# Regional Views of Animals and frustrations!!!



## LittleFuzzBalls (Apr 21, 2014)

Okay, so here is the deal. All of my life I have viewed pets as... IDK, very important and not items, but I've found that all of the people in my area don't think of them as having feelings. My boyfriend's family routinely got and then returned or let loose small animals for their kids. It makes me so uncomfortable and I just don't understand how people could think of animals as merchandise or a product.

Then there is the argument about eating meat and being a hypocrite. I don't want to intrude on anyone's life, but here is my "meat produce" policy;
I am sick and have many allergies, the doctors gave a huge no to vegetarianism or veganism, so that is out of the question for me. Instead, I choose to look at eating animals as a occasion. I don't do it much, and when I do, I buy locally where I know the farm ( I live in SC ) and prepare it myself. Just thought I would cover that in case people got angry.

Basically I am blown away that people think of animals as something you could buy at a store and then throw out into the wild if it doesn't suit you. Do your freaking research, I could tell you that sugar gliders will pee and poo all the time and smell. By not doing your research, you are being more harm than good to these animals.


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

Hey I live in SC too! You're the first I've met on here!
But as for your rant, I completely agree. I browse the SC Craigslist and local pet page on Facebook and the people on there are idiots. They spend hundreds of dollars getting these animals and treat them like they're some kind of fad. For like a few months it's cool to have a sugar glider/chinchilla/rabbit but then they realize "wait, this pet is actually going to need my time, money, and proper care? I DIDNT SIGN UP FOR THIS!" And then they try and act like some poor soul just doing the best thing for their pet by "rehoming it", and then of course they have to have some compensation for all the money they spent on it and want $100 or more back for a pet they obviously don't care about. It's beyond frustrating. And around here a lot of people don't understand the idea of taking a small animal to the vet. They think that's only for cats and dogs. 


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## Charlottesmom (Nov 27, 2013)

I'm in MA but the same thing goes on here, probably everywhere...people treating animals poorly because they do not do their research BEFORE they buy the poor critter! If I'm looking to add a new fuzzy family member I read everything I can get my grubby little hands on so I don't go in blind. I've also learned to keep $1,000 in an account for "pet vet expenses" as one of our previous male rats developed a testicular growth (not cancer but interfearing with peeing), my sister thought I was an absolute nut job for spending over $300.00 on Sunny for his surgery! She is one who would have just let him go in the backyard. She and I went 10 rounds over why her daughter's new Betta NEEDED a heater (and a bigger tank), I even offered to buy her a bigger tank and heater!!!!! I despise how most Bettas have to live their lives do to some stupid myths and the public's lack of proper information (I have 9 Bettas at the moment and they are fantabulous pets!). Misinformed and lazy people bug the heck out of me! If you want a pet read read read!!!!! Then decide carefully.


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

Charlottesmom said:


> I'm in MA but the same thing goes on here, probably everywhere...people treating animals poorly because they do not do their research BEFORE they buy the poor critter! If I'm looking to add a new fuzzy family member I read everything I can get my grubby little hands on so I don't go in blind. I've also learned to keep $1,000 in an account for "pet vet expenses" as one of our previous male rats developed a testicular growth (not cancer but interfearing with peeing), my sister thought I was an absolute nut job for spending over $300.00 on Sunny for his surgery! She is one who would have just let him go in the backyard. She and I went 10 rounds over why her daughter's new Betta NEEDED a heater (and a bigger tank), I even offered to buy her a bigger tank and heater!!!!! I despise how most Bettas have to live their lives do to some stupid myths and the public's lack of proper information (I have 9 Bettas at the moment and they are fantabulous pets!). Misinformed and lazy people bug the heck out of me! If you want a pet read read read!!!!! Then decide carefully.


I hate it when I see fish being kept in tanks/bowls that are too small for them just because it's easier on the owner to clean or the owner likes the way the case looks. 


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

*vase


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## Marie5656 (Jun 1, 2014)

This is exactly why I showed up here before even getting my rat. I just wanted to know. As a former owner of both a guinea pig and a chinchilla (not together, and both over the Bridge) I know how important it is to do your homework. When I had Trixie, my chinchilla, I had people come to me to ask if they could get one for their kids, because they were so soft and furry. First think I would ask is "Are YOU willing to take over responsibility when the kids get bored? The chin can live 10+ years). They were seeing a chin as a throw away pet, who had a short life span. 
That being said, I know rats have a much shorter life span than Trixie did, they are 9 months old,so I know I will have a few years with them. But they are going to get the best care I am able to give them. Since I got them mainly because my husband wanted them, I told him in advance that he would share responsibility or I would not consider it


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

Or really just in general when people have a pet that needs a certain amount of cage space and they didn't bother to research that and got whatever was easiest/nicest looking at the pet store and then they claim it's a "huge" cage when really it's way too small. 


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## Charlottesmom (Nov 27, 2013)

See that is the thing with all the pets in this house, they (with the exception of Charlotte our Golden Retriever) are all in this house because I (the mommy) wanted them, though I started the campaign for a dog and even found her breeder and did all the research on a puppy but she is really the "family pet". The kids are allowed to interact with all the pets as long as they are respectful and nice. I am in charge of the care and feeding of everyone, but the kids do help out quite a bit now that they are older. My 19 year old son did have a comet goldfish (Molly) who was in a ten gallon tank and just about ready to move up to a 20 when she died at a year and a half, she was all his, he was crushed! :0( we will be getting 2 rats in a few weeks and again they will be mine, though everyone will play with them. We have a severly autistic 17 year old son who takes better care of our rabbit than most "normal" kids, those two have a very special bond, it's amazing to watch them! My big beef with rats is they do not live long enough!!


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## Charlottesmom (Nov 27, 2013)

That was an issue when I worked at the pet shop, people walking out with a tiny cage for two guinea pigs, I always tried to talk them UP! Don't even get me started on Bettas....steams my clams those freaking little bowls and vases AND the crappy conditions some of them are in pre sale, most of mine were on deaths doorstep when I got them, about 1/3 died a couple days after I brought them home but at least they were warm and could move about for their last few days!! My guys (and one girl) are all in 2.5 gallon heated critter carriers and the are happy little goobs. I would like a 20 or bigger gallon heavily planted tank with 4-5 girls at some point but must do much more reading...


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## Enchilada (May 29, 2014)

Goodness, I cant even explain how much craigslist idiots irritate me. I see so many poor pets on there that are just being tossed away when people have to move, it really is depressing. I don't understand why people get pets, and don't do the research required for them BEFORE they get the pets. People who put up the ads for those pets really cant commit and it makes me so upset. Every time I look at the pets section on there, I think :If only I had the land, and the time, and money.


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