So say the vocal people on several dog related FB groups and message boards.
They’re not talking about Fluffy or Fido chewing, peeing/pooping on the floor or digging holes. They’re talking about dogs that bite them/other people unprovoked , geriatric dogs with a TON of health issues, etc.
When do you say enough is enough?
As a cat owner of 15+ years and a father of 1.5 years, the moment my cat bites or otherwise injures my kid, she’s going to take her final trip to the vet.
Unprovoked attacks get no second chance. Period.
Old, sick dogs - we put down 2 within a year when it was obvious to us that they were merely existing, oblivious to anything around them. One of them would walk into a corner and just stand there, having no idea of what to do. We knew it was her time. The other was deaf and blind and completely forgot she was housebroken.
Any animal requiring surgery - it’s pretty much going to be a fiscal decision. I don’t know where the line is, but I’m pretty sure it’s under $1000.
I had a coworker whose dog was hit by a car. He rushed him to the vet and they said $1500. Coworker was a single, childless man and his dog meant a lot to him, so he said OK. A little ways on, the vet said “Another $2000” and coworker figured he was in for so much already, OK, go ahead. This happened a couple more times. In the end, he told me if he’d known, he’d have had the dog put down at the start. He ended up out of pocket over $10K when it was all done, and he was stuck driving a crappy truck far longer than he’d intended.
I don’t buy the argument “But what if it was your child/spouse/parent?” Apples and oranges…
Dogs are family members of a sort, but only of a sort. If they’re biting other people or guests, and it’s not treatable, then you need to get rid of them. If their health issues are costing an excessive amount of money, or they’re just old and no longer able to enjoy themselves, then it’s time to put them to sleep.
Dogs aren’t humans. I like animals but I’m baffled by some animal lovers who not only shell out vast sums to prolong the pet’s life, but actually treat animals *better *than they treat humans.
I’d need to consider specifics on a case by case basis.
When we adopted Ella, the rescue explained her complicated history. She’d been adopted and returned repeatedly, and the rescue was ready to give up on her.
We took her home with the understanding that if she came back she would be put down, and our donation returned or put toward another dog.
A week later we were ready to give up on her. I asked a friend who is a cop and trains dogs for police work to evaluate Ella. He came over wearing a bite suit and did a day’s worth of exercises.
He felt she had potential, so we kept plodding on. We made slow progress, and within a year she was a perfect pet. I’m so glad we didn’t give up early.
Of course you have to try. A dog isn’t a houseplant. They’re creatures with feelings.
But no, of course you can’t try forever. It’s very easy for people to take an extremist position when they’re not the ones with a biting dog or facing ruinous vet bills.
Even here I think you need to assess the situation.
If the kid was provoking the cat and the cat nipped back that might be ok.
Also, I have been bitten/scratched by accident while playing with my pets many times (have a minor wound on my hand right now from playing with my puppy). It is 100% apparent to me that it is entirely accidental/incidental but I’d hate to see a pet put down because a young kid comes running crying that Fluffy bit them when it was just roughhousing.
Related question: How common is it for a vet to refuse to euthanize a pet if the vet doesn’t think the pet’s biting warrants it?
I was deemed to be a terrible person when I opined that rather than spend a huge amount of money for a pet’s surgery, I thought it made more sense to let that critter go and instead adopt another or make a donation to a rescue group. I didn’t say everyone should abide by that rule, merely that I would look at such a situation that way.
Not that I need to justify myself, but we did take in a ratty looking dog that was wandering in our neighborhood, and by the time we got done with the groomer (horribly matted coat) and vet bills (including shots, spaying, and removal of a number of belly tumors) we were over $600 into our free foundling dog. At the time, we could afford it. Now, on the cusp of retirement for reals, we’d probably contact animal control.
It’s complicated and different for every person. I’m very fortunate that I can afford to care for my pets just like human family members, which means that I don’t have to do “economic euthanasia” (a new term that vets are now using that refers to euthanasia opted for purely financial reasons). If we ran into behavior issues, I’d hire a behaviorist. I provide all medical care for my pets just like the human family members. My criteria for when it’s time to euthanize is entirely the well being and quality of life of the animal.
