Some people should not own animals?

Question

It has come to my attention after reading the pet section on this site that a lot of people are asking medical questions.
To me it is common sense to take the poor thing to the vet. If you are asking because you can't afford a vet then you should not have pets in the first place.
If you can afford it then you are just being a tight **** or lazy, either way I can't help but think sometimes people should have a licience to keep pets.

(animal lover)

Answer 1

Sing out sister!!
There should be some sort of class kids have to go through in school about animals. Just as general knowledge.

Answer 2

I think it's ok for people to ask questions for medical help as long as they don't use it INSTEAD of seeing a vet for a serious problem. At least they are trying to get some information - which is better than not caring at all. And there are a lot of bad vets out there, so it's good to go in armed with at least a little knowledge. At least you'll have some idea if a vet is misdiagnosing the problem or trying to rip you off. (For example, I saw a Lab puppy almost lose his leg when some dopey vet put him in a cast because he was limping from pan osteitis. In the two weeks before his next appointment, the dog grew so much that the circulation was cut off. And a cast is NOT the appropriate treatment anyway!!)

Some people really have no idea whether a vomiting dog is really sick or just ate some grass. Long before the internet came along, we used to have clients calling the vet's office where I worked. They'd ask, "My dog has had bloody diarrhea for a week now..." There are others who let a dog stay outside, covered in fleas and ticks and in utter misery from mange and worms and sometimes even broken legs. Those people definitely shouldn't ever own a pet! I'm not sure licensing the owners would help - look at all the terrible drivers on the road!! The cure is to teach an animal care course in every elementary school. And teach an infant-and-child care course in junior high. Maybe we'd have fewer abused and abandoned pets and children!

Answer 3

Amen! There is a huge difference between posting a question about behavior and training to get someones opinion, than asking about giving your dog human medication for pain or anything else.

This is a forum of people's opinions and experiences. If your child got into a bottle of Tylenol or hadn't gone to the bathroom for four days, would you run down to Wal-Mart and start asking complete strangers what they thought you should do? This is basically the same forum. Most of us try to help one another, but sometimes you get misguided answers by well-meaning, misinformed people. Sometimes people are just plain mean and stupid.

If there are times when your vet is not available during an emergency, call another vet or an emergency clinic in another town. There is always a vet somewhere who can take a few moments to answer your question.

This is a great place to get answers about many animal questions. I value a lot of your opinions. Experience speaks volumes when it comes to animals. Medically, I would never substitute it for a vet's advice. What I might do in a non-emergency situation is approach my vet and say, "A friend of mine said that this worked for her dog. What do you think?" Good vets don't mind answering your questions. The important thing is to ask them before giving any medications suggested by other people.

Answer 4

I totally agree.The vet is the first place to ask medical questions.And it makes me mad at times to think people are trying to get out of paying the bill.
But at the same time I realize that all vets are not as good and thourogh as mine is.I went thru 3 before I found this one.3 vets who explained little and treated my dogs as dogs not important members of my family.They treated me as tho I were an idiot.They TOLD me how I was going to raise my puppies.Pushing food they sold.Telling me when I was to bring my boys for neutering without thought or care that I may want to breed.They never offered to x-ray eithers hips and explain at what age that should be done.They were all too busy to explain anything or spend a minute putting my dogs at ease before poking and pushing and jerking them around.Apparently there are many vets who feel pet owners are nothing more than a bottomless pocket that's full of money.
And I don't understand why people don't take their pets elsewhere,rather than tolerate it.Just because a vets close does not mean they're good.And I think that some folks asking medical questions have gone to their vet and are'nt satisfied with explanations or don't want their pets on drugs that may be too strong or have bad side effects or pay for unnecessary surgeries and are looking for alternatives that have worked for others.
I'm guilty of telling others to call their vet before anything but I don't mind telling them next what has worked for me so they can ask their vet if what worked for me will work for them.
I really get annoyed when the computer is where some fools go after hours for advice in an emergency tho.EVERY vet has an answering machine and the message gives an emergency number.Every vet bill has an emergency number on it as well.But no one puts this number on speed dial or has it on the fridge with the rest of the emergency numbers where it should be.

Answer 5

Well you're right about the vet (yeah, I'm not big on stating the obvious either) but isn't this forum about exchange of ideas & experience, too? (& to air opinions which angers many of you) Many people have an urgent or frightening situation & need reassurance & ideas from others who may have had a similar experiece. Also you can get many different responses from any number of vets. Hate to say it but your more derogetory comments are right on the money. I agree there are too many stupid, irresponsible, cruel, lazy animal owners out there. They tend to believe myths & wive's tales about animal ownwership like they are our slaves & not worth taking too much time on (disposable). Licensing the HUMAN for ability to care for an animal is a great idea & yes MANY people should NOT EVER be allowed to own an innocent creature who depends on you for EVerything. We all know by now that a huge percentile of serial murderers & torturers started out by abusing the family pet or any wildlife they could get their hands on.

Answer 6

"should humans who cant afford a doctor just die?"

Not sure what the point of this statement is...

Humans have all kinds of free health care available to them - and yes, a person who is on here asking "my child keeps shaking and vomiting. What should I do?" Is just as irresponsible as these people who take on animals without any forethought to the possible expenses.

Animals are LIVING creatures, with the same capacity for pain and the same basic desires as humans. Why do we think we have any right to OWN them and decide their fates?

Additionally, anyone who owns an animal and fails to get the animal spayed or neutered, and allows that animal to reproduce should be shot in the head. There were 25 MILLION unwanted pets last year, alone. Why would anyone think that it is EVER responsible to make MORE??

I love my pets, but with all the horrors of abuse, neglect and down right ignorance, I would give up ever having pets again after mine all die off of old age if it meant no one else would have them, either. Spay and neuter them all and put an end to the torture.

Answer 7

Well, I agree, some of these cases definantly need to be checked by a Veterinarian.

But have you considered this:
Once I posted a medical question at 1:00am because I did not think it was serious and I did not want to wake my Vet that early without a very good reason. A kind Vet answered, it was not serious but I took my animal to the Vet at 8:30am that morning to be sure.
AND
Some people can't afford a vet.. but then maybe they should not have pets.

Just some things to consider.
PETLOVER

Answer 8

I absolutely agree with you! I have taken in more pets in my shelter because people claim that they can't afford the vet bills. Some of them I believe honestly cannot and are doing the best they can for the animal. Some of them pull up in their BMW's and simply don't want to be bothered or inconvenienced. Then they go down the street to the backyard breeders and buy another one. It's so sad. I honestly believe that people should have to go through training and become licensed to own a pet.

Answer 9

You're right. If they don't want to take them to the vet, they definatly should just not have it. I recently found a stray, pregnent, starving cat that we don't think has a home, but if she does, she deserves to stay with us not the mistreating owners. If they can't afford the vet, the animals shouldn't be sick or injured and suffering. Even if they're very attached, it would be better to find the animal a new home so it can get the help it needs. Feel free to e-mail me!

Answer 10

oh Katie, you are so right. only problem is this is not a perfect world. just think of all the children whose parents parents made this mistake. whether planned or not planned, lazy or not lazy, educated or not educated, poor or rich, they all deserve the attention,affection, love and care required. i guess the point here is many in this world ask questions, hopefully trying to find the correct answer before running to vet,doctor or shrink everytime we have a problem. of course, leaving any matter unattended for long is not the correct action. thank God for free/shared information because learning is great and never ending.
by the way, i have a mini long-haired dapple daschund named Matty and she is looking for a boyfriend. SW MO