Why get an animal if your not going to keep it?

I hear all kind of "lame" excuses why people get rid of there pets. I'm active at FB as a animal activist and cross poster for the urgent cats that need to be saved/pulled/rescued from shelters. Many of the common excuses why people surrender pets are…"New Baby", Moving, Allergies (after about ten years of having the pet).. The all time winner had to be a boyfriend surrendered his girlfriend's cat due to the color of the cat…black.

Some people just like dogs or cats when they are small. But when they grow up they find it hard to keep up with. I say, don't get a pet if that's what you're going to do. And some people just like the idea of it. They don't realize that it is a lot of upkeep and expensive as well. You have to be prepared to have a pet. Like having a child.

There are some situations where people are forced to get rid of their pets for instance if a new family member is allergic, but in many cases people simply get tired of their pets. Many people buy pets for their children and after a while the children lose interest in their pets. Sometimes the parents forget that their children aren't old enough take responsibilty for their pets, and they choose to get rid of the pets when the children get tired of them. A pet brings a lot of joy, but it is also a big responsibilty and I think that people should keep that in mind before they buy a pet.

One of the worst stories was whilst I was waiting at the RSPCA for my dogs medication. A man came in with this lovely medium sized dog and was going to put it down because he got into the roses. I can't believe it how can people be so cruel.

I think there are both, people who really love their pet and have to get rid of them because of cost or allergies. There are also those that are not so empathetic toward animals and still see them more as property more than a part of the family. I think the key is to build a culture of empathy and remind people that they are animals too! We are really not that different. It's important to educate people that getting a pet is like preparing to have a baby. You are going to be responsible for a living creature for years at a time! There was a story I read recently about an organization/shelter that started a program to help people feed their pets and provide veterinary care for those who couldn't always afford it. The people were overjoyed because some of them considered getting rid of their pets simply because the cost was too much!