I wish it was as simple as just telling them things are wrong but unfortunately that side of my family was raised to view animals as property and nothing more. The sister I spoke of just turned 5, but thus has been going on for years. My dad ran over my cat on purpose and many animals have 'run away' or 'got lost', I don't believe that though, when my brother was 6 he threw a kitten against a tree and it died... he didn't know he did anything wrong he picked it up from his parents. That's just how it is. I don't know if he'd make me pay for him but I'd be more than willing to. I'm just not in a position to take him now, maybe in a year or so when I have my own place... and yea Diesel crossed my mind too but that's my aunt's dog's name.