Obama's Dog, Shelters, and Pit Bulls

Well, on the news front the big thing now seems to be Bo, the Obama Family new dog.  It didn't actually effect my life too much.  The economy is the same, the wars are still going on and health care is still in crisis, but, apparently, our nation has something settled.  I, personally, think if it takes the Obamas this long to decided on something as simple as dog, we might  in a lot of trouble, or not depending upon where your politics are compared to his.  

Many people are angry because Obama had earlier stated he would like to rescue a dog from a shelter.  I had a feeling that wouldn't happen, although his intent was noble.  However, one of their kids has allergies and a hypo-allergenic dog doesn't typically find itself in a shelter.  The shelter dogs are typically dogs that annoy their owners for one reason or another:  they chew, they won't housebreak, they bite or they shed.  If they were a dog bred to be a pet, one that is hypoallergenic, snugly and easy to train, then they are probably going to stay with the person who paid hundreds of dollars to purchase them.  

I'm not saying this to bash shelter dogs because we have one we adopted from a shelter, Sammy.  She is the sweetest dog, and has been a great pet.  Each spring, she also sheds enough hair to cover the head of every comb-over man in the USA.  She is definitely not hypoallergenic.  

Plus, I believe Obama did rescue the dog, as the dog came to them through Ted Kennedy.  I think enough is said there.  Let's just leave it at the fact that there is more than one type of prison a dog can live in.  

On the topic of shelters, though, there is another reason I hate the Easter Bunny (and thus the commercialism of Easter).  The number Chickies, Duckies and Bunnies that end up at animal shelters about a month after Easter swells.

 

Parents who are all caught up in the Easter Bunny thing actually purchase these animals for their kids.  Then they are all surprised when the animals do an amazing thing.  They grow up!  I understand kids not thinking about that, but I really can't understand parents.  Since we started duck farming, we get about 2-5 emails a year in late spring about people asking us if we want to take Easter ducks and chickens.  What in the world are we going to do with them?  Then there are the people who just take the Pekin ducks and dump them off at a park.  I guess they think that's an especially nice thing to do since the ducks can find food for themselves, and can't fly.  It really wouldn't surprise me if there are people who are trying to start a wild chicken population in Cincinnati as well.    

On another animal story, in the past month a Pit Bull escaped from it's home (they can climb fences) and mauled three miniature horses.  

"The kids adored those ponies," said Patricia Rau, director of the Learning Tree Farm, a nonprofit that provides hands-on experience in a traditional farm setting in Jefferson Township outside Dayton. "The three ponies had been together for at least 15 years."

If there is one thing I have absolutely no patience for, it's ridiculous dog owners and their dogs.  Some person had the need to beef up his or her machoism, so they decided to get a dog that they 1) didn't know how to handle or train  2) didn't know how to contain  and 3) was dangerous and aggressive.    Now three peaceful, innocent animals are dead and a non-profit is, more than likely, financially hurt by this owner's stupidity.  I hope that they sue the owner and press charges.  Under Ohio law that owner is 100% liable for that dog's actions.  

How do I know all this?  Because I was attacked by an Akita that was owned by a person who 1) knew NOTHING about dog behavior  2)  did NOT know how to handle or train their dog    3)  did not know how to contain their dog     4) Felt the need to own a large aggressive dog because it bolstered their machoism.  As a result of their need to own a vicious dog, I got over 55 stitches in my face to restore my nose and lip and 4 of my 5 children got to watch their mom get attacked by a dog.  

But people who own dogs like that Akita and the Pit Bull, have a twisted perspective on life so the owner actually called me to ask me if I was okay with him not having the dog put to sleep but rather put in doggie therapy.  

Ya know,  NO, I'm not okay with that.  There are how many thousands of great dogs out there that will sit in shelters for their entire life?  It makes no sense at all to put hundreds of dollars into rehabilitative measures for an aggressive one, especially an aggressive one that is owned by someone who can't even put together a reasonable perspective about their dog.  Doggie therapy?  Who, in their right mind, would even consider something like that? 

Maybe Ted Kennedy did.  That certainly seems like something he'd do.  Maybe that's how Obama got Bo....