What would you do?

[Genia]

A co-worker and good friend recently came to the aid of his neighbor when faulty wiring caused her dryer to catch fire. He managed to extinguish the flames. The house was filled with smoke. He then ran through the house looking for the neighbor's birds. He got all of them out of the house. He suffered from smoke inhalation and spent the better part of the day in the hospital and for the next couple of days suffered from chest pain and the awful "taste of smoke." We were discussing his heroic act at work and someone said he was stupid for going back for the birds. I told them that because he owns birds (3 of them) he holds a special place in his heart for them and his actions were natural. Then I asked everyone present what would they do. Everyone who had pets (majority dogs) said they would go back for their pet. After spouses and children were out of harms way, they would go back into a burning building to rescue them. I was so happy that my co-workers felt this way. I feel the same way. My daughter comes first, but there is no way I could leave my Jeffrey and Bandit. I have been thinking about this because I have been stressed a lot lately (stress indicator: craving Taco Bell). Deadlines to meet and not enough personnel to accomplish the work, being a part of management and having to make unpopular decisions. I've been working 12 hours a day and bringing work home. I've been diagnosed with a vision problem and things have just been so stressful. My daughter has been such a angel, even cleaning her room before stuff started growing under her bed , but I noticed that my boys, Jeffrey and Bandit have sensed my stress also. Jeffrey has been a lot more calm and Bandit seems to cuddle a lot more than ususal. That got me to thinking; They love me so unconditionally, they sense when I'm feeling down and they offer comfort the best way they know how. They are a part of my family. I think I know how much you all love your pets so it may be silly to even ask the question, but, would you go back?

[This message has been edited by Genia (edited March 31, 2001).]

[shais_mom]

I would without question go back for Shaianne, she is all I have. I am single with no kids. She is my child.
I am the first person to admit that I would have never thought I would get this crazy over a dog. One of my friends in college still makes fun of me b/c I used to make fun of her the way she treated her dog. I have told her several times- I eat my words!!!
Everyone thought I was crazy for letting her have surgery over a wart. But she wouldn't leave it alone and if she bit it off it would be messier than if it was removed.
I have said this before and it bears repeating. My grandma and mom both wonder where they went wrong with me and my sister and my cousin. B/c I am so head over paws for this dog, my sister spoils her dog (tho not as much as me, she has 2 kids), and my cousin spoils her cat. My sister and I grew up with a dog but if he was ever in the house, hell had no fury like my mother!!(Pardon the language) It simply was not done. So for my mom and grandma both to allow me to bring my dog into their homes respectively is saying alot. My mom has even let Shai come back after she pooped, peed, puked and ran away all the same weekend!!!!
Tho my grandma did say last week when I told her of Shai's seizure, "This dog is getting to be expensive" I will be the first to admit the cost of treatment did cross my mind, I have one income with a mortage But unquestionably my loyalty lies with my "Child". Someone at work actually told me I should put Shai out her misery if she does have epilepsy!!! I said but it is treatable, and he said yeah in humans what kind of quality of life could she have? Well, I am thinking with me as her owner/parent a ---- good one!! But with you apparently none!!!!
Thanks for letting me get on my soap box!!

[Margrete]

There is no way I would leave my pets in a burning house - or even a collapsed one (I live in California where we have earthquakes all the time). I would definitely go back in to get them if they couldn't get out alone - we have pet doors in both of our homes - and luckily we have never had a fire but at the first tremor every dog we have ever owned races out their door to the yard. They're part of our family - how could we ever leave them??

[Angels3]

I have a huge scar on the inside of my arm at the elbow where I was 'grinded' by moving machinery as I snatched my kitten to safety. I was 4 years old at the time. My attitude remains the same...many decades later. I would always try to save the pets from harm...whatever that harm might be.

[Pam]

Shai's mom...One of my dogs developed epilepsy at around 8 yrs. of age. We simply gave her 2 phenobarbitol pills each day (one in the morning and one at night) and she never had another seizure. Periodically we had to take her to the vet's to have a blood test to monitor the medicine in her blood, but it was really no big deal. She lived to be 14. I can't understand someone making a comment like that to you, especially knowing how much you love your dog!

As far as rescuing my pets from a burning house.....absolutely! If there was anyway possible to do it I wouldn't hesitate for a second!!

[jackiesdaisy1935]

I would do it in a Heartbeat!

[ownerof3dogs]

I wouldn't think twice about it. Ever since Kindergarden teachers and stuff have said leave your pets but I have always said NO WAY. I could never live with myself

[Albea]

I also live alone, with my Golden girl Carina and we are together 24/7 because I'm retired. But when I go out, even for a short time to run some errands, I'm in constant fear that something might happen in the house and I'm not there to help her. Of course, I don't mention this to too many people who think I'm excentric enough as it is, but all of you will understand.

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Hi Albea:
You aren't alone in being excentric, we are also retired and we try to take our two Schnauzers everywhere we go. If we can't,
I'm a little paranoid about leaving them in the house just in case there is a fire. We live in a old (according to California standards) house. If we have to leave them home, we put them in an enclosed patio which has two dog houses. We also have a sticker on our front window that says "Pets Inside"
"2 Dogs" for safety.
So no, you are not alone in your thinking thats for sure. We have lived in our house for 40 years

[Fuzzy317]

I would go back inside to get my pets out of a burning house, without hesitation.

------------------
Recently adopted by 3 cats: Jackson, Rosie, Fluffy; a dog: Eli; some fish, and my fiancee: Lynn (Vi Co Bi)

[Karen]

I bet just about everybody here, me included, would go back into a burning house for the animals once the people were all out and accounted for! Maybe Cinder's Dad, as a firefighter, could offer some advice? Smokey, Cinder, you out there?

[sammi]

I would do everything possible to get my dog to saftey. Yes, its always been drilled into our heads to leave the pets and get out if you have a fire - I could never do that without at least trying.
No you sure aren't alone when you worry about your pets when you are out and they are home alone. I have gone as far as using the feature on my answering machine that lets me call my number and monitor sounds in the house!! I figure that if I can't hear the smoke detectors going off I can relax for awhile! I would never even admit this one to my husband! I thought I was the only one who felt that way!

[Angels3]

Albea, I don't think you're eccentric about having a concern for your pet while you are absent from the house. I think you're being responsible & loving. I agree with jackiesdaisy's ideas for ensuring pet safety when you're not at home. We have a large, weatherproof verandah room along the back of the house. A short flight of steps leads into a little fenced (open wire) courtyard.
Our dogs stay in this verandah room when they are home alone. They can go thro' a doggy door & down into the little courtyard...to go to the toilet & to be seen by anyone who comes to the side or back of the house. I like jackiesdaisy's idea of putting a sign on the house telling the number of pets inside. In our case, one pet could huddle in fright under the day sofa on the verandah. So it would be good for anybody saving them to know the number of pets there. We'll now put up a sign. Thanks for sharing this idea.

[Sudilar]

I also have a sign on my front door indicating that there are two dogs in residence. I would definitely save my dogs. They are part of the family.

[Logan]

I'm glad everyone feels the same way I do. In fact, I prefer that my animals, all of them dogs and cats, stay outdoors when I have to go out for a while...just in case of fire. It is obvious that we love them all a lot.

I definitely think that if we woke up to fire, as long as Helen was safe, I'd be back in to save Honey, Lilly, Mimi, Butter, and the hamsters as quickly as I could. Scarey, Scarey thought....