Adopted today… abandoned tomorrow

Perhaps the most dreadful thing to do to a pooch is to abandon him…as adjusting to a new environment without his family (you!) would be a painful and devastating experience! Never ever think of doing this to your pooch!
Pets are part of our family, then why are pets abandoned when they are sick or have behavioural problems or any other reason whatsoever? A family that I know of had an adorable mixed breed dog for about five years and then during a financial crisis, they decided to part with the dog as they found him to be a big burden. Every time they would leave the dog on the streets, he would find his way back. Once, they boarded him in a car and took him to a remote area close to the state highway and left him over there without even giving a single thought to what would this poor dog do on the highway where there was no access to food and water.
Another rich owner abandoned his six-month-old Rottweiler because according to him, he started encountering heavy losses in business after getting the pup home. It’s ridiculous to consider such a small innocent pup as a sign of bad luck.
It’s highly depressing to come across such people and then the only thing you wish to ask them is whether they would abandon their own child if they were going through a rough financial patch?
Status symbol…
A lot of people in our society consider animals as objects. They probably want a nice breed of dog to flaunt to the world as certain breeds are now perceived as a status symbol. It’s difficult but very important to sensitize these people to make them realize that their pets are their responsibility for life and are living beings who want love, care and attention.
Initial frenzy…
When you bring in a new pup, you get excited about the slightest of things that he does. You love to see him jump all over the place, wagging his tail and sniffing every one around. You don’t even mind him nibbling on your furniture or chewing your favourite socks. You proudly reward him with a treat every time he fetches the ball and give him a spank on his bum when he poops on the bed.
Rearing a dog is demanding…
However, in a lot of homes these moments of excitement are very short lived. In a matter of time, the same cute incidents get perceived as a nerve-racking nuisance and when the pet parents can’t cope with the increasing demands of managing a dog, they very conveniently abandon this new family member. When episodes like these occur, one keeps wondering whether the portrayal of a pet being a family member is just a superficial façade or is a temporary affinity towards the pet which would not be any different from some kind of a liking for your new clothes or gadgets.
Bored of the new ‘toy’…
Many a time, it’s the kids who coax their parents into getting home a pup for company but how much commitment can you expect from a small kid who can barely take care of himself. Kids often get bored of the once-so-cute pets and very soon we see the pets getting neglected in the household as the initial excitement of having a ‘toy-like-thing’ dies down.
Shifting homes…
With the urban people shifting base very often for work, it’s a common story or rather an excuse to see families abandoning their pets to avoid getting into the whole trouble of transporting the pet from one place to another. Also the additional expenses incurred in booking air tickets, buying crates or even arranging for travel visas for the pets seem too much of a worthless hassle, as a result of which the poor pet gets dropped out of the plan while the family willingly starts afresh at a new place and probably with a new pet.
Punishment for bad behaviour…
Pets who are neglected at home, left alone for long hours or are deprived of love often develop an unsteady temperament which manifests into repeated episodes of attention seeking behaviour like barking, squealing, urinating inside home, biting into furniture, etc. The owners who very often perceive all this as a nuisance give no second thought to what exactly is causing such kind of a problem. The question we then ask is, ‘Would these same people kick their naughty kids out of the house just because they are not well behaved anymore?’
Ageing…a natural phenomenon for all
When a pet ages some owners who have no patience to deal with the underlying problem, often end up abandoning these pets. The veterinarians of our country have several episodes to narrate of irresponsible owners whose sick pets are often on the verge of dying due to kidney failure, pyometra, tick-borne diseases, maggot-laden wounds, tumours and a lot of other dreadful conditions. The moment they know the illness is something major and would involve a lot of cost and commitment, they shamelessly refuse to carry on with the treatment. A lot of these aged and ill dogs are left alone to suffer in pain, because their owners don’t find it worthwhile to put in any amount of money or time to help these poor souls survive. Very often they are heartlessly abandoned on some roads or shelters with the owner never to return.
Welcome the new member; get the old one out…
With the news of a baby arriving, the whole family goes hysterical and in the whole new family setup with a small toddler fitting in, the always-been-loyal pet is now moved out. A lot of parents are apprehensive of having a dog around when their own baby is about to arrive. The most common reasons being- allergy issues, unhygienic environment and the possibility of the dog harming the baby. The pet is once again a mere commodity that is no longer needed and needs to be relocated.
Abandonment…a cruel punishment
It is not unusual to see pedigree dogs roaming on the streets totally baffled to even rationalize the whole situation. For them, the sudden shift from a nice plush apartment with timely meals to a garbage-laden road with vehicles speeding all around would be no less than a nightmare. To our dismay, not many of them even survive a week, as house trained dogs find it difficult to hunt for their food or even manage crossing the road on their own. The stray dogs pose additional hurdles as they are very territorial and for a new dog to be accepted by the existing dogs of a particular area is not a common possibility. The poor dog may be so blank that he would even fail to react to all these threats and the unfortunate story would carry on without the owners even knowing what actually happened to their so called ‘family member’.
Pets are your responsibility for life…
You mean the world to your pets and all they need from you is a love and attention. When you smile, they smile, when you cry, they cry. If that’s the kind of loyalty your pets assure you why is it that you let them down when they need you? Bringing home a pet is a huge responsibility and if you are not ready for it, do not bring one to entertain yourself, as you definitely don’t have the right to disrespect his existence. Remember, if you bring home a pet, love him and care for him for his life and in return you will be loved by him at all times!