Pets for Christmas..

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kattymieoww

Please don't give a puppy/kitten/bunny etc as a "surprise" present unless it's been well thou
ght out, researched for needs etc and wanted.Sadly the weeks after Christmas are when most animals get dumped at animal shelters or at worse abandoned.
I have bunnies ,they are the most dumped pets,cute fluffy bundles rapidly grow into big old stroppy rabbits weighing in at three to eight pounds of kicking and biting furballs..well not always.

I know pet lovers on here are responsible folk..just tell everyone else.

Replies sorted oldest to newest

charlisockMember

Thanks for telling us all this I got a rabbit for Christmas once but that was cos my dad knew I was missing my first rabbit and I would NEVER dream of dumping him off to the shelter's

11/22/104:14 PM

kattymieowwMember 10 years

Sadly Charli...Bunny rescue centres are overflowing with dumped animals.The pet shops still produce them,most by inbreeding etc.Makes me angry! I'd shut down pet shops if I could.
I think laws are afoot to outlaw puppies/kittens for sale,not sure if that true.WE do still however have the awful puppy farms..grr.

11/22/104:21 PM

Former Member

We got my mum a puppy a few Christmas's ago ,but we had to go for several weeks before Christmas.
We had to visit and convince the Kennels that we were doing the right thing ,that this would be a puppy that would be wanted.

11/22/104:22 PM

kattymieowwMember 10 years

Well that's good Erin,they cared for the welfare of the animal.I'm sure your mum loves and cares for him.

Sadly some places don't care and will sell for profits etc.

11/22/104:28 PM

Former Member

Pet holocaust in this country. I blanch at the numbers of tropical fish etc that passed through our hands as youngsters. And we were good owners

11/22/104:37 PM

Former Member

Reference:

Well that's good Erin,they cared for the welfare of the animal.I'm sure your mum loves and cares for him. Sadly some places don't care and will sell for profits

I agree,and Susie is adorable( the dog),she sort of picked us.

11/22/104:40 PM

Former Member

Interesting cross breed pointers.

End Jan.

£50 a leg.

11/22/104:41 PM

Former Member

Hi Kitty

I would never give an animal as any sort of presents, They have to be given with consideration and planning..

11/22/104:44 PM

kattymieowwMember 10 years

It's a damn shame really Antiope ( I feel I should know you...

) WE live in a "Oh well it died.let's get another)society.Man I'm well into preaching mode now.. Be it goldfish etc ,we should care for them,Do some research..no buying on a whim..that is all

11/22/104:44 PM

Former Member

Reference:Kitty

Be it goldfish etc ,we should care for them,

If it helps, I feel the same and yes I am a right preachy old wotsit

11/22/104:50 PM

Blizz'ardMember 10 years

We have adopted one snake and two guinea pigs, one of which was literally dumped in a forest!

11/22/104:51 PM

kattymieowwMember 10 years

Blizzie , I frequent a good rabbit forum..leave it!

And some folk still think they are doing okay to release pet domestic bunnies into the wild. That's like letting a yorkie dog go free and expecting it to act like a wolf.
A pet bunny will die in the wild ,it will fall foul to a pretador, fox etc.They have no wild skills like wild buns ,they don't know how to dig burrows etc.Oh Sigh!

11/22/105:17 PM

Blizz'ardMember 10 years

Oh I know.
My daughter's teacher actually found it, whilst walking her dog. There were three of them, but one got away, and couldn't be found, and another died after she had got it home!

She knew my daughter had guinea pigs and asked her if she could take it, once we made sure it was a girl, like ours.

Still, at least whoever dumped them had left some carrots for them to eat!

11/22/105:25 PM

kattymieowwMember 10 years

No need for that Blizzie..Folk should just take them to re homing centres.They'd rather you do than let them go "free" etc.

