My sister and dogs *rant*

[wolf_Q]

I'm going to regret posting this, I generally don't like to rant on my family members publicly but I've just had enough.

I was just thinking this fact earlier today. My sister (and her family...I usually just refer to the one getting dogs as my sister but it also involves her husband and kids) got their first dog, Mckinney, a westie in about May 2002. I got Nebo in July 2002. In that amount of time (4 years) I have had ONE dog, Nebo, I have cared for him and will continue to care for him for the rest of his life. In that SAME amount of time they have had EIGHT dogs!!

They have had Mckinney (westie), Sydney (schnauzer...who now lives with us), Airedale/GSD mix puppy, Siberian husky puppy, Skylee (golden retriever), Hailey (lab mix puppy), Dakota (golden retriever), and now some yorkie puppy (don't know the name...at this point I don't even want to find out). I think I'm missing some too.

Not to mention the fish (their first they just flushed down the toilet because they didn't want to care for them), they've killed some goldfish and bettas since then, a guinea pig, a parakeet, and recently they got a cockatiel which only lasted a few weeks until their 5 year old daughter tried to "wash" it with a toothbrush until it was bleeding, so they gave it away.

When they got Dakota at 9 weeks I warned them that he was going to be a big (around 100 lbs) dog, and of course, they blew that off and didn't believe it until the vet said the same thing. They don't even have a fenced yard. I knew it wouldn't last, and of course, I was right, they are now selling him because they need the money and he's too big and "may hurt the kids" etc. He's only about 5-6 months old. He was supposed to be a therapy type dog for their son who has epilepsy. They are already talking about getting another golden when their son is older. A week or so ago they got a tiny 6 week old yorkie puppy. And now that they need money really bad they've decided they just have to sell a dog so out goes Dakota because "the kids just adore the little puppy."

It is especially frustrating to me because I love and care for my dog yet I'm not allowed to get another, and they can just get dogs and toss them like a piece of trash. It's hard enough to see complete strangers treating animals like that...it's my own sister and I can't even do anything about it! I find myself getting attached to her dogs too so it hurts me to see them go. Ok, I'm done with my rant now...anyone else have family members or friends that frustrate you with what they do with their pets?

[BC_MoM]

Wow. How can they even afford to do that?? Poor animals.

My Uncle has two American Eskimo x Border Collies who are outside and tied up with wire 24/7. They're full of matts and their poop has tangled into their bum feathers.

One day I was out there in the summer, and the dogs were out of water so I said, "Uh, their bowl is COMPLETELY dry. Aren't you going to fill it?" and she said, "Nah, they're fine."

WTH?? I swear, once I get my apartment I'm going to drive out there in the middle of the night, steal them, clean them up, SPAY THE FEMALE THEY WANT TO BREED, and rehome them.

[wolf_Q]

They CAN'T afford it, that's part of the problem.

At least they do take decent care of the dogs while they have them (spayed/neutered, allowed in the house, etc.) but I hate how they just keep getting rid of one then getting another!

That's very sad about your uncle's dogs. I know my sister could be worse but still it drives me crazy.

[animal_rescue]

Awww that really sucks! Hopefully they will take care of the yorkie and not give her away.

My uncle and cousins are pretty stupid when it comes to dogs. He used to breed pit bulls and sell them to anyone. He just wanted the money.. he's kind of smartening up though. He hasn't bred any for awhile but he's still in contact with all of the pit bull bybs here. So who knows.

[Zippy]

So I am not the only one with family that has no bussiness owning animals

Don't even get my started on mine
My cousin has killed off a lot of his animals.He tryied to thorw his hamster on the roof of his house my brother stopped him by slapping him.He thorws his lizards at the wall.His parents my aunt and uncle laugh it off.Then my uncle says fish don't have feelings.they don't feed there lizards let there cats get pergent,they get dogs and don't train them,they don't give there dogs toys and bones,they don't know anything about animals my mom my grandma and I try to tell them at least know they give the dogs food and water more i think.My cousins betta died because he lived in small bowl they never cleaned.
The also get animals and give them alway.

[luvofallhorses]

some people shouldn't be allowed to have pets!

my cousin, Heather acts like she is an animal lover..but she is so NOT! she got my aunt's kitten because they didn't have time for her anymore. her name was Petri (from the land before time) If I knew if we could get another cat before we got Tiger (which I would have got her..but I don't regret getting Tiger. ) of course she wasn't spayed and she said she ran off. I bet she didn't even go look for her. and she's probably pregnant now. then she tells me she got a dog and then I ask her how the dog is doing and she tells me that she gave her back to the owners because she chewed up the bed. and then she tells me she has cats and is going to get rid of them because she can't afford them and she tells me they are more expensive than dogs. in what world?

[k9krazee]

Wow, how sad, poor doggies So how many do they currently have?

