Casual Readers discussion

I thought it would be kinda neat to start a thread about animals since so many of us own animals and feel a close connection to them. You can discuss anything about animals here. What kind of animals do you own? What are their names? Rescue? If you had been born as an animal, which species would it have been? Do you favor birds, cats, dogs, reptiles, fish, or some other animal? Have fun with this discussion.

So I will start this out. I have a dog and a cat, both rescues. I lost a dog two years ago because she busted through the fence when fireworks spooked her. She got hit by a car about two blocks away. This about killed me. I LOVE animals and they are just as much a part of my family as any other member. I've always thought that if I had been born an animal it would have been a dolphin. I even have a tattoo on my shoulder of a dolphin. They are friendly, intelligent, and playful. Those are three of my most valued traits in an animal or a human.

I've had pets all my life. I love animals. Right now we have a black and white short-hair named Dixie. She's so loveable and frisky. She was given to us by the minister of our church.

My Husky dog, Nip, passed away at age 15 a few years back. I still miss her.

Pets are like members of our families.

Dixie is a cat correct?

This is my dog Jasmine after winning 3rd place in a "Golden Oldie" dog show.

She was 10 at the time but now is 14 and a half.

She's an old girl now. :(

But still full of life and mischief :)

Cheryl wrote: "



This is my dog Jasmine after winning 3rd place in a "Golden Oldie" dog show.

She was 10 at the time but now is 14 and a half.

How cute!

She's an old girl now. :(

But still full of life and mischief :)"

I am a big time animal lover too. I'm partial to cats especially, and dogs too but I love them all.

Look at this crap. You're not going to believe it:



When I saw this picture I thought for sure I was looking at a dead dog. I was wrong. He was stuffed in a bag and thrown down a garbage shoot.

Animals lovers pulled together for his treatment and sent in so many donations they had to request that people quit sending money. Here's Patrick now:
Oh, and the sorry excuse for a human being that did this to Patrick--that's what they named him BTW because he was found on Saint Patrick's Day--got 2 years probation! There needs to be A LOT tougher laws on the books for animals abusers and judges don't need to hesitate in handing out serious prison time.

Oh Wow! I can't believe this poor thing lived. He must have had a lot of guardian angels looking out for him. Hope he got a really loving home.

Cindy wrote: "Dixie is a cat correct?"

Yes, can't believe I forgot to mention that.

EEW! What happened to that poor dog? OMG!!!!!

Poor Patrick! :(

I hope he now has a loving home.

I hope so, too. Such a sin.

Yes, Patrick is doing good now from what I read. Apparently, something masquerading as human being had chained him up to a stairwell and left him to starve to death. I'm surprised his teeth didn't fall out.

Great to know! That's repugnant, chaining an animal to a stairwell and leaving him to starve. What kind of monsters do this?

Saturday a week ago the local news station had a story about a puppy who was euthanized by the owner who owned him less than hour.
A young couple had bought him and he had a loving home until their first baby was born. Realizing they could not both the pup & baby they advertised on Facebook and a woman adopted him. Within the hour of leaving with the pup the original owners received a phone call saying the pup was put down because he had bite her brother. The pup couldn't have been more than 3-4 months old. I was totally outraged and obviously it still bothers me now. He was a beautiful German Shepard pup. My question is what did the brother do to make the pup bite him? Why did they need to put him down immediately? They claim that he did not have his rabies shots, he was not sick or aggressive.

That is outrageous, Brenda. There was no good reason to euthanize him. What were they thinking indeed! All pups bite if antagonized. No reason to put the animal to sleep, in my opinion. Boggles the mind, this one does.

Wonder how those people would have felt if someone had taken their child from them and euthanized it? Sick, sick, sick!!! Children AND animals are FAMILY.

Exactly, Cindy! Very sick people indeed!

I agree with both of you!! I really believe there should be a list started, you know like the no fly list, and anyone who abuses or are cruel to any animal should be on the list. It should be a national list.

National list sounds perfect!

Great idea, Brenda! I'm with you on that.

I have a beautiful black Labrador who is two years old. He was my present to myself when I went into fostering. I spent the last of my redundancy money on him. There is nothing better than curling up in bed with a good book and him laying beside me. My husband definitely has to fight for space in the bed lol. I know all those of you who think dogs shouldn't be on beds are shaking your heads now.

I don't anyone who thinks that, Sam. Where I'm from people love their pets like family. I feel kind of honored in a way when I wake up to find my pet with me.

Chuck in the UK there is a new way of thinking that dogs should be treated like dogs and made to sleep downstairs. It is all about making them see who is 'top dog' by making them lower than you. Utterly ridiculous if you ask me.

Sam wrote: "I have a beautiful black Labrador who is two years old. He was my present to myself when I went into fostering. I spent the last of my redundancy money on him. There is nothing better than curling ..."

Sam, you're getting nothing but big head nods from me. My dog has always slept on our bed and my husband used to have to argue with her to get space when we first met as I owned her before I knew him and she always had an entire side of the bed to herself.
If animals are kept clean and looked after well I don't see anything wrong with letting them be part of the family. My dog is like my first born and is definitely a lot less messy than my three year old! :-)