What Is So Hard To Understand.......

[ARose4Heaven]

Thank you, Rarely Bored. I was beginning to think I was talking at a wall!

My dogs are confined except when helping DH with the cattle or following me while I do chores. My cats are well fed, and very friendly.
Because they are spayed/neutered, they don't go "catting" around.
They have 20 acres here to hunt and know the boundaries, thanks to well placed electric fences on the perimeter.
If an animal gets what it needs at home, it feels no need to stray.


People that do not properly train and care for their pets are indeed a nuisance. I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[lil'turkeymama]

I'm glad to see so many people agree that everyone should be aware of their pets and where they are.I don't "own" a cat although I was seeing one in the barn.A young tortie female that has done wonders for the rat problems.Haven't seen her in awhile.I know she is not tame.I don't want a pet cat.If I can ever catch her I will have her fixed.We do have problems with lots of strays being dropped off in our area.I have returned lost dogs and re-homed stray dogs and taken young stray pups to the pound.I have also been forced to dispatch both stray/feral dogs and cats.It is not something I enjoy or find easy to do.But I do know when there is no other choice.And I am able to do what has to be done.I understand that other people could not.I don't have a problem with that.Its a personal thing that a person has to be able to do and still be able to sleep at night.A sickly,nasty looking stray is easier than the neighbors pet,that I see kids playing with.Thats my problem,I know it kills chickens and I still can't just dispatch it knowing the kids will be looking for it.My last call to the sheriffs office seems to be working on that one.So far so good.I know the sss rule applies to some situations but not all.I am an animal lover too.I also am a hunter and I enjoy the hunt.Its not called killing.Its hunting.Sometimes you harvest your supper,sometimes you just get to watch it walk around.Sometimes you have to grow it in a garden spot.I'm thinking if we kept this up we'll help folks learn how to keep their pets and cure the shelter problems.No more extra pups/kittens till there are homes for the ones already here.Would that work?

 

[dewey]

A friend of mine says that roaming cats are like drywall repair men...a necessary evil.

 

[rarely bored]

Quote:
hey, wait... that's me!! You are very welcome! I was finally acknowledged on these boards! woohoo!

My attitude towards cats totally changed when I told my (at the time) new cat that if he wanted to sleep on my bed that night, he had to catch 4 gophers... We came home from church and on the porch were 2 gophers, a mouse and bird. This morning I told him he needed to catch a gopher, so this afternoon he caught my attention from outside the sliding glass door and when I went to let him in, he went over and began eating his fresh meat. ewww, but I love it!! I'm curious to see how our tick population has declined from last year because of the free ranging chickens and the cat killing the rodents. well, don't mean to derail the thread, just excited to be noticed....

 

[fl_deb]

I think the circumstances can be a major game breaker in these situations.

Sometimes people just need to be encurourged to do the right thing. Part of that is realizing that acquiring an animal is a comittment to it for the duration of that animal's lifetime. It is not a one year lease, where if you don't like it you can just walkaway, cats live 15+ years, Dogs 12+, and sadly maybe the longest relationships some people ever have.

Furthermore, there is a real cost to owership! I can garentee you that if everyone wanting to buy or even adopt a dog or cat had to "Show me the money!" as Susie O. likes to say, they would get "DENIED", from a lack of funds to adequately, feed, vet, and handle possible emergencies.

Have we all lost the ability to anticipate what will happen if we do certain actions?

 

[nzpouter]

Quote:
Actually in some cases it does. I trap and release snapping turtles that have found their way into my three acre duck pond.

I was talking about cats.... there's a crazy cat lady near me who hordes them like they're endangered species......

 

[nzpouter]

Quote:
now... neighbour like you I can live with...

it's those who started moaning when their animals get shot for bothering their neighbour's pets/ stock I can't stand... let them roam if you prepare to let them take their chances... not very caring, but hey, as long as you can take it...

 

[chickerdoodle]

I was a certified veterinary technician before I became an animal behaviorist and an animal advocate for more years than I like to admit. I understand the need to protect ones livestock, pets and family. I also hate to see an animal shot for trying to feed itself. With all this said I have the biggest issue with folks who do not keep their own pets on their property. Anyone willingly allowing their pet to roam beyond their property is irresponsible and quite frankly selfish and disrespectful of others and should not have a pet. My own cats are strictly indoors and the we have a fenced yard for our dog--we don't even leave her outside when we are not home.

I do undersatnd though that on a rare occasion a pet escapes through a door or accidentally unlocked gate. This is why I would not condone SSS unless its caught in the act or a repeat offender whose owner has been warned. Even then I'd take the neighbor's pet to the pound and let them know its there. Feral animals might be another matter.

Bottom line, I am not sure I could kill a dog or cat that strayed on my property but I have thought about doing so to our neighbor who NEVER keeps her cats indoors. We live in the suburbs and they love to use our bark dust as a litter box. I did use the citrus trick and its works except for those first few weeks when we have new bark dust put down. Its as if it calls to them and they run to use it. We are considering pea gravel or river rock instead.

 

[Kansaseq]

When I moved out to my 5 acres in the country, the very first thing I did was fence in an acre for the dogs. Do my dogs ever get loose? Occasionally, but I'm usually hot on their heels and drag them home. Way too many dangers out there for my dogs to be running loose. And I'm on stray dog # 4. The first 3 were adopted out, the most recent lives with me. And that's just me. My neighbors have taken in stray dogs, as well. Just boggles my mind at how many people think it's ok to just dump an animal in unfamiliar territory, and expect it to survive.

 

[FireTigeris]

Seems like there's three discussions here now and its a little confusing.

I don't recall anyone saying its "ok" (for an animal to go off of their own property) or they are not willing to face the consequences if a working animal strays from where it needs to be working and causes trouble.

Suburbs is different then rural, that is all.

Some animals are pets, other work for a living.