eating your pet open discussion

[saltandpepper2]

With all due respect, I'm not talking about being hungry, not just "ready for supper". I'm talking about starving, not just "ready to eat" but literally starving. It's not a good way to go, if you know what I mean. I have personally witnessed places where nothing living was passed up except for human beings. Bugs, plants anything that could be eaten was eaten. Including every animal within 50 miles, pet or not. I've personally never been that hungry but I've seen people who were. You, me and they would eat their pet dogs, cats and any other edible animal available. Like Hombre said "you'd eat it, and you'd fight for the bones too".

Perhaps, perhaps not. You wouldn't know one's personal choice unless put in that position. And believe me, I am not innocent of those areas, and the wretched lives that they live. I stated my personal opinion, you stated your. Now, back to the true subject of this discussion

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Because I have contributed money to some animal related charities in the past, I used to get solicitations from this one organization that prided itself on providing a "forever" home for something like 75 unwanted and unadoptible dogs and around that many cats on this big ranch. Please don't get me wrong here, I have considerable anger against overbreeding, puppy mills and irresponsible owners who make dogs and cats disposable items to be thrown away if they get sick or injured or they just get tired of them, but it bothered me that this organization thought that in a world of limited resources, it was better to feed thousands of pounds of food to sick, unwanted, problem dogs and cats rather than...I don't know feed the homeless or save the Giant Panda. Anyway, the solicitations got even more absurd when the brochures added that they were also proudly housing a bunch of unwanted rabbits, a 4H calf that the owners couldn't bring themselves to slaughter and assorted other livestock that they had "saved" from death. I had to shake my head at the stupidity. What do these people think all those dogs and cats are eating, soybeans? They are eating protien, meat, other animals. How can you be proud of "saving" one calf from slaughter when the carnivores you are housing are resulting in the slaughter of hundreds more?

Anyway, probably off topic, but it does fit into the theme about how irrational some people are about this or that particular animal when their behavior is detrimental to the planet as a whole, and therefore detrimental to everyone and every thing.

I do not think every city dog or cat is worthless if they bring their owners joy and companionship, perhaps motivate them to get off the couch and outside for a walk. That is basically the function one of my dogs fullfills. She is sweet and greets me with enthusiasm when I come home and is currently curled up at my feet. My other dog, the Anatolian Shepherd actually spends time every day supervising my chicken's free range time as well as guarding the home and property...sometimes a bit too vigilantly for my comfort. I can't imagine eating either one of them unless I was truly desperate and in that case I'd probably comfort myself with knowing that either dog would probably give their life to protect me if I was attacted by a bear or a mountain lion.

 

[Ifish]

Since my dogs are a tool to put more food on the table, I doubt I will eat them even when starving, because with out them I will certainly starve. At least there would be a chance as long as they were alive. I see no reason to put off the inevitable by eating a tool.

 

[pingu1]

I agree about the big ranch but then again if they didn't have that then there would be loads of homeless dogs living on the streets

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I agree about the big ranch but then again if they didn't have that then there would be loads of homeless dogs living on the streets

My thought is that if these dogs were unadoptable due to health or behavioral issues, it would be kinder and more ethical to humanely euthanize them. I know not everyone feels that way but it is my opinion.

 

[Beekissed]

My thought is that if these dogs were unadoptable due to health or behavioral issues, it would be kinder and more ethical to humanely euthanize them. I know not everyone feels that way but it is my opinion.

I agree.

 

[Drewnkat]

My thought is that if these dogs were unadoptable due to health or behavioral issues, it would be kinder and more ethical to humanely euthanize them. I know not everyone feels that way but it is my opinion.

I 100% agree. I believe it takes courage and kindness to let a suffering animal go, this includes an animal that is mentally damaged to the point where it is unsafe to keep as a pet. If you take on an animal, you need to take full responsibility to do what's best for the animal AND for the overall situation. Some people don't have what it takes.

Just like the person who called animal control today (while I was there dropping off yet another stray animal that magically appeared on my doorstep). He isn't allowed more than one roo per five hens. He has 2 roos. He can't give away the roo, he refused to eat it or otherwise take responsibility for it. He wanted to just drop it off at animal control and make it their problem. I can't bring myself to respect that. If you won't pay directly to have your animal put down, it's not right to force others to pay via dropping it off at a taxpayer funded facility so they have to waste money handling your business for you. And you know they will have to put it down, it's not like the dog pound has suitable poultry facilities to keep it around! The guys behind the counter joked around a bit "You CAN'T eat that rooster? I've got a big ol' soup pot that says you CAN!" And behind the humor was truth: if you get chickens, be prepared to handle your business. If that means you learn how to cook a mean stewed chicken and dumplings, or it means you find a local farm who will take roosters just as long as you don't ask questions about what's for dinner.

 

[Beekissed]

I 100% agree. I believe it takes courage and kindness to let a suffering animal go, this includes an animal that is mentally damaged to the point where it is unsafe to keep as a pet. If you take on an animal, you need to take full responsibility to do what's best for the animal AND for the overall situation. Some people don't have what it takes.

Just like the person who called animal control today (while I was there dropping off yet another stray animal that magically appeared on my doorstep). He isn't allowed more than one roo per five hens. He has 2 roos. He can't give away the roo, he refused to eat it or otherwise take responsibility for it. He wanted to just drop it off at animal control and make it their problem. I can't bring myself to respect that. If you won't pay directly to have your animal put down, it's not right to force others to pay via dropping it off at a taxpayer funded facility so they have to waste money handling your business for you. And you know they will have to put it down, it's not like the dog pound has suitable poultry facilities to keep it around! The guys behind the counter joked around a bit "You CAN'T eat that rooster? I've got a big ol' soup pot that says you CAN!" And behind the humor was truth: if you get chickens, be prepared to handle your business. If that means you learn how to cook a mean stewed chicken and dumplings, or it means you find a local farm who will take roosters just as long as you don't ask questions about what's for dinner.

 

[pingu1]

My thought is that if these dogs were unadoptable due to health or behavioral issues, it would be kinder and more ethical to humanely euthanize them. I know not everyone feels that way but it is my opinion.

that's true I think for those animals there is more pain in living with those problems than being put down and going "to a better place"

 

[Scottish-Hen]

Our chickens are very much pets and when we do buy chicken to eat we only but PROPER free range chicken - yes it costs a lot more but at least these guys will have had a better life.


Scottish Hen