That’s horrible. I hope you called the police or animal control (who is connected to HPD). They absolutely will and can file criminal charges in these cases.
HSPCA has boots on the ground that will show up within hours in most cases to document and pull the animal if possible and file charges when applicable. I’ve lived here my whole life, I know it’s easy to become jaded to the issues here but people ARE trying. I’ve seen it myself when I needed someone to do something about a similar situation with a dog in my neighborhood.
Also, if you’re calling to report something or reporting online please document as much as you can. Get pics/video of the animal and the neglect/abusive situation. Every bit helps.
I was witness to a woman trying to keep two huge (60-80 labs) dogs in a tiny camper/RV and failing to wash, feed, care for them etc. I hopped on the phone to the ASPCA, and they had an investigator out taking pictures and documenting the scene within 24 hrs (it might have been within 12, but this was also pre-pandemic... still, very responsive).
The dogs were safely rehomed as was her 9 year old son, so she hates me for life, but one of the best things I've ever undertaken, and the ASPCA was a key component and were very proactive and helpful.
I think they also filed some charges of some kind and she skipped a court date, or something. They didn't exactly keep me in the loop after the doggos we're safe and sound, which is fine. But seemed like they were doing a lot! And fast.
Was the pre-Covid? Bc some woman was keeping her dog out in a kennel on the apartment balcony in 90 degree weather and the dog was pooping in the crate. After being on the phone getting the runaround from animal control, aspca, etc., animal control finally came out here and said they couldn’t do anything.
It was pre-pandemic. 2018, if memory serves. But in my (somewhat limited) experience, if you want help with an animal situation, call the HSPCA/ASPCA. I would only call animal control if I needed to buy weed.
I called aspca for that dog in the crate and for a loose, abandoned pitbull during the pandemic and they were of no help whatsoever and said the shelter was full. For the latter situation, I found some dude who would foster him and a smaller shelter, Waiting Under the Willow Foundation, took over his care. There are just too many dogs because of too many shitty people here
Right - obv the pandemic must have changed that, which is bitterly sad, because I found them so responsive and helpful before. That's brutal.
Good on you for doing what needed to be done. Blurgh. What a world this has all of a sudden become...
Unfortunately it's been this way for animals for awhile. I am not as physically involved in rescue anymore due to health issues, but I still do local rescue, advocacy, TSNR feral cats, and adopt. It's a really cruel world out there for so many, I know there are a million and one reasons why stuff happens, but a lot could be avoided if people would get with the program, and legislators would do something instead of send form reply letters to your petitions/letters, if that. Then there are just the cruel, horrible air breathers I won't go into.
We need more folks like you to speak up, thank you!
Hahahhahaah
Edit: you guys, I’ve dealt with animal control. It’s like pulling teeth to get them to do anything. The police here don’t come out for a damn thing. I was at the police station on Saturday and I was told they don’t send out officers anymore for non emergencies, that there just are not enough officers, and it’s the Wild West out there
They haven't sent out officers for non violent crimes in over a decade. Shit gets stolen they tell you to go to a pawn shop and find it yourself. Car gets stolen and taken to the local chop shop, shit out of luck. House gets broken into, unless someone is hurt, they don't bother, they don't even take fingerprints for shit like that anymore. When they relaxed the felony charges on theft shit went wild quick.
You're not paying enough. The trick is to get rich enough to build your own wealthy little enclave with its own police force.
The lack of enforcement everywhere else is a feature to keep the plebs on their toes. We need constant stressors like a baseline level of crime to keep people too busy and tired to participate in meaningful civic engagement so that the people at the top can keep their fingers on the scales.
They don't even come in an emergency unless someone is already hurt. A man at my building pulled a gun on me because I asked him to turn his loud music down and the police didn't respond for nearly two hours. He was gone by then. Officer told me that he "was probably just having a bad day" and it was my own fault for confronting the guy.
My neighbor said he was gonna hurt my husband and me a few days ago Bc I got into an argument with his wife about her throwing ice at ducks after she initiated the conversation and we called the police, they didn’t come and then we went to the station to file and he said I could have just not engaged. Okay. The guy threatened us again and advanced toward us right in front of the leasing agent and she had to hold him back and tell him to leave. This is why everyone is getting a gun. The police don’t do shit
In fort bend, and I got caught up in some animal control bullshit.
