Why would you own an animal if you couldn't afford to care for it?

Question

I volunteer at an animal shelter and at least twice a day, people show up wanting to know if we can provide free medical care for their sick/injured pets. The shelter is funded almost entirely by donation and we can barely afford to keep up medical care for the animals in our custody, let alone other people's pets. I also see a lot of "I think my kitty is dying, but I can't afford to take her to the vet" and "My dog is humping everything in sight but don't have the money to get him neutered" questions on YA.

I'm wondering why people acquire animals when they can't be bothered to take on the financial responsibility that goes with being a pet owner. You'd have to realize when you took the pet home that it's going to cost money to keep it, right? Is this a simple question of irresponsibility? I honestly don't understand the thinking behind this behavior.

Answer 1

I used to work at an animal shelter and I know exactly what you mean. I think it's mostly because a lot of people have been taught that an animal is disposible: "Once little fluffy gets too big or too hyper, it's ok to just take her to a shelter!" A lot of people will also fall in love with a cute little puppy and adopt or buy it on a whim without considering that it's going to grow to be a small horse, that it's going to need a lot of attention and training to become a well-behaved family pet or that it's going to cost a lot of money to care for it properly as it grows: shots, food, toys, spaying/neutering or vet care in times of illness. I once had a guy bring in an ADORABLE 15lbs. beagle/chihuahua mix because he said "We adopted him from here about a year ago, but he's just gotten too big to be in the house, don't you think?" My response: "Sir, I have a 70lbs house-dog." Needless to say he was never allowed to adopt from the shelter again.

Answer 2

I wonder the same thing myself. I think some people feel that having a pet is a right, so if they want one then, in their eyes, they should be allowed to have one regardless of their income. Other people maybe aren't thinking about the money needed to care for a pet over a long period. They or their children want a pet, so they get one, without really putting much thought into - they get it on impulse and just aren't thinking about things that could happen and how much stuff can cost.

Whatever the reason may be, I don't think it will ever change unless pet shops start making changes. As long as people have the money for the price of the pet, most places will hand the pet over and don't care about the animal's future, it's just another dollar to them. I really believe that pet shops, breeders, anyone selling/giving away pets should be required to do better screening on possible owners. Since most people buying the animals don't think/care about it, then the people supplying the pets need to start thinking about it - they need to figure out if the animal is going to a good home, if it will be given proper vet care when needed, and can the people afford the vet care and other necessities the pet needs. I know it would be a hassle for the buyer and seller and a lot of people wouldn't be happy about it, but people need to realize that animals can get hurt and sick, too and they should be taken care of.

I don't see any changes happening anytime soon though. Unfortunately, they're "just animals" and are, basically, disposable to most people.

Answer 3

People don't think about all the responsibility and expense and work that goes with owning a pet. But that's the same as most things. People buy and Mercedes and don't think about that it costs more to fix than a Chevy.

Those who sell or give away pets should not do so until they have some assurance that the new pet owner understands what they are getting into.

You can't adopt a baby without answering a lot of questions. You should have to answer a least a few questions to get a pet.

You can't buy a gun or drive a car until you get a license, but you can take responsibility fr a living thing with no questions asked.

I dont think the goverment should be licensing pet owners, just that the sellers and people who give away puppies or kittens etc just try a little harder to make sure the new pet owner understands what's involved. I guess it would be insulting to the new owner to be questioned a lot, but the seller could just give a more complete explanation of what the animal needs and how much he usually has to spend on vet bills as well as food and other pet care items. And how often you have to wash or groom the pet and how to do it and so on.

Answer 4

If I'm not mistaken that's called a "non-profit" corporation and you'd need a fictitious name for it and would need to figure out your 5-year business plan as well just as though you were a for-profit business because you have to know what amount of money you need and for what exactly. To become a corporation, and to keep things legal you'd need an attorney as an advisor. How would you survive? Well donations for the animals, you'd have dinners, runs, and anything that would bring in money. There would have to be a lot of volunteer work going on. I think you can take a stipend but I'd think you'd need a job on the side to support yourself. A not-for-profit usually is a work of love (you volunteer your time) and that's what they mean by "if you enjoy what you do, you will never WORK a day in your life (because it won't FEEL LIKE WORK to you). Today shelters are difficult to run because there is an overabundance of cats and dogs and lots are being put to sleep. When people are in floods, tornadoes, hurricanes or other misfortunes they merely drop off their pets at the shelter and then it would be up to you to find those animals food and clean them up and give them or get them shots, exercise them, take them out twice a day or clean up their mess, solve flea problems, talk with people who might want to purchase them and get some discounts for them so they can afford to take the pets, it's really a long process. As I know it it's run by a Director, and of course people on the board who make decisions so you'd need an attorney to draft documents for everyone to sign. I'd suggest you call a shelter, make an appointment with the director and see how involved it is and if you can handle it. Remember that on tv there are lots of shelters, or homes wherein people were way overgenerous to pets and had many in their home and then went under and in a short time those pets or animals deteriorated to a point where the homeowner or shelter went under and the owners went to jail because they couldn't get the help or money or volunteers that they needed. So I'd suggest you work at a shelter for a long while before you attempt to open any animal shelter.

