this is a board that talks about issues concerning animals...your own pets as well as animal rights,alerts,bills before congress that need our attention.This is a family board but as abuse cases may be posted it may not always be for the sensitive readers.Please be kind to each other,thanks!
SPEAKING AS A PROFESSIONAL HERE, I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH YOU, ANASTASIA!
THE USE OF SHOCK COLLARS, OR "E-COLLARS" AS THE YUPPIES LIKE TO REFER TO THEM, IS ENTIRELY TOO MUCH OVER-USED AND NOT FOR THE APPROPRIATE REASONS EITHER!
MANY DOG OWNERS THESE DAYS THINK (OR WANT TO THINK!) THAT THEY CAN TRAIN THEIR DOG IN A VERY SHORT TIME! PUPPIES ARE LIKE BABIES.... IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME, PATIENCE AND MOST OF ALL PERSEVERANCE IN TRAINING A DOG PROPERLY! UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE DOG, THOSE WHO DO NOT LEARN QUICKLY ENOUGH TO SUIT THEIR OWNERS OFTEN WIND UP IN THE DOG POUND OR THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
THE USE OF A SHOCK COLLAR MAY BE NECESSARY IN APPROPRIATE CASES. BUT THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE TO AGREE WITH ANASTASIA THAT IT SHOULD ONLY EVER BE USED AS A TOOL OF "LAST RESORT" THOUGH! IT IS A CRUEL METHOD OF TRAINING AND REALLY NOT AT ALL NECESSARY EXCEPT IN THE MOST EXTREME CASES.
AND SPEAKING OF WHY ANIMALS END UP IN POUNDS AND SHELTERS.... ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS FOR ANIMALS LANDING IN SUCH AWFUL PLACES WHERE MANY ULTIMATELY WIND UP BEING EUTHANIZED THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN IS OWNERS WHO CANNOT OR WILL NOT TAKE PROPER CARE OF THEIR PETS. THEY DENY THEM PROPER VETERINARY CARE AND DO NOT PROVIDE PROPER FOOD AND SHELTER OR TRAINING AND SOCIALIZATION. THE USE OF SHOCK COLLARS TO TRAIN A DOG IN THIS KIND OF A SITUATION IS UTTERLY USELESS.
ANOTHER CAUSE FOR ANIMALS THAT WIND UP IN THE POUNDS AND SHELTERS IS PEOPLE WHO DO NOT CHOOSE THEIR PETS WISELY! THEY GET THEM ON "IMPULSE" BECAUSE THE ANIMAL IS "CUTE" AS A PUPPY OR A KITTEN ALWAYS IS, AND THEN WHEN IT GROWS UP AND TURNS INTO AN ADULT THE "CUTE FACTOR" IS NO LONGER THERE. THOSE POOR ANIMALS WIND UP IN THE SHELTERS THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN!
IF ONLY PEOPLE WOULD RESEARCH THE BREEDS THEY ARE INTERESTED IN MORE CAREFULLY BEFORE TAKING A NEW PET HOME THEY WOULD FIND THAT CERTAIN BREEDS, NO MATTER HOW "CUTE" OR "PRETTY" THEY ARE, SIMPLY DO NOT SUIT THEIR FAMILY'S "LIFESTYLE" AND A LOT OF "UNHAPPY ENDINGS" COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN AVOIDED. SADLY, IT IS ALWAYS THE ANIMALS THAT PAY FOR THE MISTAKES OF THEIR "UNINFORMED" OWNERS.
THAT IS WHY I WORK VERY HARD WITH MY DOG CLUBS' BREED RESCUE TO PLACE "SECOND HAND" DOGS IN PROPER HOMES SO THAT THEY DON'T KEEP WINDING UP IN SHELTERS OR ON DEATH ROW AT THE LOCAL DOG POUND THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN. 99% OF THE TIME IT'S NOT THE DOG THAT'S THE REAL PROBLEM IT'S THE OWNER! BUT IT IS ALWAYS THE DOG THAT PAYS FOR THE IGNORANCE OF THE OWNER, AND I FIND THAT UTTERAL ABHORRENT AND INEXCUSABLE.
I PITY THE CHILD WHO COMES FROM A HOME WHERE THE PARENTS CAN'T TAKE CARE OF AN ANIMAL PROPERLY AS IT IS AN INDICATION OF JUST HOW MUCH EFFORT THEY WOULD PUT INTO RAISING THEIR CHILDREN TOO! NOT TO MENTION WHAT THEY'D BE TEACHING THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT HOW TO TREAT ANIMALS AS WELL!!