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Throw Away Pets: It’s an Epidemic!
By Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis
Would you toss your dog, or cat, or parrot out on its ears or tail feathers because you have been neglectful and irresponsible? Throw your pet away because you have failed to communicate and teach this dependent creature the rules? Do you think that would be cruel and abusive action and that no pet owner could do such a thing?
I hate to burst your bubble, but we are living in a disposable world and throwaway pets are filling up shelters and rescue havens by the millions each year in the United States and even more around the world. People no longer feel responsible for anything including pets and even other people. This attitude has reached epidemic proportions. Have you caught this throwaway fever? You may have it and not even know it!
Pets are unique individuals that love to learn and communicate, each in its own way and based on his or her capacity to learn and understand. But left to fend for itself without guidance, training, love and affection, a pet may be difficult or impossible to live with.
How can you avoid becoming a throwaway parent? If you are thinking about getting a pet, consider your lifestyle and then learn about the needs and characteristics of the type of pet you are considering. Go beyond that cute, fuzzy, whisker-face or that furry, tail-wagging yapper or those bright colored, talking feathers. Learn as much as you can about your possible choice before you make the final decision. Go to the library or the Internet. Read books, watch videos, visit breeders, and talk to other pet owners. Find out if you will be able to commit to the needs of the pet and follow-through. All pets are needy. They require a safe, healthy environment, a nutritious diet, routine medical care, training and companionship with love, praise and affection.
If you have a pet and you are frustrated because the dog isn't doing what you expect or the cat isn't communicating or the bird just sits there --- chances are, the problem is you, not your pet. You haven't taken the time to learn about your particular pet. If you expect your pet to be a responsive companion, you have to know how to properly communicate and then show your buddy the ropes --- teach him to communicate with you.
A pet is not something to enjoy when you feel like it and put away when not in use. A pet --- all pets, are living, breathing beings with likes, dislikes and needs. Dogs for example, don't train themselves. Have you ever said, "I tell my dog to come here, but he won't listen." Or "I tell my dog to stop digging, but he does it anyway!" Well, that's your fault, not the dog's. Every dog needs qualified training. It's part of the communication process. And proper training is the best problem solver.
Perhaps your best friend is a feline and you originally made that choice because you heard people say, "Cats don't need much care, they are independent and they use kitty litter!" Well, there are cats that are more Garbo-esque than others and "vant to be alone." But most cats like company. They like to help you with your tasks like reading the paper, doing your taxes and mending your socks. A cat loves to get in the middle of things --- to be part of the activity, and unknowing owners can become frustrated if they don't know how to acknowledge their fuzzy-wuzzys and satisfy their need for attention. Birds can become ill and self-destructive if they are isolated and ignored.
Dogs may chew a sofa to shreds and cats can pick one to death. Some cat owners have their pets declawed to save the furniture and lose the cat when they put him outside without his natural means of defense.
Above all, don’t be a throw-away pet parent. Find out what the responsibilities of pet ownership are and commit to them. If you can't, don't get a pet.
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