. And I've given up saying anything to the parents. I followed a few boys home one day after they threw rocks and furniture in the pool to talk with the parents about their behavior and lack of respect for the property we ALL pay for. After being cussed out and told to mind my own business, I've decided that there are too many idiots in the world. All I can do is do right by myself and my family, assist when I come upon something or someone that needs help---and I can sleep peacefully at night because I try to do the right thing.

[hello13685]

I have to admit that as a toddler I escaped my front yard while mom wasn't looking and wandered two blocks and stood beside a busy 4-lane road. My distressed mother found me there 20 minutes later. My point is that mom found me with our family dog standing by my side. My parents insist that before that, the dog had never been protective of me. I find it fascinating that that dog could have known that I shouldn't have wandered out alone at my age, and that it stood by my side until I was found. It's recognizing animals' intelligence, sensitivity, and caring for humans, that makes me so angry with people who mistreatment them in return.