|
Disposability:
The Belief and Practice of the Throw-away Dog The day I first saw her at the convenience store, I knew she wasn't the usual stray. As a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, I saw strays on my route that looked downtrodden, to say the least. But this dog was different. Even with mange, she walked with her head high, ears back, grinning a gamin grin, saucy and sure of herself. She wasn't looking for an owner. She was looking for her owner. I walked into the store as another customer walked out with a can of dog food. No one claimed ownership of the young dog, he told me, so I called Animal Control and waited for the officer to arrive. The dog with the winning personality played and shared a gourmet cookie with me. When the Animal Control officer arrived, I offered my name and telephone number, intending to claim the dog, give her the veterinary care that she needed and place her in a home, preferably my own. Eighteen days later, I held her as she was euthanized, another victim of canine distemper. I had named her Trooper. In my profession, some of what I see speaks poorly about human nature. Social workers and police officers may approach me, requesting information about families. But without a doubt, the most difficult situations involve animals and their owners. The most prevalent attitude I've encountered on my old route: disposability, the belief and practice of the throw-away dog. Carol Ecker, DVM, of South Bend, IN., chair of the American Association of Veterinarians for Animal Welfare, explained it this way: "Societal problems reflect on the animals we own. We need to grow a new generation of pet owners. We need to teach the value of the animal. The higher the value of the animal, the longer the animal stays in the household." On some occasions, the animal's value depends on more than economic standing. Some owners view their animals as disposable even when they can afford proper care. "The very poor sometimes don't have the wherewithal to take care of their pets," Dr. Ecker said. "But pets present a convenience problem to some wealthy owners." Michael Kaufmann, director of educational programs for the American Humane Association in Washington, D.C., finds that the nature of the family relationship speaks directly to the health and welfare of the family's dog. "Companion animals, especially dogs, were made members of our families. Anything that happens to us in the human and family spectrums will carry over to our pets. It's never just a person and an animal. The profile of the per-son, whether employed or unemployed, or in debt, reflects [on] the animal. In many cases, a high percentage of animal abuse relates directly back to abuses in the family." Two recent cases on my old route offer a striking contrast in owner attitude. The first case involved Casey, a Lab/terrier mix, and the second involved Bartman, a black Lab. Once, I laughingly admitted to my co-workers that I never had to use Mace on a dog but came awfully close to using it on a few people. So, when Casey came to live with her owners, I introduced myself to them. I eventually steered the conversation to Casey and her care and stressed the importance of meeting her basic needs as well as her needs for companionship and time. Then I gave Casey a small dog biscuit. As the weeks progressed, Casey grew increasingly shy. She often had no water. Even after I talked to the owners, the situation worsened, so I called Animal Control. After a visit from an officer, the situation improved. Soon, however, Casey had a litter of pups that began dying until only two remained. One morning, the two pups lay on the side yard with flies on their lifeless bodies. Casey lay quietly nearby. Answering my knock, the owner said he was already aware of the situation. The pups had been there since earlier that morning. Casey disappeared for a few months only to resurface at the same house, again looking pregnant. This time, she had a white genital discharge. When my own veterinarian heard the symptoms over the telephone, he suggested someone get her medical care. Meeting with the director of Animal Control, I explained Casey's problem and past history. He assured me he would resolve the case. But nothing changed. I called the anti-cruelty officers five times before I received a return call. They told me they couldn't see evidence of a problem and wouldn't enter the property. I made four more calls to Animal Control as Casey continued to live under the car and the discharge worsened. Still no action. Finally, with a hurricane threatening, I called the city assistant manager, public safety director and county commissioner. About 10 days later, Casey disappeared. Lo and behold, she was at the shelter, dry and well-fed but unclaimed by her owners. When I went to claim her, staff members told me Casey was considered "unadoptable" because of pregnancy and a positive test for heartworms. But the kennel supervisor agreed to give her the shots and let me foster her under a few conditions. First, Casey had to be spayed and her litter aborted if the pregnancy wasn't too far along. Secondly, she had to receive treatment for heartworms and stay at the shelter for recuperation since my own household couldn't provide the quiet she needed. In return, I arranged for payment of the services and socialized her at the shelter. Left to her own devices for so long, Casey had no social skills. She didn't know how to walk on a leash and bolted in fear of all men and any new situation. Veterinarian Tom Gillaspie of South Trail Animal Hospital in Fort Meyers did the spaying. He found pyometra caused the discharge and swollen appearance-not puppies. He did the entire heartworm treatment and provided boarding for the first 48 hours. Casey came through each phase of medical care with flying colors. But throughout her five-week stay and rehabilitation at the shelter, six other dogs related to my old route or work found their way there as well. Rex was abandoned. Chi-lee and her two pups were turned in as strays by their owners. Samson stood accused of a vicious attack on another dog. His owners dropped him and a second dog in a remote area of the county to avoid liability. Red showed up at the post office with ringworm and heartworms. Each dog faced situations that were easily avoided or remedied. But the throw-away attitude didn't allow for it. This seemed the norm on my old route. Get a dog. Put it out in the yard. When pregnant or sick, throw it away and get a shiny new one. If it dies, replace it. Repeatedly. This attitude threatened to overwhelm me at times. Tom Lane, extension veterinarian at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida in Gainesville, lent a professional perspective: "A lack of respect for animals translates to people. We have to teach children empathy and respect for other [beings]. We ought to license owners. You take a test on basic animal needs. Pass and you get a license." Although animals are considered property and laws need to re-evaluate pets' value, licensing owners is unrealistic, said Kaufmann. The pet industry needs to get involved, and humane shelters need to be seen as community resources, not the end of the line." From my perspective, a chance conversation with a second pet owner provided some hope. Bartman's owner, Ray, was unemployed, without a car, and desperately wanted to get Bartman treated for hookworms and heartworms. But he spent his last $50 on the diagnosis. If care could be arranged, Ray offered to work off the debt. Although most veterinarians couldn't agree to Ray working off a debt because of labor and insurance laws, one offered to discount treatment if someone would pay up front and work out repayment details privately. A sponsor paid, and Ray worked off the debt by putting in landscaping. The dogs I've mentioned here - all six from my old route that showed up during Casey's stay at the shelter - were euthanized. None was claimed by the owners. Casey has a new home in rural southwest Florida. Her new owner dotes on her. Bartman was given an all-clear after his heartworm and hookworm treatments. I moved onto a new route in a professional business area. I find that a greater education regarding responsible pet ownership helps somewhat as does the ability to afford regular veterinary care. But some owners, regardless of economic status, treat their pets as commodities. They seem willing to trade in their animals as they would a car, especially if either starts giving them trouble. From where I stand, we have a lot of work to do. |
Send
e-mail to