Here's a wonderful reason why noone should give a kid a chick unless they know they are prepared to care for it long term, etc. We have neighbors at the end of the street. To put it nicely, they don't have a good track record with animals. They don't take their dogs in for minimal vaccines like rabies that are required by law, etc.
They had 2 pit bull puppies they used to let run at will. One got hit by a car (their house faces the main road). The other was poisioned by antifreeze more than likely because they would not keep the dog up. Thank good ness they are at the WAY other end of the street - at least their dogs weren't running down at MY house.
Got 2 more puppies. Again, one gets hit and killed. The other got taken to animal control because of the roaming and the neighbors called. The owners were told the pup was in the pound but since they had no rabies vaccine they couldn't pick him up - would have had to pay for quarantine, etc (rabies is a real problem around here). SO, they just told the A/C to euth the dog - it was in their words from what their next door neighbor told me 'cheaper just to get another dog'.
These are also the neighbors who left their puppy for a week long trip ion the hottest part of July with just a bucket of food and a bucket of water in a 10x10 kennel with no dog house, and didn't tell anyone to check on the dog. My other neighbor noticed about 4 days into it that the dog was out in a horrible thunderstorm with no shelter, the pen a mess of feces and mud and the water bucket turned over. She took care of the pup until they got back - their response 'well, you didn't have to take the dog in your garage - we left a big bucket of food and water'...
Now they have another dog (yet ANOTHER pit bull pup). Told my daughter that the dog had bloody diahrrea and looked like it was going to die. My daughter asked what the vet said - their response 'it's too much money for the vet - if it dies we'll just get another one'
OK, now for the latest - involving chickens - I had to take the kids to school today because the bus was running late. So, I took my daughter and the girl that lives up there in that house since her folks were already gone to work. We were talking about the chickens and she said, 'Oh, I wish I had known you had chickens - maybe you could have helped me with my chicken'
Come to find out, someone GAVE her a chick last summer. I asked what happened to it - 'oh, it died'. I didn't have the heart to ask if it had minimal care - like heat lamp, etc or how long it lived. Poor thing probably was chilled to death. I wish I had asked more questions, but I was already imagining the short life and probably pitiful death that poor chick had.
AARRRGGGHHH - these people have had animal control called several times. At least their last puppy they do keep in the fence when they aren't home and have gotten it a dog house.
Of course, if it dies from this mysterious illness, it won't be long before another one is in there to take it's place....
They had 2 pit bull puppies they used to let run at will. One got hit by a car (their house faces the main road). The other was poisioned by antifreeze more than likely because they would not keep the dog up. Thank good ness they are at the WAY other end of the street - at least their dogs weren't running down at MY house.
Got 2 more puppies. Again, one gets hit and killed. The other got taken to animal control because of the roaming and the neighbors called. The owners were told the pup was in the pound but since they had no rabies vaccine they couldn't pick him up - would have had to pay for quarantine, etc (rabies is a real problem around here). SO, they just told the A/C to euth the dog - it was in their words from what their next door neighbor told me 'cheaper just to get another dog'.
These are also the neighbors who left their puppy for a week long trip ion the hottest part of July with just a bucket of food and a bucket of water in a 10x10 kennel with no dog house, and didn't tell anyone to check on the dog. My other neighbor noticed about 4 days into it that the dog was out in a horrible thunderstorm with no shelter, the pen a mess of feces and mud and the water bucket turned over. She took care of the pup until they got back - their response 'well, you didn't have to take the dog in your garage - we left a big bucket of food and water'...
Now they have another dog (yet ANOTHER pit bull pup). Told my daughter that the dog had bloody diahrrea and looked like it was going to die. My daughter asked what the vet said - their response 'it's too much money for the vet - if it dies we'll just get another one'
OK, now for the latest - involving chickens - I had to take the kids to school today because the bus was running late. So, I took my daughter and the girl that lives up there in that house since her folks were already gone to work. We were talking about the chickens and she said, 'Oh, I wish I had known you had chickens - maybe you could have helped me with my chicken'
Come to find out, someone GAVE her a chick last summer. I asked what happened to it - 'oh, it died'. I didn't have the heart to ask if it had minimal care - like heat lamp, etc or how long it lived. Poor thing probably was chilled to death. I wish I had asked more questions, but I was already imagining the short life and probably pitiful death that poor chick had.
AARRRGGGHHH - these people have had animal control called several times. At least their last puppy they do keep in the fence when they aren't home and have gotten it a dog house.
Of course, if it dies from this mysterious illness, it won't be long before another one is in there to take it's place....
