Sunday, March 20, 2016

Random Rant: Do You Know Where Your Pup Is?


I took this photo earlier today. Gorgeous pup. Roaming our neighborhood freely. It's the second time in 2 weeks I have spotted this pup. A couple of our neighbors have spotted him on other occasions. None of us know who he belongs to. I notified our incredible Animal Control Officer. She's driven around our neighborhood in hope to spot this sweet baby. We both seem to think he belongs to someone as he appears cared for and there's been no visible weight loss in 2 weeks. Still, I worry. The main road and highway are close.

I understand accidents happen. Dogs can be the best escape artists. Within a split second they can slip out of their collar, work out of a harness or bolt from the back seat of a car. It happens despite our greatest of efforts of prevention.

However...

There are some pet parents who are unaware of the obvious. They don't check fences and easy-to-escape areas. They get too overconfident with electrical fences. Or, they rely to much on a collar or harness and lead tied around a tree. At the top of my list are the pet parents who simply just open the door, let their pup outside, go back inside and allow their pup to roam freely. Unsupervised.

The previous upstairs neighbor used to do this. He had a large, very sweet pup who he'd let outside to roam the neighborhood. While his pup was running free, he'd be inside talking on the phone or doing whatever. A half hour later, I'd hear him whistling on the front porch. This happened at all hours.

After a while, people started complaining. His pup relieved his bowels on other people's lawns and driveways. They knew who the pup belonged to. It became an issue. The upstairs neighbor didn't care. Aside from being an arrogant, narcissistic ass, he is one who shouldn't be a pet parent.

I. Just. Don't. Understand. 

There isn't a cell in my body that would allow our kids to be outside without one of us being there. That's with a fenced in yard. You couldn't pay me enough to even consider leaving any of our kids in the fenced in backyard alone. It's never happened and it never will. The thought of opening the front door and letting them run free while I'm inside vacuuming or working on an article? I can't even think about it.

Who does that?!?!

When our former upstairs neighbor used to do that, I'd go out onto our front porch and keep an eye on his pup. If I couldn't see him, I'd look out the back door and kitchen window hoping to catch a glimpse of him. I'd always wait for the whistle and make sure the pup made it safely upstairs.

I did confront our former upstairs neighbor on several occasions and that resulted in a full fledged blowout. I didn't care. I took his wrath. My concern was for the well being of his pup.

Even now, we have a neighbor who opens their door, lets their pup out and, most of the time, is allowed to roam free without supervision. A few times, when the pup was close to the main road, Lisa informed them. We've spoken up.

It still happens.

How can someone put their fur-kid at risk like that? Anything could happen. They could get lost, hit by a car, stolen, etc. Pet parents are willing to put their pup at risk because they're too lazy to leash 'em up and take them outside to do their business or for a walk around the block?

It infuriates me to no end. 

Yet, it's a problem. A big problem. I've seen it happen regardless of where I've lived. I often wonder if these people have small children? Would they let their toddler roam free outside without adult supervision?

I sit here, typing this, shaking my head. I wish these irresponsible pet parents would wake up. Or, at the very least, reconsider taking on the responsibility of having fur-kids.

Sigh.


No comments:

Post a Comment