# By regularly feeding scraps to this stray dog, am I taking moral responsibility for it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 4, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365 "2014-04-04T19:06:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/41 "2014-04-06T22:20:34Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Why? > > I agree that I have a moral responsibility not to harm it without a good reason, which is why I haven’t beaten it with a stick or maced it to keep it the frickety-frack out of my way. Where do you see my moral responsibility to it deriving from? If it is yapping at you, it almost certainly is yapping at others. That makes it a public nuisance and your duty as a citizen to report it. If you do not feel a moral obligation to care for the dog’s welfare, you should act as you would if you saw a broken curb or a non-working streetlight. Plus it’s a homeless goggie. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/42 "2014-04-07T01:56:36Z")
I don’t think Skald has any additional responsibility from feeding the dog. I believe the only reason that doing good imposes responsibility on a person is because the act demonstrates the person knows what is good, and we all have the responsibility to do good. I believe Skald fed the dog from self-interest, not from a desire to do good. That means, you still have to do something about the dog, but not because of the hot dogs. (In fact, that is the second most unreasonable argument you’ve posted about.) ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/43 "2014-04-08T16:33:42Z")
So, **Skald** , are you coming back? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/44 "2014-04-08T16:49:40Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > If you keep feeding the dog the two of you will fall in love, bad breath, fleas and stinky farts. Yes, dogs can overlook much. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/45 "2014-04-08T23:33:36Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > So, **Skald** , are you coming back? Maybe the AYD ate him? ---
**Author:** ![micadw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@micadw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/micadw)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/46 "2014-04-09T19:18:12Z")
I had a similar situation with a cat that took up in our barn. After a week of feeding her I took Ber to a no kill shelter. I had to pay $35 for them to take her in because I cared for her overnight. She was comcidered my pet. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/47 "2014-04-10T13:51:53Z")
You don’t have a moral responsibility to the dog. You were, in effect, paying it menaces money. It is your enemy and you don’t _have to_ do jack to help it. It would be _nice_ if you did something for it, but we don’t have a moral _responsibility_ to be _nice_ to animals. Just to not be cruel. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/48 "2014-04-10T16:46:22Z")
So it was raining Sunday, and I found myself concerned about the AYD, so I called my cousin “Sam” and we went to the property, achieved ingress in a way that was totally not criminal, and got it outside the fence. I took it home and gave it a bath and told my wife we’d be taking it to a rescue place, to which she replied that I must have lost my fucking mind if I thought she was going to allow the cute little doggie to be released to parts unknown. Also our daughter loves it. Him. So we have acquired a dog. Subject to him never ever once growling at either my daughter or either of the babies, of course. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/49 "2014-04-10T19:57:41Z")
Hooray! As to the never growling bit, that’s up to you. Now you are a dog owner, you DO have a moral responsibility - to socialize and train your dog. Please read something about dog training. My rec is **[Don’t Shoot The Dog](http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Shoot-Dog-Teaching-Training/dp/0553380397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397159692&sr=8-1&keywords=dont+shoot+the+dog+by+karen+pryor)** by Karen Pryor, but any relatively modern trainer’s works would do. Your library probably has few to choose from. Beware of any trainers selling expensive gear - you don’t need it - and avoid dominance theories, e.g., being the “alpha” in your pack - these are outdated and can be harmful. Congrats, and please take my unsolicited advice in the spirit in which it was given 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/50 "2014-04-10T20:06:12Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > Hooray! > > As to the never growling bit, that’s up to you. Now you are a dog owner, you DO have a moral responsibility - to socialize and train your dog. > > Please read something about dog training. My rec is **[Don’t Shoot The Dog](http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Shoot-Dog-Teaching-Training/dp/0553380397/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397159692&sr=8-1&keywords=dont+shoot+the+dog+by+karen+pryor)** by Karen Pryor, but any relatively modern trainer’s works would do. Your library probably has few to choose from. Beware of any trainers selling expensive gear - you don’t need it - and avoid dominance theories, e.g., being the “alpha” in your pack - these are outdated and can be harmful. > > Congrats, and please take my unsolicited advice in the spirit in which it was given 🙂 I got distracted by work and hit submit too soon on my earlier post. The AYD is not going to be resident in my apartment, which is after all an apartment in which two babies, a toddler, and two adults live. We took him to the vet and got him looked over, and my little sister, who has a house with a fenced yard, will be keeping him. My daughter will have visiting rights though. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/51 "2014-04-10T20:57:42Z")
