I just saw an ad on TV that kind of infuriated me. The jist was, if you see a dog that is abused in its home and they have kids report it, because "people who abuse and neglect animals more than likely abuse and neglect their kids." I am sorry, I don't think this was a very responsible ad. We are pet owners and unlike many others I not a pet lover. I don't feel like my dog or cat is abused, maybe a touch neglected, but I would never consider hurting one of my children. I think this is so subjective. What one person considers is okay and humane treatment of a dog is entirely different than other. For example, we have an outside dog, full time. She does sleep in the garage most nights, only because she barks. She would prefer to be out though. The only time my dog ever wants to come inside is when it is raining and this is usually after she has rolled in the mud. She has food and water and we take her to the vet. She does not get walked or played with every day. My son pets her daily, but she is fine and happy and healthy. I know many would consider this neglect and many have commentted on why bother having a dog. This is a long story in itself, but we do and she is old and getting rid of her isn't really an option. As for my cat, we had her declawed and we got the huge lecture on how inhumane that is also. So to make this story shorter, how do you feel about this? Do you think this link is a true link? And do you think that it the average neighobor should be encouraged to report abuse without a real definition. I just don't have enough faith that people can see differences in pet rearing without thinking that is just wrong and phone in abuse. What do yall think?

By Ginnyk on Monday, May 6, 2002 - 10:10 pm:

Take a deep breath. The ad is, sad to say, correct, if perhaps sensationalist and not defining what they mean by abuse. But what they are talking about is actual abuse - an animal that is beaten, tortured, starved, etc. A lot of studies have shown that children who abuse/torture animals, starting with mice and birds and sometimes moving on to family cats or dogs, often turn out to be very abusive people. The ad, I suspect, is trying to alert people to that risk. And, I would suspect that a man who hits his wife may also beat his dog, another possibility.

I think perhaps the ad was not totally responsible if it caused you to think they meant keeping a dog in the garage at night or having a cat declawed. I have friends who think having a cat declawed is not humane, but I would never have a cat that wasn't declawed. My mom adopted stray and abandoned cats, and at one time had 13 house cats and 6 outside cats, all loved, well cared for, and neutered and declawed.

That your dog is an outside dog is not something I would criticize unless being an outside dog means she is exposed to bad weather. If she isn't, no problem. Many farmers have both dogs and cats that are never allowed in the house, sleep in the barn in cold weather, and no one thinks they are inhumane. I'm sorry you are stuck with having a dog when you are not very fond of dogs, but that sometimes happens in families. If your dog is well fed, has water available at all times, can get out of the weather when she wants to, and sees the vet regularly, I wouldn't describe her as abused or even neglected. It would be nice if your son would play with her and pet her daily, and she'd love it, but that he doesn't is still not abuse or, really, neglect.

Abuse or neglect is like when a family in my mother's neighborhood kept their dog chained to the fence day in and out, summer and winter, and the dog was malnourished, teased by the children, and often without water. These lovely people, when they moved, left the dog behind, chained to the fence. My mom took water and food over every day for 4 days, and then unchained the dog and brought him home. He was a beloved pet for my parents for the next 10 years, until he died. And yes, the man beat his wife and they both beat their children, and the older children often beat or otherwise abused the younger children.

So, all in all, I don't think your dog is abused. I think maybe the ad was sensationalist and less than responsible. And you should take a deep breath and count to 10.

By Ginnyk on Monday, May 6, 2002 - 10:24 pm:

Here is a link to a Newsletter from Brown University about adolescent behavior that speaks about the link between abuse of animals and development of an abusive personality. I did a quick check on Google and this was the first one I came to that was not from an animal related organization. http://www.childresearch.net/CYBRARY/NEWS/200003.HTM