To the "stop all greyhound racing" groups..

[draggar]

Seriously, people. I understand your cause by WHY are you insulting me and banning me from groups just because I ask (IMO) the most important question and since you are "all for" the greyhounds, should already have an answer:

"What are your plans for all the greyhounds should your cause succeed and you ban all greyhound racing".

If their primary concern is about the dogs' welfare, how come the groups are ignoring this question?

The state of Florida has a "decoupling" law which would allow off-site betting at other establishments w/o actually having racing in that facility. This means many facilities would stop having races there - it is estimated that between 10,000-15,000 dogs would be retired. There is no way even GPA (Greyhound Pets of America) could take in this many dogs nationwide, let alone in one state.

[Glados]

This seems to me to be a common theme with any sort of rescue mentality. Not that I am saying that ALL people involved in helping animals are over the top.

I volunteer at an animal shelter. I am constantly amazed at the volunteers who believe that pets should only be adopted to perfect families. I hear conversations in which they claim to want to see animals removed from homes due to the owners not providing everything the animal needs including:

-Top notch vet care including expensive yearly preventative tests.
-Excellent diet consisting of fresh foods.
-2x a day walks, every day.
Never leaving an animal home for more than 3 hours.

There are probably many more that I cannot think of now. I love my animals and certainly I would love to see every pet get this level of upstanding care. But, I know that the alternative is a small cell with a concrete floor in a shelter. I would much rather see an animal live a happy life in a decent home than live in a shelter or be killed.

I take crap from people when I express this because they feel that an animal lover should want the best for every animal. I look at it logically. The care may not be perfect but it's better than what we have as an alternative. There are simply too many pets and not enough homes. Not every family can afford top notch care. I see no problem with a dog that is well cared for but is fed commercial dog food. I see no issue with not paying for expensive tests that are not necessary in 99.7% of animals.

[guywithashovel]

In many ways, the rabid animal lovers are just as annoying as the aggressive parents and child lovers (i.e. people who think every home, business, and every square inch of the planet should be "kid friendly" and/or think that everyone should bow down before them for being a parent).

Animals should be treated well, but they don't need to be treated like people. And asking that people not leave animals for more than three hours is ridiculous. You have to go to work. Besides, some animals like cats don't need people around all the time.

[AdminAssistant]

I hear conversations in which they claim to want to see animals removed from homes due to the owners not providing everything the animal needs including:

-Top notch vet care including expensive yearly preventative tests.
-2x a day walks, every day.

Those really aren't optional. If you can't afford a yearly vet visit, along with heartworm preventative, flea/tick medication, and, of course, spaying/neutering, then you shouldn't have a pet. And if your pet gets sick? You have to take them to the vet. I get so pissed when I hear from people who have sick animals, but they won't take them to the vet because they can't afford it. If our dachsund got sick and needed vet care? I would happily pawn off my wedding ring to pay for it.

Walks for dogs, depending on the breed, are really important. Yes, cats are fine sitting outside all day, and yes, some dogs can be trained to use puppy pads. But taking a dog on a potty break 2-3 times a day isn't that much of a burden. If you can't manage that, then get a cat or a gerbil or something.

[siead_lietrathua]

my cat's don't get yearly checkups. they didnt with their old owner. and they sure as hell didnt when they were strays on the street. many animals can be fine without obsessive levels of vet care, as can many humans. sick animals a difrent story of course.
i don't know how it is in the states, but up here a MAJOR problem with vet care is, there is no price regulations. many vets in our area charge $100 for just a consult. another vet, the one we go to, just opened up this year. 50 bucks for an in-depth visit. 28 for a quick visit. and the meds are actually affordable. stuff i've gotten off him would have been twice as much at another vet in the same area.

on the OT, i get the same thing from friends that are vegitarian. one was adamant that all meat farming production be stopped and the animals released. i had to explain to her about the amount of feed cattle ccan go through in a month, and how they would decimate the vegitation in the area, before dying off anyway from a lack of food, and proper predator levels. they just looked confused and said "but it's wroong". ugh.

[bex1218]

I don't take my dogs to the vet unless its needed (ie- sick). We are also saving money and doing research on getting our dogs fixed. The older one has some problems that we gotta get him fixed in the next year or so. We get the vaccines, cheaper than the vet visits. We take them in the little yard we have to go outside and get their energy out. Sometimes if we have time, actually walk them. Its not perfect, but they are well fed (better than me and my roomies) and are happy.

Back to the topic, thats a lot of dogs. We can barely take care of the one's we have in the adoption centers.

[Glados]

I knew that I was not clear enough on some of those points.

-2x walks a day
I was not referring to potty walks which are necessary for those without a yard. I meant longer 30-60 min walks for exercise. I know a few people who believe that walks are the ONLY way to exercise a dog. I have two dogs in a large home with a yard. My dogs get plenty of exercise in the yard and get 2-4 walks a week. Yet, I still take crap because I do not have 1-2 hours a day to devote to walks.

-Expensive vet care.
I was referring only to optional extras such as the full range of vaccines and blood work etc. that are generally considered as optional. I do not find a problem with someone who declines a full blood work up on a young, seemingly healthy animal. Hell, I know plenty of people who skip routine tests due to cost. If a condition is unlikely to come up until an animal is older then testing for it "just in case" is not a medical necessity.

Basic vet care and not allowing an animal to suffer are part of responsible ownership.I just get frustrated when people insist that an animal should be given to a shelter over an owner not being able to be a perfect owner. A shelter is a far worse environment for an animal than a good, but not perfect, home.