I think the worst is my Aunt who tries to 'save' them all. She recently got an (abused) Min Pin adult and puppy from some people and took the adult to the shelter and gave the puppy to my cousin (after trying to give it to us). My cousin can't afford a dog, she is an unemployed single mother (to three boys under the age of 6), after a couple weeks they ended up taking the pup to the shelter because it was too much work. This is also the same Aunt that had a Dalmatian Sassy (that we took and found a home for because she couldn't afford it) and now she has her heart set on a black lab puppy. I don't think she lives in a stable enough environment for a dog though. She also bred Bullmastiff/Rottweiler puppies a few years ago selling them as either purebred Rotties or Bullmastiffs (whatever the pups looked like more) Before that she bred Dalmatians and pure Bullmastiffs

[Alasse]

If it were a family member of mine i'd tell them what i thought. People need to research the breed of animal they are getting, prior to buying it, to ensure it will fit into their home and lifestyle. Pets are expensive, and people really need to understand this, but sadly a lot don't.

[Zippy]

If it were a family member of mine i'd tell them what i thought.

You can only tell and yell at them so much.

[Alasse]

You can only tell and yell at them so much.

Yep unfortunately, that is very very true

[Almita]

Wow poor pets! I'm sorry to hear that your sister and her husband just do that for the money, don't want it, or other reasons. Then why did they get it in the first place if they just give it away sooner or later?

i understand your consequence very well this is how it is with my cousin. She wants one but her parents get them then they decide to give them away for no reason. It just frustrates me.

I don't think your sister and her family should be having pets if they do that to the poor animals. Like you said about that poor goldfish as well.

I'm sorry that that is on your mind. It is good to let all the anger out by typing it out or writing. That helps for me very well.

[Love That Collie]

That's really sad about your sister getting all those dogs/puppies then selling or giving them away I bet it isn't good on the children either. Kids can get so attached, so quickly to animals. I know what it's like that your pet is given away. I wasn't allowed to have a dog until I was about 12 and I so loved dogs ever since I can remember.

Then I got my first dog, she slept with me, I trained her and she was very smart. I grew up, married and couldn't take her with me but my brother was still a young teenager at home and parents and I felt that she belonged to the whole family although my dad just put up with having a dog in the house. Well, my parents bought a new house after I'd married (I lived just a few miles from them) and my dad gave her away because, as he put it, he was tired of finding dog hairs in his underwear drawer. Sure she was a longhaired dog and shed some but he's a fanatic about somethings.....still is. Anyway, nobody even consulted me before they gave her away. So when I found out a couple a days later he'd given her away I went to find the family that they'd given her to and she'd been hit by a semi truck! Even though my parents told them not to walk her near a busy highway because she was afraid of traffic that's what they did and she bolted from them and ran in front of the semi!! I don't think I have totally forgiven him for doing this for the reason he gave to this day and it's been over 25 years ago!
Well, that's my rant!

[cyber-sibes]

Wow, this sure is a sad thread for us animal lovers
My brother had a beautiful Irish Setter years ago. He "trained" the dog, and he was healthy, but my brother used to yell at him & threaten him physically. The poor dog would cower in his presence. Once we were both at my Mom's, he actually KICKED his dog and started cursing at it - I blew my top and read him the riot act. By the end of it, he & I almost came to blows. My poor mother was so upset with the two of us, but I couldn't help it. NO ONE kicks a dog in front of me and gets away with it!
He gave the dog to my mom, who took exceptional care of him, and Red did get to live a long, & finally happy, life.

[Husky15]

That's just crazy. No offence but I don't think they should have a dog. They are making up stupid excuses. I am no stranger to dogs. Since I was born we've had four dogs before our forever dog Belle. But we had reasons to give them up. The first one, Buster, who I hardly remember but he looked like a Lab or Golden, bit me in the face one time, and this wasn't any playbite or a bite by mistake, he was aggressive, either that or couldn't handle kids. Our next dog, Pagen (Sheltie) was abused and my dad knew of this so he adopted her from the abusing parents. Well come to find out my sister has terrible, terrible allergies to her, so we have to give her up. And then comes Princess, the best dog, she was a Lab/Golden (my dad loves yellow Labs) nothing wrong with her except the fact that she chased cars. Well we didn't let that stop us from owning her. But before we moved my father went and checked out the place where we were moving to, and the owner of the place (the IDIOT) said to my dad that NO DOGS WERE ALLOWED and laid it out straight. So we gave Princess up to one of my mom's friends. Once we moved here, we saw dogs everywhere, which really ticked me off. Well a few years later we see cute Husky/Alaskan Malamute mixes at the petstore. Me and my sister both went wild. So one night dad came home with one. We had him for a few months and come to find out we got another aggressive dog. So we gave him up to a guy who raised Huskies and sleded them for a hobby. Well this dog (Max) would bite off other dog's ears and bite every family member there. So he definitely was aggressive. And now we have Belle. And we are never gonna give her up.

[sabies]

Oh gosh, all these terrible stories, Amy you are not alone!

I have a sister who is capable of giving up her dog (with an excuse of course) and then buy another. That's buy not rescue, and she doesn't even have money for that! I thought I was going to help her look at shelters, I sent her petfinder links, . . . next thing I know they have a dog.

As has been mentioned, there is nothing you can do more than state your mind (unless it's something illegal). It is frustrating but just be proud of yourself for not being that way and keep in mind that there are many people out there respectful of animals. I hope your example will help your nieces/nephews to not follow in their parents' footsteps.