What qualifies as a person as a pet owner?

[AngelVroni]

I probably worded that wrong so forgive me.

I am not opening this to start, nit pick or anything negative but we've all come across people who we believe to be "bad pet owners" and people who we believe to be "good pet owners" correct? So what qualifies them as so? Where and why do we judge them by that standard and do we have actual grounds to stand on for it or we just judging them because "we believe its right thing to do!" We all start off as novices, beginners, we are not "born" into something or born perfectly. We must learn in some way shape and form.

I'm asking this because I hear it a lot with people everywhere. "Person A is a horrible pet owner!" "Person be is good pet owner!"

I.E.
My dad used to have a family friend who had a huge pasture, cats dog.s horses, llama and sheep. She had rich parents so she had money coming in and to show it off. She's had horses for years, done 4-h, the shows all of it. Shes got the income, space, time training right?

Sad thing was she was not a good pet owner. Reason. One really hot summer she let her female horse breed and the baby was born with a birth defect. The colt could not digest the milk. We tried everything, I milked the mom, kept a shade over the horse tried to bottle feed the colt. We didn't know what was wrong till it was too late.

You are probably gonna say something like "Did you take her to the vet, she should have taken her to vet." Right. When both me and my dad were screaming for her to get a phone and call a vet, she REFUSED to do it or give us the phone. She left the house, leaving us there to go find a park for her boys to play. Her two boys were more concerned over the colt and trying to help it. She wanted nothing to do with it.

This was like FriDay or so (many years ago) Sunday my dad and I can't take it anymore. She still refuses to help, she's just barely looked at a book and will not get the milk that is needed for the colt. We put the dying colt in our truck and with the car charger drive around as far as we can trying to find a place that is open. No vets are open at all. I'm calling till both cellphones are dead and recharging. The colt is banging its head in death throws against the sides of the truck and we are speeding.

Monday the colt dies.

She's also never trained her German Shepard that attacked and killed the llama and the sheep. Never took the cat who was attacked by coyotes to the vet or took the little dog she backed over to the vet. She dropped him off at my house with a beer in her hand. Even after I stated "The dog should go to the vet!'' She never listened...

Is she a bad owner?

I've known friends who are just the opposite, they have hardly any space or money and yet they can take in animals (not a lot) and have done some really awesome things with them. I've got a friend who has chased her teil over 5 miles and awaited for him to come down, while she may keep cats, and let the bird on the floor with them. She has always taken the bird or cat to the vet, spent the money to make sure the animal is happy and healthy, even if it is not her money.

Does it make her a bad person to have a pet?

What should we really look at when it comes to judging others with pets? We as in people, do not just do it with pets, but with others families too, what it makes right and what makes it wrong? I've done that a few times with Families who let their kids run a muck and scream, I don't have kids, so what gives that right or anybody to judge another another?

[Limpyduckling]

oh my

[AvianMom]

I think youre going to get alot of different answers on this one.

I personally think, to be a good pet owner, you need to have patience, compassion, understanding. A willingness to understand whatever creature you have, to respect it, and to do whatever you can to make it happy. To treat is, as youd like to be treated.

For example, a hot day. My dogs go out, and wait right by the door to be let in. The moment they whine, theyre let in. Why? because its hot, and i sure as heck wouldnt want to be out there.

I guess what im getting at is putting yourself in their shoes. Show them the kindness youd like to be treated. Love them, no matter what the flaws.

[Joe____17]

Another old thread?

[Breadpazoid]

For a person to be a pet owner, they have to own a pet.

That's your smartass answer. LOL

Also, please stop resurrecting dead threads. This one was ok because it didn't have any responses to begin with - sorry V - but it's especially annoying to see dead threads revived with useless one word posts.

[Chickadoodle]

To be a good pet owner, I believe people need to be able to understand their pets, like Jani said. I can tell when my dog is not eating if he doesn't like the food or if he is sick. I have that understanding with all my pets.

To be a good pet owner, people also have to be knowledgeable. If someone goes to the pet store and decides to buy a budgie with out doing any research whatsoever, the bird is most likely not going to be taken care of well. Nobody is born knowing how to treat and care for animals.

And Ditto on bringing up an old thread. I didn't even notice how old it was before I read Joe's post.

[Fruit Basket]

The age of a thread does not bother me. Some people complain about the same topic being posted over and over, yet complain about an old thread coming up. How is one ever supposed to find an answer or get their own? I am sure EVERY topic, other than gossip, has been addressed on tailfeathers over the last 10 years, so by following the "rules" of not reopening or pulling up old... this forum would be DEAD.