Answer 5

I think its irresponsibility and also people don't see animals as worth spending money on as much as a child, when in fact, if you acquire an animal you are getting it because you like it, it will keep you company, it will be nice to look at or pet, all selfish reasons, so there is no reason to not give something back and at least take care of it the way it should be taken care of.

Answer 6

People tend not to think about the less pleasant aspects of having a pet before and when they get one. They only visualize cuddling and playing and all the fun parts of having a pet in their lives, and maybe some of the responsibility. I think we're all guilty of this to some degree; before I actually got my dog, I wasn't really thinking about having to trudge through more than a foot of snow so that he could relive himself. We tend to focus on the positive and sometimes overlook the negative. And for some people, it's so severe that they don't think about the amount of time they'll need to spend on their new pet, or how much money the food and toys and training and vet bills are going to cost. Less responsible breeders and pet stores encourage people to just buy the pet without thinking ahead. It's still extremely easy for someone to purchase an animal without the knowledge or means to care for it. And until that changes, the problem isn't going to go away.

Answer 7

I had a dog I loved as if he was my own child. I had him for 9 years, when my family ended up in trouble, and , according to another family member, the only way we could move into another apartment, was to give my dog up. I gave him to a family member who did it for me. I have alot of emotional issues and it would have been too much for me to bear. My doctor thinks now, that the next time I get an animal, I could probly get it listed as a"companion" because of my illnesses, but right now, I only have a fish:/. Some people have good intentions when they get a pet...it sometimes doesn't work out though. I don't think anyone, unless they are intentionally cruel, should be condemned for trying to keep an animal. In some cases, I believe they actually"saved" that animal, and showed it love, before it ended up in a shelter. More people need to be educated on the keeping of pets though, and more landlords should try to allow people to keep them.

Answer 8

That bothers me as well and i would really like to know the answer myself. I used to volunteer at a food bank and they would also collect pet food for the pets of the poor families they helped. Now, i can see that being ok if a family was financially ok at one point and then faces some sort of unexpected hardship that makes them unable to care for their pets. But if you know you are tight for money and can barely feed your family, for petes sake, do not go out and get a pet that you can't feed!

Before i even attmped to adopt my two cats, i made sure i had enough saved up in my account for all the vet bills i knew i'd have to pay and for any unexpected vet visits i may have to make in the future. I figure if you;re going to have a pet, make sure you can care for it properly or don't get one at all.

Answer 9

It's the same mentality of people who have kids and can't afford them. Lucky for the kids it's our tax dollars and government programs that take care of them from health care, to food, to clothing, even a place to live.
It's the same kind of mentality, "I'll worry about it when it happens." Little do they know there is little assistance with goverment programs for animal care (there are some spay neuter programs that give vouchers in some states).
I bet if people really looked hard they could find the $60 to get their pet spayed or neutered. All most people would have to do is not go out to dinner once or twice a month to save this kind of money. I don't believe people are as poor as they say they are.

Answer 10

Yep, some people just aren't rational, don't care, and aren't responsible enough to own a pet. This is the USA tho, they're free to do that type of stuff with little if any consequences.

A lot of it probably has to do with the fact that people see pets as possesions - not living breathing beings with feelings and needs as acute as our own. Parents and schools teach the wrong message.

I was in 3rd grade and our science teacher asked kids to bring in live frogs for discection - it was horrible, I knew it was wrong then and I was forced to participate they called my mom and she made me. So yeah, 99% of my classmates learned it's ok to hurt and kill animals for no good reason that day and had absolutely no problem with it. Cruelty and uncaring attitudes are taught early these days.