what happens when?

[Dixie Belle]

OKAY!!! Everyone please calm down!! If I know Megan's dad, he is just playing with Megan. Besides that, her mom wouldn't let him do that. More than likely he is just joking to get a rise out of Megan. And like the good girl that she is, she is falling for it. See, out were we live, people believe that dogs are dogs and they will do stuff like that from time to time. I know that it sounds awful, and I agree that it can be. For example, we have a little begal that got run over in our driveway, we called the owners, who never showed up, because it is just hunting dog, so we had to despose of the little thing.

I don't really think that Megan's dad is this sort of person. They have had a dog cruelly killed before, and I can't see him doing anything like this to theirs.

I know that all of you are freaking out about what I have been telling you, but unfortunaly, that's life in the country. In honesty, most of the purebreed dogs here are used for hunting, and in worst cases are even fought. Most are not loved, or even properly fed and taken care of. I know of two purebreeds here that are. My Dixie Belle, and my next door neighbors German Shephard, Sable. If you are a mutt, it's even worse. And no, calling the law doesn't help, and we have no real animal control, unless you live inside of city limits, which we don't.

Megan, honey, I really don't think you have much to worry about. You have a good dog, and she does her job well. I do not see you dad doing anything to her.

[Albea]

If Megan's father was just "joking," God save other children fron a parent with such a sense of humor.

[lizbud]

Dixie Belle,
Thanks for the explaning the situation a
little bit; but "playing around" with a
child's mind like that is sick.Most young
children take things said by an adult
literally and believe it absolutely.
I've lived around country folk all my
life and know what you mean by the "dog is
a dog" attitude.Hopefully all children
nowadays can learn a newer & better way
to treat all animals. This world is a cruel
place sometimes but we can still try to
teach children that there are better ways
of dealing with problems.

[sasvermont]

Here's my take on this topic:

Many rural communities have quite different opinions about how animals should and could be treated. I have a neighbor who shoots pigeons off his barn room on Sundays - with a pistol. I have another neighbor who shots his dogs and cats rather than put them down with a Vet injection etc. like the rest of us do. They take dead cows and toss them in the woods to decompose. I would send them to a retirement community, if I could. It is a cultural thing and they consider dogs, cats etc. part of the food chain. Some of the old time farmers are from the old school where a pet is just another face to feed - and if necessary, they will make the face disappear as cheaply and easily as possible. Guns often solve lots of problems with animal control in rural areas. (And urban areas too, unfortunately)... I, on the other hand, if necessary, catch the stray cats and dogs and have them altered and spayed etc. and have them given shots...I often give out the name of the rescue association that offers this service for free, to farmers and poor folks. I use them for the stays, not my pets, so that they will not be using up precious time with me, when I can afford a "boutique" style service where they send get well cards etc.....

I trust Megan's Dad was kidding and some time to a rural area, kidding can take on a different tone. I also trust that the dog and child are not in harm's way.

But nothing would surprise me knowing what I know about some folks ideas of what is funny and what is not. I hope someone knows this child and pet and Dad...and we are all just spinning our wheels! Ugh.

[yorkster]

If this dog bite was something other than a playful thing, then maybe the reason it happened was because of the way it's treated. Finding humor in 'shooting at, or around' a dog, shows someone who is going to mistreat an animal.

If Megan was concerned enough to bring up the subject, then there must be some reasonable concern.

I am trying to take into account that it is a rural area, and people and their attitudes are different, so maybe I am really wrong in my feeling about it. I have never lived in an area where that was the common attitude.

However, I don't think it makes it 'okay' that people treat animals that way.
And if so....it's time to try and change that, yes???

[mugsy]

Personally, I don't find anything humorous about playing with ANYONE'S mind with that kind of "joke". I agree with the earlier posts that God help our young people with parents that "joke" with them in such an assinine way. Gee and I wonder why some of my students are so screwed up...I think I just got my explanation.

We have the same (in my opinion) stupid mentality here in Indiana too in the (mostly) rural life, that animals are disposable. Our vet (who is a farm vet) told me the other day that many farmers here in Indiana neuter their male dogs themselves with a knife.

I hope to God that we can educate our young people on how to humanely treat our 4 legged friends, so that this kind of thinking will become as obsolete as the Model T.

Ok, I'm done venting now. Thanks for listening and I'm sorry if I offended anyone, but this is my opinion and that's all.

[Stenograsaurus]

Originally posted by Albea:
<STRONG>If Megan's father was just "joking," God save other children fron a parent with such a sense of humor. </STRONG>

I loved your response to this!!!! This kind of "playing with a child's mind" is called mental abuse!!!!

[ December 30, 2001: Message edited by: Stenograsaurus ]

[Dixieland Dancer]

I don't care if the dog is a Country dog, City dog, or any other kind of dog! This is abuse!!!! I was raised with hunting beagles that were just hunting dogs that had a job to do but they still were never abused with neglect or satire humor.

I believe if you can't respect the life and dignity of any living being then you have a problem, plain and simple. Most people who abuse animals are capable of being people abusers too.

Why would a dad who loves his daughter play sick mind games such as this? I am glad that my father never showed me this kind of sick affection. I hope everyone can do the right thing here and everyone comes out okay.

[RachelJ]

I think we have accomplished what was needed here and that was to validate Megan's original take on the situation. No, Megan, we don't think that was right either. We think it was an upsetting thing to say and to consider. Please take care.

[yorkster]

That's good Spencer.......think I will print it up.

[ilovehounds]

You would not believe how many times I have heard "If you don't take it, Im going to shoot it" thats how I got many animals ranging from pigs to ducks to dogs to bunnies. We live in the "boonies" as I call it where this to many people is normal. NOT NORMAL FOR ME but many people here.

I just hope this was in "joking" even though its NOT funny at all.

[zippy-kat]

I've been keeping up with this post but haven't replied. The others have voiced my thoughts: joke or not, it wasn't funny. I agree with Rachel though, we've accomplished what was needed and asked of us. Maybe now, we should step back and wait for Megan's reply.


Megan, please reply soon and let us know you and the pup are alright. Many of us are anxiously waiting to hear something...