It is that time of year again when
so many people start spouting off, “If you’re cold, they’re cold!” These people
are not only insisting that pet owners bring their pets inside, apparently,
they are calling the police on the pet owners for animal cruelty.
The issue with this is that they are
calling the police on people who own dogs that originate from areas known for
the cold! Sometimes, we are talking about dogs bred to work in cold
conditions!
One fellow was forced to put a
sweater on his husky because the neighbor kept calling the police because his
dog was out in his yard instead of inside. It’s a husky! A breed suited for
pulling sleds in the Alaskan wilderness.
And there are other breeds of dog,
who have thick coats of fur and love the snow. It is just absurd that anyone
would think such fur-coated animals are cold when we humans, who are definitely
not fur-coated, are cold.
I do admit there are dog breeds that
would not like the cold and would rather be inside during the cold weather. Use
some commonsense people. When we are talking about a breed intended for colder
climates, it would be sensible to be concerned with them being outside when it
is hot instead of inside with the air conditioning.
On another note, someone recently
posted on a neighborhood site in my area urging everyone to keep their cats
inside because hawks and owls are in this area, and they could take off with
said cats.
Again, use some common sense! Full-grown hawks and owls are not generally that heavy, which is why they focus on
smaller rodents for their meals. A kitten might be in danger of being snatched
by one of these birds, but not a full-grown cat. An eagle would be able to manage
that kind of weight, but not a hawk or owl, neither of which tops more than
five pounds. A standard house cat can get up to fourteen pounds, and Main Coons are even bigger than that.
Now I admit all three birds of prey
can be found in the less densely populated regions around here closer to the
Reservation or the woods, but they have not been seen in the middle of the
city. Especially the eagle. So, the likelihood of a cat being killed by birds
is slim at best.
I admit that there is the danger of
cars in the city, but that isn’t going to stop some cats from going outside.
Mine included. Some cats are fearless. He’s also slightly bigger than standard.
I figure if he has a way to get
inside on his own, which he does, he’s perfectly safe. He can run and hide
inside if danger comes around. And he does. Anytime a delivery driver shows up
when he’s outside, he charges inside to hide under my bed.
All I’m really saying is don’t
dictate to other people what you deem to be the best way to raise a pet when
you are not used to that breed. And I’m sure Konnie will agree with me because
in their house they have or have had dogs that enjoy the cooler temperatures
and dogs that prefer the warmer temperatures, contingent upon where their
breed originated.
I say if the animal isn’t chained to
a doghouse or a pole, and has means to get inside on his own, leave them be. Let
alone consider the breed as well as the weather.
As for my cat going outside. He
sticks close to home and comes inside whenever any unknown person comes into
the area. I’m sure, if he deemed a bird of prey a danger to him, he’d run
inside too. But that is a big “if” since I’ve never seen any such bird in the
city, in the countryside, but not the city. And, again, hawks and owls are not
big enough to carry off a full-grown cat!
And even as I write about using common sense, I despair that far too many people out there don’t have any. I see
too many instances of stupidity happening online on a daily basis to conclude
that people do not have the ability to use their brains before they act or
speak.
Not just the people calling the cops
because a pet with a heavy fur coat is outside in the cold, but also for all
the people who seem to think that a person is only disabled when the disability
is noticeable at first sight.
I constantly find myself wondering when
someone is going to approach me and insist, that I’m not disabled, despite my
disabled plates. Some disabilities are not visible!
Anyway, happy writing everyone, and
take sensible care of your pets!
