So what’s the number one reason animals end up abandoned, neglected, or ‘put down’?
Lack of training.
No joke.
Animals are intelligent. Depending on who you ask, the amount of intellect attributed to different species varies, but it’s generally accepted that domesticated animals classified as “pets” can be taught basic rules for behavior. And yet, so few of us take the time to teach these basic rules–and then punish our pets for not behaving as we’d like. The more “responsible” people drop their ‘bad’ dog or cat off at a shelter, consoling themselves with the belief that their pet will quickly find a new home. 61-77%* of animals left in shelters are euthanized, many because they pee on the rug, or chew furniture, or no longer looked as cute chewing shoes at 60 lbs. as they did when they were 7 lbs. 3 oz. I realize that raising a puppy is hard work–I’ve done it (and boy, was it a learning experience!), but they are also living, breathing entities. How then is it right to drop them off like a donation of used clothing?
And then there are the extreme cases, the situations that are ultimately caused by human error, but for which the dog often pays with his life. Last week there were reports of a pit bull attack in Nashville, TN, where the Hubby and I reside. So many things were done wrong that could have prevented this! A mother left her little girl alone with a strange dog—who had been moved from its home into a strange environment—already knowing the little girl thought nothing of getting “in the face” of the strange dog to give it kisses. From the context of Dog, the pit bull was in a strange place, with strange people, and a smaller creature was challenging his space—is anyone really surprised he bit her? Some people have pointed out that the girl is lucky the dog “missed” her throat—did anyone consider he wasn’t going for a kill, but simply using one of the few tools at his disposal to make the “stranger” back off?
Neither the child nor the dog are at fault, in my opinion, but the dog is dead and the child is now severely scarred. And anti-pit bull groups will use this as another example of why, as one person once wrote on Facebook, “(pitbulls) ARE NOT PETS. They should all be put down. Heck, I’m a vegetarian and a pacifist and I’ll sign up to pull the trigger on these beasts. Seriously. Wouldn’t flinch.”
While dog attacks can be horrible, I try to remember what Bandit has taught me: I cannot define another species’ actions with my personal emotions. We might see Bandit’s treatment of a spider or a dog’s attack of a stranger as malicious and mean, but *frightened* dogs are the most likely to bite. And consider this: I was once given the argument that statistically Golden Retrievers don’t bite people with the frequency of pit bulls, and thus pit bulls are obviously more aggressive dogs. Well, it’s true that pit bulls (and Rotties, and German Shepherds such as my Savvy) are more often used to guard properties because of their naturally protective instinct, so that might paint them as more “aggressive,” but also consider *what type of people seek out pit bulls.* How often have you seen a Goldie lugging around a thick chain to strengthen its neck, receiving daily injections of steroids? How frequently do you hear about a chihuahua fighting circle being disbanded? If a creature is being trained as a weapon, is anyone surprised that it causes damage to a target? But is the gun at fault for shooting people, or is it the person who bought, loaded, cocked, and aimed it responsible for the injuries caused?
Caring for another creature can be a very rewarding experience: furry cuddles, a jogging buddy, a purring muse as you type out your blog post–these are all pluses that fill our selfish needs. In return, our pets ask for little: he needs food, water, shelter, and a guide through this strange world of grinding machines, squealing hairless offspring, bright lights, slick floors, strangers that walk right into his private den and simply expect him to roll over and offer the tender flesh of his belly, trusting—against his instinct—that these strangers will not tear him open, because he trusts his Master. He has no other protection, as our legal system gives him nearly no right to fight back against a human.
The Master is the host and, as host, it is the pet owner’s supreme responsibility (not to mention honor, if you believe in the Stewardship given Man by a Higher Power) to protect and guide her guest.
*The numbers vary, but all are well over the 50% mark.