[Lace Neil Singer]

My dog that I had as a teen had arthritis in her later years. If I'd taken her on two walks each lasting an hour per day, she would have been in agony. Yet there are people saying that as far as dogs go, they must be walked for two hours each day?

This is what I call "one size fits all" petcare, usually recommended by people who have no fucking idea what they're talking about, but think they do. A young dog will require more exercise than an old one. Certain breeds do not require as much exercise as people think; for example, the giant breeds certainly do not need a massive hike, rather a gentle stroll. A pregnant bitch will certainly not benefit from being forced on an hour long hike, nor would an arthritic dog. You have to tailor the amount and length of exercise to your dog's individual needs.

Back when I was walking the dog round the playing field (it was mostly me or my parents who walked the dog; my brothers were never around when the dog needed a walk), I encountered a couple of people who were obsessive with taking their dog to the vet at the drop of a hat. Slightly long claws? Vet. Watery eyes, which could have a perfectly innocent cause? Vet. I always found that one ridiculous, cuz that kind of thing happens to humans all the time, such as a bit of dust or a grass seed getting stuck and we don't all rush to the doctor when it happens.

My dog's claws were kept down naturally by occasionally walking her on the pavement during walks. We took her to the vet only for necessities, such as her booster jabs once a year and medicine when she got arthritis. Taking the dog to the vet every time it sneezed is a waste of money and isn't doing the dog the slightest bit of good. Hell, the vet probably just pops the dog a vitamin pill cuz it's easier than explaining to the neurotic owners that there's nothing wrong with their precious pet.

[fireheart17]

As far as vet care goes, we'll take our two cats to the vet for their yearly checkup and vaccines and that's it. They don't go in unless they're sick. We'll take them outside at least once a day for around an hour or so.

[draggar]

I volunteer at an animal shelter. I am constantly amazed at the volunteers who believe that pets should only be adopted to perfect families. I hear conversations in which they claim to want to see animals removed from homes due to the owners not providing everything the animal needs including:

Now we know one of the minor reasons why we have so many animals in shelters. Imagine how inundated you'd be if racing suddenly stopped.

[

I don't take my dogs to the vet unless its needed (ie- sick). We are also saving money and doing research on getting our dogs fixed. The older one has some problems that we gotta get him fixed in the next year or so. We get the vaccines, cheaper than the vet visits. We take them in the little yard we have to go outside and get their energy out. Sometimes if we have time, actually walk them. Its not perfect, but they are well fed (better than me and my roomies) and are happy.

Back to the topic, thats a lot of dogs. We can barely take care of the one's we have in the adoption centers.

If you're in the US look up SpayUSA.

In many ways, the rabid animal lovers are just as annoying as the aggressive parents and child lovers (i.e. people who think every home, business, and every square inch of the planet should be "kid friendly" and/or think that everyone should bow down before them for being a parent).

Animals should be treated well, but they don't need to be treated like people. And asking that people not leave animals for more than three hours is ridiculous. You have to go to work. Besides, some animals like cats don't need people around all the time.

As an animal love and an animal rights activist I have to agree with you. My pets are my family but that doesn't mean I have to push them on everyone. Not everyone in the world are dog lovers (especially where I live) and I respect that - I won't let my dog run up to everyone and meet them (IMO flexi leads are one of the best leashes but the most wrongly used ones out there).

The issue is that the groups in question have NO plans (or at least do not talk about their plans) for the tens of thousands of dogs (or more?) that would be abandoned overnight if they succeeded. Honestly, the greyhounds do it because it's what they're bred to do and what they do - they're hounds, they chase things. If they didn't want to do it then they wouldn't (or would be crappy at it). As long as they're treated well I don't have an issue. If they're not treated well then either the track or the kennel people need to be looked into to make sure that they are treated well.

[Gravekeeper]

i don't know how it is in the states, but up here a MAJOR problem with vet care is, there is no price regulations. many vets in our area charge $100 for just a consult. another vet, the one we go to, just opened up this year. 50 bucks for an in-depth visit. 28 for a quick visit. and the meds are actually affordable. stuff i've gotten off him would have been twice as much at another vet in the same area.

Yep. My resident beast has had one check up in about 3 years. When I first got her from the SPCA I brought her in for a full check up. Think it cost me $250 after using the "free vet visit" voucher the SPCA gave me ( Would have been $100 more or so without it ). Because she needed 1 dose of deworming and a week's worth of ear drops.

Needless to say I was rather pissed with the SPCA who assured me she'd had a full vet check and was all good to go. You know, except for the worms and the ear infection from the ear mites and all that.

[Lace Neil Singer]

When we got the family dog from the shelter, the people there told us right from the start that she was going to cost us a bit, cuz of having to get her teeth fixed. My parents didn't mind, cuz she had such a sweet nature and was worth a bit of trouble. I can see how it would be annoying not to be told, tho.

[fireheart17]

When we got the family dog from the shelter, the people there told us right from the start that she was going to cost us a bit, cuz of having to get her teeth fixed. My parents didn't mind, cuz she had such a sweet nature and was worth a bit of trouble. I can see how it would be annoying not to be told, tho.

A friend of mine has a cat with FIV. From the start she knew that it would be a lot of work due to the cost of keeping him alive. It hasn't made a world of difference: her 3-year-old kidlet is quite content to sing "Soft Kitty" to him.