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I didn't go looking for these animals, they came here. I felt sorry for them.
I live next door to a rental house. Two different renters passed on their pets to us. I was asked to check on a sick dog at a local dive. Yes, they were feeding her, but not taking care of her medical needs. I took her in, got her fixed and missing eye checked out. She is still here
A family member had a litter of pups. I took two off of their hands. Both are spayed etc.
Another family member bought a Peke. Didn't like it, so SO went ahead and brought it home.
A pup was hanging out at the local nursing home where a family member had just passed. I felt drawn to it. He came right up to me and I took him in. I must say that he is our favorite.
The last one was the offspring of a feral mom I would feed where I ran. She was killed on the road. This pup will be the last one.
I just feel bad for them. I can afford to provide food and medical care. They live indoors. They are spoiled brats. I am not replacing any of them!
Here's my diagnosis for your "problem": You have a huge heart, and are a wonderful human being.
And yes, then I would worry about them. Sure they might end up on Park Avenue, as some have, but keeping them here, I know what is going on.
Like I said - no more for me
Four of them won't be around much longer. They are in their last years of life. Over ten years old. The other four are young, but pretty easy to handle.
Like I said. that is it for me. I've had other opportunities to get more, and I just say No. I direct them to other agencies that can help. Thankfully our small community has come a long way. We have a brand new animal control facility and they are doing a wonderful job in taking in strays and finding homes for them. I can rest easy.
I've done other things to bring attention to our stray animal population to include feral cat colonies.
The only answer I can offer is "why not??" Unless they're being neglected or breaking local laws, it doesn't really matter - does it? I currently have 2 cats, 1 dog, and 11 snakes myself; used to have way more, so for me this is actually a small brood.
Now if you want me to explain MY reasons for having "so many" pets, there are a number. Companionship, protection (the dog), the fun of caring for different creatures, social connections with other pet lovers, and in some cases, saving the life of an animal who ended up in my hands. I'm a single 42 year-old woman with no children, a full-time job, no roommates, etc; which is all 100% fine with me, but I'd be MUCH less content without my critters waiting at home for me. They bring me joy, and are all extremely well cared-for and loved. So again, why not?
Four of them won't be around much longer. They are in their last years of life. Over ten years old. The other four are young, but pretty easy to handle.
I want to be pet free by the time I reach SS age.
I don''t see how the above is possible - it sounds way overly optimistic and not realistic about when you'll be pet free. I could be wrong.
What you've done (eight dogs and three cats simultaneously) seems the result of both unconscious and conscious motivations and psychological reasons - some reasons you don't seem to want to admit to. (not that you need to)
Aren't you 58? (or 57 or 59?)
Last edited by matisse12; 01-10-2019 at 08:08 PM..
I don''t see how the above is possible - it sounds way overly optimistic and not realistic about when you'll be pet free. I could be wrong.
What you've done (eight dogs and three cats simultaneously) seems the result of both unconscious and conscious motivations and psychological reasons - some reasons you don't seem to want to admit to. (not that you need to)
Aren't you 58? (or 57 or 59?)
yes 58 - SS age would be 67 - so almost ten more years.
I don''t see how the above is possible - it sounds way overly optimistic and not realistic about when you'll be pet free. I could be wrong.
What you've done (eight dogs and three cats simultaneously) seems the result of both unconscious and conscious motivations and psychological reasons - some reasons you don't seem to want to admit to. (not that you need to)
Aren't you 58? (or 57 or 59?)
I also think it is just something that runs in my family history. My father always fed the stray cats in the neighborhood. He would sit out on the front porch and make sure they all had their fair share of kibble. Even when he was in the deepest depths of Alzheimer's, he never forgot his cats.
It is interesting to me because growing up everyone had "a" family pet. A well loved dog or a cat and the children might have a hamster or something. Then when people started working full time there might be two pets to keep each other company all day. Now four or five is not uncommon. Just wondering what may have changed.
I never really thought about it (or noticed this) before now, but perhaps it has to do with the growing "rescue movement?" By that I mean that more & more people choose to rescue/adopt their pets, as opposed to buying them from shops or breeders - and once you go down that path, it can be a slippery slope! I've volunteered with a number of shelters over the years, and it's hard to resist saving the ones you bond with through that work. I personally have more willpower than some people, but still ended up with a few critters I hadn't planned to keep.
I was just looking at a litter of puppies online! My current dog is 12 years. I will be getting a puppy sooner, rather than later. I can never imagine a house without a dog.
I will also always have cats. Cats and dogs, dogs and cats. Love them! Love them so much.
Well for starters, the other t hings don't require $$$$ to keep them in good health.
Maybe not in the living health sense, but many other collections DO require $$$$ to keep them "healthy." Take the hobby of cars, or guns, or playing musical instruments, etc. Do you think it's possible to delve into those without continuously investing money? I play the viola myself, and even just the annual maintenance will set me back a few dollars... I regularly have to get the bow re-haired, replace my strings, occasionally replace the "hardware," and so forth. Sure, my viola won't DIE without these things, but eventually it wouldn't be very playable.
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