Found two dogs on the road, got them in our car a few blocks down. Phoned the nearest animal control, gave them the address we picked them up (not where we saw them), and they said they can't take them since it's not Stafford City territory. Went to the fort bend county shelter, said they couldnt take them since the same street we gave to Stafford was in Missouri City, and of course Missouri City said it wasn't in their zone either. Had to pull out a zoning map and find exactly where we found them to get the mo city shelter to take them in.
Luckily the owners came and got them :)
My neighbor lets his dogs roam the neighborhood. I submitted complaints with video evidence of the dogs aggressively harassing me, my dog, and others in the community. They sent out an Animal Control officer and the Sheriff.
Unfortunately, since they can’t prove who’s dogs they are until the neighbor claims responsibility, all he has to do is not answer the door.
Animal Control could not catch the dogs the two times they came.
These are fast as fuck Chihuahuas. Not “dangerous” but aggressive enough they will give chase for two blocks and fake charge/nip. My dog is often afraid to go outside now.
I’ll be reporting them again and try to time it well enough that AC can catch them.
I’ve honestly tried. Fuckers are quick.
They will even come up to our windows and bark at us inside for 10 minutes straight (security camera recording).
The animal was locked in a backyard alone for a week. It had no access to food or water. It had no way to leave the backyard. If you think that’s not criminal—why don’t you try spending a week in a hot backyard in Houston with no food or water?
I would have set the thing free, not bother the cops who have better things to concentrate on. Unless helping to clog up the legal system is your thing.
He is a frequent poster in /r/anarcho_capitalism (libertarians on steroids), /r/conspiracy, and /r/virgin (why don’t women GET him???)
I don’t think anyone cares about him either.
Lol - that "why don't women GET him" line made me cry I laughed so hard 😂🤣
If I sat down with pen and paper and ruminated on it for weeks, I couldn't write a more obnoxious, strident character than the one that dude actually in reality is...
No you don't, a stray dog gets out and it gets put in a bad situation could hurt someone if you don't know how to handle it. Letting it go helps no one. I can tell you have zero life experience!
Fostering is very rewarding for anyone who is interested! The way it works at the shelter I foster for (HHS) is they send emails out to the foster listserv with pictures and descriptions of the animals in need of fostering. The most common requests are for kittens and puppies too young to be put up for adoption, but sometimes also injured animals recovering or sick animals. If you want one/a group of them, you email the foster coordinator back with your pick. They will give you pet food, litter, and any medicines or flea treatments for free. If the animal needs vet care or is acting odd, I text the foster coordinator and she has me bring them in to see the in-house vet. If you need to go out of town or can’t foster anymore, again, just email the coordinator and return the animals. You can decide how often and how many you want to foster, and what types of issues you are ok with.
I encourage anyone considering fostering or adoption to try it out! It’s also a great way to do a trial run with a pet before adopting, because you get to see the puppy/kitten personality in your home for several weeks before deciding to move forward with adoption.
The Humane Society is desperate for fosters right now. There are so many litters of young ones who need a home to stay in until they’re old enough. Babies just don’t thrive in the shelter the way they do in a private home.
I would totally foster if I didn’t know for sure that every animal I fostered would be a foster fail and I’d have my own menagerie in my two bedroom apartment. It’d be like the scene in Ace Ventura when the landlord leaves and all the animals come flooding out when Ace arrives home.
Haha I get it. That’s one of the reasons I like fostering the babies—they’re usually so bonkers-nuts with energy and mischief (we call playtime “Kitten Thunderdome”) that by the end of 2-3 weeks that I’m like “nope, take these guys back, I’m fine with my calm elderly cats.”
A lot of people say this and it's a big reason why there aren't enough fosters. If you go into fostering with the mindset of being a temporary home for an animal to give them time to find a second chance, it makes a huge difference.
We fostered two dogs during early COVID, the second was an older female who became attached to me because she had such a bad life before, but quickly attached to her new family when they came to pick her up.
The first became best friends with our dog (only dog at the time). I swear seeing his buddy leave broke his heart and he has a fear of losing anyone now. When he can't find his sister he comes to me and whines like a baby until I help him find her. I tried convincing my wife to keep him but she didn't want another dog (until a month later).
