Is this animal cruelty or not ?

Question

I work offshore on the rigs, would it be cruel to get a dog and have him in the kennels for 2 weeks then 2 weeks with me an so on.........
any advice on this would be great.

I hear what you are saying as I love dogs also, love the effection you get from a dog, I think I owuld feel cruel doing that also but was just wanting to get an answer from people I don't know.

this one is for Sarah,

I do live in a cage for 2 weeks at a time as I said I work offshore.

Answer 1

No, its not animal cruelty, by legal definition... even though it may be cruel to those of us who respect and personify our pets.

I love my pets and want them to be happy, and so doing that would be cruel by my definition.

But, when it comes down to it, our society is a long way from giving animals the same legal rights as us. We barely have equality amongst us humans. We just dont see "lesser" species as equals

Answer 2

No i don't think it is animal cruelty, but i would not call it an ideal situation either. I work at a boarding kennel and we do have regular guests, but they usually only stay for a weekend a month or a week every 2 months. They are generally used to the kennel environment and we give them plenty of hugs and attention but it is still no substitute for spending time with their owners in a home environment.

Another thing to factor in is the substantial expense involved in such frequent stays. You would also need to make sure the boarding kennel did regular obedience and had one on one play times and walks with the dog...which also comes at an extra expense (if the kennel did not do obedience training, you would potentially have a very disobedient dog and would probably not enjoy his/her company much anyway).

In this case, i would probably not recommend this course of action. Perhaps when you are no longer working off shore you could get a canine companion then? In the meantime, as someone else has suggested, you could contact an animal shelter nearby and ask if they need assistance. You could offer to foster dogs for short term stays?

Best of Luck

Answer 3

I think I'd try other options - Could you get a roommate who could take care of him when you are gone? Family members? Is there someone you work with that is off when you are on who would also like a dog? Could you find a breeder in your area that would be willing to keep your pup with them when you are not there, for either a charge or stud services, for instance?

People do at times have joint custody of their animals after a divorce, so the living two different places can be done, but I'd try to find a home that you could work something out with, rather than a kennel. I'm sure there are good doglovers out there who would do that with you, but I'm not sure where you'd find them.... :/

If you end up with an alternative arrangement for your animal, make sure it is a resilient breed like Goldens or Labs, who take to most people and are friendly, adaptable animals.

You should think long and hard about this, though, because it won't be easy on your animal.

Answer 4

It matters what kind of kennel your talking about. Are they allowed freedom(enclosed large yard)some of the day....do people come to play with them and give them company? If he is left all day by himself in a kennel and spoken to just when he poops or eats then thats not fair. Have you tried a home kennel someone who will take the dog into their home. He would be very happy there Im sure.

Answer 5

It depends on the kennel, but I wouldn't think a dog would do well with that schedule.
Some kennels do a lot of playtime, games and training. But, if it is the kind that keeps them in the kennel for most of the day, it would keep your dog stressed.
One option might be to foster dogs for your local rescue. You could give the rescue organization an extra short term foster home, and I know most would jump at the chance. Win-win situation..

Answer 6

Maybe not cruel, but I think it is selfish. Dogs are unlike cats... they become very attached to their owners and can become aggressive, antisocial or have other personality problems if they are constantly being taken away from you. Kennels aren't bad once in a while, but every 2 weeks?

Answer 7

i dont think it would be fair, on him/her. you could adopt a dog that lives in kennels and is unhomeable, u can then visit him on your leave, he would write letters to u it costs about 20 pound a month less than putting a dog in kennels, you would have the pleasure of a dog to call yours without upsetting the dog every couple of weeks, dogs trust run a good adoption service.

Answer 8

not a kennel but maybe you and a friend could get a place together that way you could still enjoy a dog but it would have two to love it and wouldnt be alone in a hard cage every day, plus that would get really expensive

Answer 9

Yes it is cruel. How would you like to be in a cage for 2 weeks? Ask your local shelter if you could foster a dog for the 2 weeks you're home.

Answer 10

If a man cam live a dog's life ,why can't a dog live a man's life[it can't be harder than a dog's life].You are a dog lover and in this case,a pet owner as well.Who can be a better judge than you? If you can keep him reasonably comfortable,the dog should prefer to be with you than in a darn kennel .In your place,I would have kept the dog with me and tried to keep him as happy as possible.