11/22/105:30 PM

kattymieowwMember 10 years

Yeh well I have my little budgie "Jinks" He's a domesticated pet,|||(aZURE BLUE AND WHITE)going back generations.There are wild budgies in Australia,however I'm not stupid and would know that the little guy wouldn't last long in our "wilds".Crows,magpies hawks etc not to mention the cold,would do for him.Saying that there are more robust birds "Ring necked parakeets" are flying free and breeding in South England.Escaped birds from

11/22/105:57 PM

Yellow RoseMember

As I'm so involved in animal welfare of many species I agree with your message Katty. Tbh I often wonder why some would consider buying animals as a present at Xmas, if they genuinely care or are interested why haven't they thought about it the rest of the year? To think of buying them at Xmas can come across as "I couldn't think of anything else so I bought you a pet". Fantastic if whatever pet it is will be lovingly and knowledgeably cared for for the rest of it's life, so sadly for many animals it's not always the case.

11/22/106:20 PM

Former Member

What is it you do, Yellow?

11/22/106:24 PM

kattymieowwMember 10 years

Yellow rose..alas so many abandoned unwanted animals af all kinds..birds,fish and mammals,reptiles and still the so called "pet trade" churns them out! Grr!

11/22/106:32 PM

Yellow RoseMember

Reference:

What is it you do, Yellow?

I work in an animal shelter and constantly faced with harrowing stories about the lives of the animals sheltered there including a lot of cruelty. We also deal with healthy animals that have been passed to us, so they lost their homes and family they were familiar with without understanding why. Also we have wildlife or abandoned pets brought in by the public, we also have animals with life threatening diseases that cannot survive them and no one wants them, we take care of them until their life ends. I'm also a part of different organisations connected with different animal species around the world that are either cruelly treated or killed because to someone that animal is worth money. Thanks for asking

I learn a lot about people by being involved in animals, oh and I learn the good about people too, at times

11/22/106:41 PM

Former Member

Ah hey, that's brilliant.

I have a zoology degree and would love to get back into it but, for very correct reasons, there are multitudinous peoples who are willing to do the work for little or free. Never enough for the welfare of the animals for sure but enough that it's hard to make a financial living in that field. Unless you want to teach, which I don't, lol. Doing other things these days but it is and always will be my love.

11/22/106:48 PM

kattymieowwMember 10 years

Yellow Rose I salute you! Folk that help animals have my utmost respect etc!

11/22/106:49 PM

Yellow RoseMember

Reference:

Yellow rose..alas so many abandoned unwanted animals af all kinds..birds,fish and mammals,reptiles and still the so called "pet trade" churns them out! Grr!

Totally understand Katty, it's heartbreaking at times to be made aware of the scale of it all. Sometimes after realising how horrendously awful some human beings are I come across those that are the total opposite, and give thanks they're also in this world and doing all they can to try and redress the balance, it's not easy at times caring about this issue is it ?

11/22/106:53 PM

kattymieowwMember 10 years

Shame Antiope that you can't "make" a career in your field,etc. I love wildlife etc ,however (I'm 54) I was sneered at when I stated I'd love to study wildlife etc at school,alas I failed my biology O level.|However I'm a keen bastard!

11/22/106:56 PM

Former Member

I could, I just can't commit to a phD and a masters means bog all. I could do more, I suspect.

11/22/106:58 PM

Yellow RoseMember

Antiope, if you have a genuine passion for the animal issue then despite what you are doing now and need to do something could come along you could also be involved in, either voluntarily or for a small wage maybe, but either way I think you would feel fulfilled by your contribution

Katty, many thanks

xxxx

11/22/107:01 PM

kattymieowwMember 10 years

If we cannot love and care for our fellow creatures ...then we are poorer for it..well unless it comes down to Cowalll! Pah!!

11/22/107:16 PM

Former Member

I've never been able to understand how anyone could just dump an animal, but I had no idea that there were so many poor abandoned buns after Christmas - I supose I thought it was just dogs and cats who got dumped

11/22/1010:20 PM

Former Member

In our local pet shop, there is a giant rabbit, literally i dont just mean a big rabbit, its a giant breed. And its been there for months, nobody will buy it. I feel really sad that its gonna be there at xmas, id bring it home

but im worried 'pandelilah' would take one look at it and poop themselves (more than normal

) i feel really sorry that it sits in that shop day in and out. Horrible

11/23/1012:17 AM

Former Member

Oh the poor giant bunny I would love to give him a home.