Anyways... If you are not willing to give a pet the time, patience, love and care, etc as you would your own child, then you are a bad pet owner.

BUT- some people treat their own kids like pieces of dirt, thinking that is okay. So if they raise pets by their own parenting styles, they will believe themselves to be good pet owners. When the rest of us clearly know that is wrong.

If the animal is happy to see you (not cause you have food, and it is starving) That is false happiness. For it to be happy to see you because it knows it gets to LIVE one more day, because he finally gets water...that is false happiness. - I am talking TRUE, GENUINE happiness. The pet loves you with every beat of it's soul, as we love it. Then you now you have done things right. And only the real "good" pet owners will be able to recognize such a love in their pet's eyes.

And to know that you have done everything you possibly could, without a shadow of a doubt, to enrich their lives, to strive for their health and happiness, and to understand their every need, both physical and psychological. To reward them as much as they have rewarded you!

[born2budgie]

(it's not the fact that it was brought up. it's the fashion.

an old thread resurrected with 'oh my' is pretty ridiculous. It's an attempt at spamming to get your post count higher, and angers many.)

[AvianMom]

Ooh i didnt even check the date on this when i responded! Wow it is a bit old lol

[Fruit Basket]

Regardless that it is old, I still think it is an interesting topic, and I would like to hear what others have to say about it. . . considering it was previously ignored.

(Although I do agree with your reason, Greg, hallelujah on that one.)

[di_dee1]

From what I see it was resurrected by Limpy, not V, who must have been bored as there was a few, lol.

[redline]

This sort of reminds me of the question what makes a person good? and what makes a person evil? It is a mixture of the person who is in the position of "judge jury" perception and personal/cultural morals, apposed to a person being judged for what the judge may take to be a unideal living situation, or immoral actions or results


If you were to say a person buying a small pet they know little about such as a cat, a budgie, a cockatiel, a bunny a hamster etc is a "bad pet owner" i would promptly disagree, (i do not speak for everyone) however i see this as a individual taking there first steps to learn about a creature and also about themselves, the fact that they have gone and bought this creature to me says i am willing to learn what i need to care for it, and if this one isnt the one for me i will find a new home for it and try a different creature next time, which in my opinion is not the end of the world.

All animals have personalitys and this especially for someone starting out is the very tip of the mountain, the very thing that will shape weither or not they bond and then take to this type of animal for life.

However if you were to use this very same example: to buy a animal much larger and more intelligent such as a Horse, cockatoo, macaw, dog, llama, cow, reptile, etc id be concerned about this animal and your decision as they are expensive and alot of work theres alot to learn and yes you maybe should have researched first however not jumping to conclusions just yet it may work out you may have help and for that you are not inherently "bad" but yes there is cause for concern

If you stop feeding your animal leave it chained,caged neglect or physicaully harm the animal for an outlet or pleasure id advise you find a home for the creature as your mental health has clearly gone down hill and this is abuse, i am sorry to indicate that yes this is the realm i would put for what i consider bad ownership

But reading your story about the rich woman with her horse and colt that would not pay a vet visit even if it cost her her life she may be overcome with fear of negative judgement that maybe theyll see her as a bad owner for trying to do the right thing, because of this unintentional outcome and then shell have all of her animals taken away, maybe shell be put under a microscope which causes her so much stress and maybe even if she takes it to a vet all that they will do is euthanize the animal and give her the bill, she may have high standards for herself and any sign of failure puts her in a state of stress, denial, anxiety, depression. She may suffer from grandios narcissism where you are either good or bad and if aomething goes wrong you go downhill denial about being bad which inturn made you abit bad

Who knows but i do know this we judge to protect ourselves we judge to compare ourselves and when we deem someone worse than ourselves we take it apon ourselves to use the anger our pain caused us and direct it as a weapon to hurt others with the justification of "they are bad"

We are all animals we just arent all that adorable we need to help heal eachother to benefit eachother to help ourselves not tear eachother apart.

I hope one day people in will realise without eachother we wouldnt have these creatures

Lets not compare ourselves and put down eachother lets bite the bullet and do things differently even if it hurts helping others heal so they can be better parents to there animals is better than knocking them down and making a pet disowned there is already alot in shelters choose education not eradication

[maxollie]

I feel that there are some folks who can have pets and care for and treat them with respect and love. And their are some who are not capable of doing so. Not because they are bad people, but rather pet care is not their expertise.