Another sign of the times? Pet dumping!

reply to post by Chai_An


Oh gosh, as I said earlier, if I take a pet that somebody dropped off to a shelter, they want to charge me a fee, even if the animal is not mine.

So, the shelter is five blocks away, they probably got there, and decided not to pay the fee.

Sadly, it seems that the pet is the last thing on the mind of people who dump them. When they have gotten to that point, to do it, they surely don't want to pay a fee.

So, sad!

Originally posted by Chai_An


The animal shelter, most cities and counties maintain animal shelters as a service to the citizens paid for by tax dollars. Also call the nearest SPCA and they will take your animals.

Not so where I live. The fee to drop off an animal is $35.00, whether it is your pet or not. I live in Louisiana, and the Parishes charge a fee.

reply to post by Blanca Rose


S & F to you Blanca for your Great Work! and much appreciation to all other Animal Rescue helpers. Very sad story, So much needs to change in this world.

We have a sacred duty to look after our Pets - to constantly seek to improve their lives. I believe they are a gift from God and should be treated with respect and love. If you find yourself unable to support them then its your responsibity to find them a loving home. It is simply unacceptable to abandon them in the wild.

Originally posted by Blanca Rose

So, the shelter is five blocks away, they probably got there, and decided not to pay the fee.

There's no charge here. I should know this past June I had to take some abandoned kittens to the shelter. So sorry to read you don't have this free service in your community.

Sadly, it seems that the pet is the last thing on the mind of people who dump them. When they have gotten to that point, to do it, they surely don't want to pay a fee.

Yes I'm sure many are faced with this dilemma more often than not. Somehow I don't think the folks dumping these animals off in my neighborhood have this on their minds. Absolute disregard for the people who have to deal with an overpopulation of dogs and cats roaming the streets just because they didn't want to drive the five blocks. They have no excuse for dumping animals when there is this service without charge available to them.




[edit on 2-10-2009 by Chai_An]

People are practically giving away their horses in my state. When you go to horse auctions, they go cheap. A couple of times, people have walked back to the parking lot only to find a couple horses tied to their horse trailer.

People have also been taking their horses to the upper peninsula of Michigan and releasing them to the wild!

One of the saddest kinds of abuse has got to be starving a horse and it happens all the time.

I'm sorry to hear about your hardship taking care of all those dogs, but they know what you have done and are grateful.

I rescued a horse from the killer pen in Indiana and he "knows" I saved him and he has formed a strong bond with me.

Originally posted by Orion65
People who abandon or mistreat animals really gets my blood boiling. My animals are like my kids, they're not going anywhere no matter how bad things get.

I agree, Orion. I have told my husband and my parents, no matter how bad it gets, my dogs are staying with me. I will live in my car with them if I have to, I live in a tent with them as well (we've been camping a ton of times anyway so what's the difference).

As someone on ATS brilliantly said (wish I could remember who) pet ownership is a CHOICE. It isn't forced on anyone. If you don't love your pets, find someone who will love them. Neglect and abandonment is NEVER the correct choice.

reply to post by catalyst2466


Thank you for the compliment. While I don't specifically look for abandoned animals, somehow a lot of them end up in my yard or driveway. I can't bear to see them hungry, or in bad shape physically. Many of them are not healthy already when they make it to my home.

I, for the life of me cannot see how people can abuse or abandon and animal. I asked a fellow once, whom I heard overtelling dumping an animal after his wife had left him, and she could not take the family dog.

He has a lot of cows, and considers all animals stupid, with no feelings. He also went further on to say that animals have no soul, so they therefore deserve no special treatment from humans.

I had to bite my tongue when talking to this person, and I wanted to smack him.

Just like some people should never have children, some people should never have pets, either.

Originally posted by Chai_An

They have no excuse for dumping animals when there is this service without charge available to them.

I completely agree. There has been talk about putting another shelter in this parish, closer to where I live, but that talk has been going on for quite a few years.

We are on a hurricain evacuation route, and lots of pets turned up in 2005 while people were leaving New Orleans. It was really bad that year.

reply to post by Circle



Circle, I also believe that pets come to us in that way, being a gift. Especially when one has a very close bond with them.

I couldn't imagine life without my little buddies. They calm me when I feel stressed, and I love their company all the time.

Watching them play and be happy always brings me a smile!

reply to post by hardamber


You know, I don't think that is unique just in your state. I live in farm country, and I have been noticing quite a few thin looking horses while driving around the area. I mean rib bones showing. Horse feed is very expensive, and I am sure people having a rough time have purchasing food for horses as a second thought to feeding their family.

My step daughter has 3 horses she can't really afford right now, and we have had to purchase feed for her a few times.

She is trying to find homes for hers as well. She is willing to give them away, but no takers. The horses are very tame, and well behaved, but, I am happy that we are at least happy to help with feeding them. They might end up in a worse situation some place else.

Tying them to a bumper is outrageous. I could never think of doing something like that. People just amaze me sometimes!

reply to post by Morbo the Annihilator


I feel the same way about my pets. In fact, after Katrina, when I had 2 dogs and a lot of damage to my home, I refused to part with them. Luckily I had a place to go where I didn't have to leave them behind, like many other people had to do.

People that live in the sticks of Louisiana are like that. Where my family comes from the majority of people are just trash. The people out there consider living off the tit of the government as a honest profession and they really have no problems with treating pets like crap. I used to live in a small town called Pitkin in La. and that was very common around there.


I personally think people that abandon animals should be horse whipped until they learn a lesson. I have the same problem where I live. The old lady finds stray cats all the time and I am the one that gets stuck with them. I already have 4 dogs, 3 cats, & a tortoise. It just burns my ass when people buy pets then abandon them later. My sister in law did that with a female pug. I took care of it for 4 months and then We gave her the ultimatum. It had nothing to do with money it had everything to do with not wanting the responsibility anymore. She left the dog on the outside ALL THE TIME with no companionship at all. She eventually moved out of town and left the dog in the back yard by itself. My old lady eventually took it in and it was a sad site to see.

reply to post by hardamber


I can't imagine coming out of an auction to find a horse or horses tied to my trailer. Good grief I understand people having a hard time but presuming to know another person's situation is what is leaving me dumbfounded.

reply to post by Blanca Rose


I don't want to go off on another tangent here... but the number of feral and stray cats is a Huge problem, so sad when many barely survive, and the number of pick ups from the council immediately euthanize them at the local big hospital Institutions. I dread each spring as of cause this problem soars, not to mention the dumping of pets around Christmas time.

People really need to Wake Up and Take Full Responsibility in spading their pets as well as developing the need for Compassion. All to often people take on pets as a new "toy" - only to dump them when the novelty wears off. Come on People "Respect the Animals on our Planet!"