11/23/102:38 AM

Ev (Peachy)Member

I know, poor bunny in the shop. I hate pets cooped up in confined spaces for too long

Keep us up to date Gyps.

They should put an advert further afield for giant bunny lovers who are genuine and want to care for one.

11/23/102:42 AM

~Sparkling Summer~Member 10 years

I have 2 bunnies and I love them, I couldn't dump them and if I had more space I would happily adopt as many as I could care for!

I don't think pets make good Xmas gifts, unless the recipient has been planning to get one anyway and is fully equipped in advance for the new arrival

11/23/104:19 AM

ClumsycatMember

it makes me so mad that people can just abandon animals in that way.... should put them in a cage in a back alley with no food or shelter... bastards

11/23/105:44 AM

kattymieowwMember 10 years

Oh Grrrr! just read on the bunny forum that they are looking for homes for more dumped pets..Bloody stupid folk that buy animals on a whim and don't give a shit for their welfare..buy a feckin' furry toy,,,eejits!

11/24/103:21 PM

cologne 1Member Memoriam

Can I ask a question about cats please?
I've got a kitten, love her to bits and she's the very best thing that's happened to me for ages. She's been very reliable up until a few days ago. Now she wants to be out all the time, her rhythm seems to have changed. So, I just wondered if it's getting to be her first season? If so, I've heard horror stories about that and I want to be helping her as much as I can. Any helpful comment will be appreciated gratefully. Thank you.

11/24/103:29 PM

Former Member

Reference:

What is it you do, Yellow?
I work in an animal shelter and constantly faced with harrowing stories about the lives of the animals sheltered there including a lot of cruelty. We also deal with healthy animals that have been passed to us, so they lost their homes and family they were familiar with without understanding why. Also we have wildlife or abandoned pets brought in by the public, we also have animals with life threatening diseases that cannot survive them and no one wants them, we take care of them until their life ends. I'm also a part of different organisations connected with different animal species around the world that are either cruelly treated or killed because to someone that animal is worth money. Thanks for asking I learn a lot about people by being involved in animals, oh and I learn the good about people too, at times

Oh wow! well done you

11/24/103:33 PM

Former Member

Reference:

Can I ask a question about cats please? I've got a kitten, love her to bits and she's the very best thing that's happened to me for ages. She's been very reliable up until a few days ago. Now she wants to be out all the time, her rhythm seems to have changed. So, I just wondered if it's getting to be her first season? If so, I've heard horror stories about that and I want to be helping her as much as I can. Any helpful comment will be appreciated gratefully. Thank you

Our cat came into season for the first time when she was just 5 months old. We had already decided to let her have one litter of kitties before having her speyed, and the vet gave her a contraceptive injection which covered her for about 6 months until she was more mature.

11/24/103:54 PM

kattymieowwMember 10 years

Get your kitty spayed..It will benefit her long term.I kwow about buns.A female rabbit that isn't spayed will have trouble after five years or so.They are prone to uterine cancers etc.I suspect cats will live longer too.

11/24/104:01 PM

kattymieowwMember 10 years

Please don't breed any more kittens into the world,

11/24/104:03 PM

Yellow RoseMember

Cologne if your kitten is between 4 to 6 months old it's worth considering having her spayed if you'd prefer her not to give birth, without being spayed she could have many litters if there are lots of unneutered males in the area. There are some vets who won't spay before 6 months so it's worth speaking to a vet. The mating season could be between Jan and Sept or even up till December, there's no hard and fast answers to that one. Kittens are delightful, I bet you're having lots of fun with her

Sprout, many thanks it's often heartbreaking but also very heartwarming

11/24/104:06 PM

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