For example, I spent close to $10,000 out of pocket for several MRI’s, xrays, treatments and two surgeries over the life of my male greyhound and would do it again in a heartbeat. (Actually, I’d pay twice that and kill the pope to have him back, I miss him so much.) When his bladder ruptured immediately after his surgery for a bulging disc in his back, I just knew it wasn’t his time to go yet, so we paid to have that repaired to save his life. He recovered fully, proving that I was right.
Two years later, he was diagnosed with bone cancer in his spine (a different place than the previous surgery), collapsed in paralysis in the vet office and then I knew it was his time. But again, I’m extremely fortunate that I can afford to do this. I don’t take it for granted, ever.
I love my dogs more than I like you.
StG
Who treats animals better than humans? Cite?
I treat them with the same respect I treat fellow humans with. Is that bad in your view? (Not that I care, just curious.)
Here is my attitude on the topic: it’s often stated that dogs love us unconditionally. I take care of my dogs (all my pets) no matter the cost because** I** love **them **unconditionally.
How far to take treatment (medical or behavioral) depends on the circumstances including the financial capacity of the pet owner.
We were able to give our black Lab an extra year of quality life after her lymphoma diagnosis. Someone with limited financial resources might have opted for no treatment, or palliative oral steroids.
No one should be guilted into spending beyond their means or prolonging an animal’s existence when it is suffering. Likewise, no one should be guilted into not spending what they can when there is reasonable hope and the animal is not in pain - just because some jerk tells them it’s wrong to “waste” money on a pet and that they should care less about animals and more about humans.
Anecdotes aren’t cites, but: my sister-in-law.
She’s been involved in animal rescue / humane societies for 20 years. It’s her avocation, and her obsession. She currently has four pets in her house (three dogs and a cat), all of whom started out as foster animals from the small humane society that she runs. She spends her days and nights working on finding foster homes for animals, arranging for people to pick up dogs who are about to be euthanized at shelters, etc.
All of that’s wonderful work, right? Except…
She ignores her husband, who, if not for their children (a 16 year old boy, and 11 year old twin girls) would have left her years ago. She is often disengaged from her children’s lives (not attending events, not traveling with them to visit relatives) because she “needs” to spend her time on the animals. She has, in fact, at times bemoaned having children, because it has meant that she can’t focus on the animals as much as she would prefer.
Ah, Kenobi, I’m sorry. I’ve worked in dog rescue too, so I know the type and several others. I’ve gotten to know some people in my circle of rescue volunteer friends who I now would never adopt an animal to because they’re just loopy. You SIL sounds like one of those.
I just hear that phrase “treats animals better than people” tossed around as a generalization too much as if it was an actual demographic. Well… I guess it would be a demographic of unhinged people…
Thank you. Ironically, she does very stringent screening of potential pet adopters, and has often rejected applicants who she feels weren’t able to provide the right environment. And, yet, if she were to be evaluating someone who was just like herself, she might well reject them, too (too many animals already in the house, house is a mess, etc.)
We have a year-old pup who will need hip dysplasia surgery soon and it’s going to be at least $3,000. Thankfully we have the discretionary income to get this done and he should have years of healthy years ahead of him.
Last year our deeply beloved other young guy was diagnosed with heart cancer. Basically we could have kept him alive for two to six months for about $5,000; we instead put him down. My yardstick is how much I’m doing something to keep a pet alive and happy and how much I’m doing it to keep me happy (and to put off an inevitable sorrow).
If I had kids is do the same kind of equation (just kidding! :D)
I’m currently “shelling out vast sums” to prolong the life of the best cat I ever had. In spite of having cancer, he’s still active, playful, affectionate, and has a great appetite, so why should I give up on him? That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t do the same for a human.
We, as a society, do treat animals better than humans; or rather, we treat humans worse than animals. When a person has a painful terminal illness or dementia, we force them and their caregivers to suffer to the bitter end. That’s inhumane.
