120,000 abandoned dogs..

[Rum]

The economic downturn here is resulting in more and more dogs simply being abandoned. 120,000 this year. Many are re-homed but more than one an hour is destroyed. If you can't keep a dog don't get one in the first place and if your circumstances change and you can't then abandoning it is the cowards way out. Have it put down yourself you spineless twats.

Here's the story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14784855

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The economic downturn here is resulting in more and more dogs simply being abandoned. 120,000 this year. Many are re-homed but more than one an hour is destroyed. If you can't keep a dog don't get one in the first place and if your circumstances change and you can't then abandoning it is the cowards way out. Have it put down yourself you spineless twats.

Here's the story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14784855

Same here. I see cats coming through here on a "one-time sighting" basis. Most of them look shell-shocked and terrified, being tossed out of their homes and abandoned to whatever fate awaits them. I simply can't imagine betraying a trust like that. I'd rather go on half rations than let a family pet go or go hungry.

[HomerJay]

then abandoning it is the cowards way out.

Christ, don't say that, if Exi5tentalist sees it we'll be back to the subjective nature of morality.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

then abandoning it is the cowards way out.

Christ, don't say that, if Exi5tentalist sees it we'll be back to the subjective nature of morality.

I set my outrage meter to zero when I read his posts anyway.

[Twoflower]

Or if you can't keep them anymore find a local no kill rescue to take the dog in. Or find a new home for the dog yourself, so you know it is being looked after and loved.

[Feck]

Finding it hard to look after your animals... sell your children .

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Finding it hard to look after your animals... sell your children .

Silly boy. Dogs need meat.

[mistermack]

I saw the same report.
I'm now confused. I'm not a dog person, but if I was, I'd only commit for life.

What I don't get is that a friend, who is a dog lover, recently told me that dogs are more expensive than they have ever been. Even mongrel puppies are fetching hundreds of pounds, and the days of getting a pup for nothing are long-gone. It seems strange that having paid for a dog, people should abandon it.
It seems to point to a lot of people being in severe money trouble.

I think the answer is a compulsory microchip, as some people suggest.
.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I think that would be a good requirement for selling a dog. The owner gets the money, they should provide a chip in the process.

And anyone who abandons a pet should be converted to dog food.

[anna09]

I hear of people doing this all the time around here.

It would never even occur to me to get rid of the dogs or cat for ANY reason; they're family.

[Rum]

I saw the same report.
I'm now confused. I'm not a dog person, but if I was, I'd only commit for life.

What I don't get is that a friend, who is a dog lover, recently told me that dogs are more expensive than they have ever been. Even mongrel puppies are fetching hundreds of pounds, and the days of getting a pup for nothing are long-gone. It seems strange that having paid for a dog, people should abandon it.
It seems to point to a lot of people being in severe money trouble.

I think the answer is a compulsory microchip, as some people suggest.
.

Its dogs with a pedigree (and often a good sense of their temperament) that cost hundreds. Mongrels or dogs from a home are not expensive at all. You don't always know what you are letting yourself in for though.

This is weird btw. I'm linking this from the Facebook forum. Can't open the forum via the normal web route!

Edit: Ignore the last line. Seems to be back!

[Atheist-Lite]

Dogs are not necessary. I prefer human company. There is something weird about a tribal fusion-fission species like a Homo sapien accepting a pack animal into its company. Dog owners are repressed sociopathic monsters IMO, they'll be better at wearing a uniform in the coming totalitarian state then me I should think....are they dumping these dogs because they can't afford them or are looking for human pets now?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Dogs are not necessary. I prefer human company. There is something weird about a tribal fusion-fission species like a Homo sapien accepting a pack animal into its company. Dog owners are repressed sociopathic monsters IMO, they'll be better at wearing a uniform in the coming totalitarian state then me I shold think....are they dumping these dogs because they can't afford them or are looking for human pets now?

Pets remind us that Homo sap. ain't the only living things on this planet, despite appearance to the contrary.

[mistermack]

Its dogs with a pedigree (and often a good sense of their temperament) that cost hundreds. Mongrels or dogs from a home are not expensive at all. You don't always know what you are letting yourself in for though.

That's exactly what I thought. But my friend was absolutely adamant that mongrel pups are fetching hundreds, and he has contacts who regularly sell puppies.
Obviously, it's different from a dogs home, but those dogs cost more than you would think as well.
And re-homing a dog doesn't appeal to everyone, because it's puppies that most people would like, and you might get one with a lot of problems from a dogs home.

[Atheist-Lite]

Dogs are not necessary. I prefer human company. There is something weird about a tribal fusion-fission species like a Homo sapien accepting a pack animal into its company. Dog owners are repressed sociopathic monsters IMO, they'll be better at wearing a uniform in the coming totalitarian state then me I shold think....are they dumping these dogs because they can't afford them or are looking for human pets now?

Pets remind us that Homo sap. ain't the only living things on this planet, despite appearance to the contrary.

I have an allergy around animals unless they come in a tin.