What a great ending!!! 🙂 Thanks for helping the dog, and to your wife and sister for their hearts of gold. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/52 "2014-04-10T21:13:34Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Only if it is a “no kill” shelter. Otherwise, it could be a death sentence. If I were the dog, I’d choose to make my own way in the world over being caged and eventually killed, sometimes after as little as three days. > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > The dog’s annoying, not dangerous. Calling Animal Control is likely to get him put down. You two would honestly rather be cold and wet and hungry and eaten up with fleas and ticks and heartworms until you get squished by a car than be warm and dry and fed until you either find a home or get a massive dose of a drug similar to what humans take for fun? Really? This particular dog has found a home, but it’s something to keep in mind if you ever find yourself in this situation again. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/53 "2014-04-10T21:28:43Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > You two would honestly rather be cold and wet and hungry and eaten up with fleas and ticks and heartworms until you get squished by a car than be warm and dry and fed until you either find a home or get a massive dose of a drug similar to what humans take for fun? Really? > > This particular dog has found a home, but it’s something to keep in mind if you ever find yourself in this situation again. The dog hasn’t found a home. I found the dog a home. No, scratch, that. Sam and I rescued the homeless dog; my wife found him a home; and my sister gave him a home. And yes, if I were given the choice between being homeless and living by my wits and being executed, I’d choose to live by my wits. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/54 "2014-04-10T21:41:39Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > … > And yes, if I were given the choice between being homeless and living by my wits and being executed, I’d choose to live by my wits. You, as a human, have more choice and wits. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/55 "2014-04-10T21:43:15Z")
> [@j666](#): > > You, as a human, have more choice and wits. You notice how the dog didn’t die over the winter? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/56 "2014-04-10T21:45:30Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > …I’d choose to live by my wits. I’ve done fine living by just half of mine. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/57 "2014-04-10T21:48:30Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I’ve done fine living by just half of mine. As I told you in the summer: I will return the other half of your wits when you apologize for what you did to Amy Pond. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/58 "2014-04-10T21:59:28Z")
I’m glad that the situation has now resolved itself, but I just wanted to point out, for anyone in a similar situation, that you shouldn’t have been feeding a strange dog to begin with (especially with non-dog-food like hot dogs). The dog might have food allergies or other dietary restrictions that you don’t know about, and your feeding might be undermining training that the owner is attempting. Obviously, this changes once you learn that the dog is abandoned. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/59 "2014-04-10T22:09:28Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > You notice how the dog didn’t die over the winter? Skald, he survived by mugging people for hotdogs! That doesn’t take a lot of wits. (I didn’t think you lived in a place cold enough to kill wild or feral animals.) ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365/60 "2014-04-10T22:13:26Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > . . . 2) There’s no desert in any of my threads. The Sahara is my enemy and always has been. I’d offer to loan **Shakes** an S, but there’s no dessert in this thread, either. **Skald** , I apologize for laughing as loud as I did when I got to the post about the rainy day. It was involuntary. And short. The rainy day made filling out the poll kinda pointless, but I’ll go ahead and do that anyway. Before I scroll back to it, let me say that your responsibility was small and way behind all of the neighbors who had to have been feeding the dog. I also apologize for not leaving this alone: > [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > . . . This issue will soon be mute! > [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > What, no bad puns yet? :rolleyes: If the dog had been mute, **Skald** wouldn’t have had to feed it hot dogs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/by-regularly-feeding-scraps-to-this-stray-dog-am-i-taking-moral-responsibility-for-it/685365.md?page=4)