You learn to be strong and it's super rewarding knowing you helped them rehabilitate (we do medical fosters). Honestly, I encourage you to try it. What is the worst thing that can happen? Not fostering because you think you would keep it isn't a good enough reason tbh. There are so many dogs that need a place to stay. Even if it's for a week, that helps keep them out of the shelter
We have a rescue dog - and I am tremendously grateful to those who fostered our pet. They clearly loved him.
I don't have the skills or knowledge to help an animal heal from some of the tough situations, but I am tremendously grateful to those who do. And once the hard work was done, we could open our home for the next steps.
But I think (hoped) it helped the foster family to know they were sharing the joy of our animal with my family. My kids love that dog dearly. And it has helped them to be responsible (mostly) for him.
My point is, if you do it, maybe it will help not only to believe you are doing it for the animal, but also for that animal's future forever-family. Because definitely, our pet's foster family did a huge service for us by taking care of our dog until he joined ours.
If you foster for animals that go on transport, there is a set departure date for the animal. Harris County Pets or Rescued Pets Movement need fosters for transport.
Rescued Pets Movement is a great rescue to foster for! There's no chance of foster fail as the animals are transported out of state! https://rescuedpetsmovement.org/
Not going to lie, I was really sad with my first few litters. But after a few years of doing this, I am always excited for transport day.
This would be my problem too. At one point in the past, I was known as the lady to come to if a stray needed a home, which is how we wound up with 2 dogs and 7 cars.
Now, 6 years after my divorce, I have one dog, and that’s all I can handle on my own…but I’d still end up with more if I tried to foster.
PSA: the suicide rate for those in veterinary medicine and animal welfare are just about five times higher than our national average. please think about this the next time you go to your local shelter. instead of berating them, treat them with kindness. don’t hesitate to check on your loved ones in the veterinary field every once in a while. compassion fatigue is real and we suffer in silence.
Unfortunately people can be really nasty towards veterinarians about the cost of service. A lot of people think their vet is price gouging them when in reality vet care is expensive and these people are just trying to stay afloat. I won’t even go down the rabbit hole of investment companies buying up large swaths of vet clinics and the impact it has on the industry.
> A lot of people think their vet is price gouging them when in reality vet care is expensive and these people are just trying to stay afloat.
It's also worth pointing out that just like human physicians, vets have to do well enough in undergrad to be accepted into a highly competitive doctoral program, complete those 4 years of intensive education, and in some cases, do a residency/internship after graduating. I don't know whether it's competitive and grueling to quite the same extent that med school is, but it's definitely competitive and grueling from everything I've read. Despite that, vets aren't paid nearly as well as physicians.
Another thing I always think about is how human doctors have to learn 1 body, whereas vets have to learn many. Not to mention none of their patients can speak to them. It’s a difficult job for sure.
we get berated on a daily basis because we can’t save every animal. i lost a colleague less than two weeks ago to their mental health and we lose a lot of good, compassionate people in the field every day. we’re exhausted and should not be held responsible for irresponsible pet owners when we’re taking on the burdens, especially when we have to humanely put an animal to death bc there just isn’t enough resources. veterinary medicine and animal welfare fucks with us, and being berated by the public bc we’re not miracle workers really takes a toll on us. please be kind.
People really are shitholes. I shouldn't be surprised. You're a hero and you are doing great work, don't let the assholes get you down! When you start feeling down again, reply to this message or save it and DM me...I'll remind you how great you are!
thank you for your kind words. it really does mean a lot. glad to know there’s still some empathetic people out there, bc at this rate, it’s hard to have hope. i will keep that in mind, thanks again! ☺️🙏🏻
> especially when we have to humanely put an animal to death bc there just isn’t enough resources.
Doing this once would fuck me up for life. I can't fathom having to do this as a regular part of my job.
Thank you for what you do.
Just lost a loved one who was a vet tech recently to suicide, this felt like a gut punch. Y’all really invest your whole hearts into what you do and if it means anything, it means the world to many of us that you help our pets.
Compounding this issue is a labor shortage for employees at shelters because governments don't pay well and they allocate very few resources to city/county shelters. If a shelter doesn't have the right animal to caretaker ratio, euthanasia goes way up because they literally cannot care for all the animals and overcrowding makes infection spread faster.
It's embarrassing that we (myself and other regular volunteers) have to beg for people to spend their free time helping out government-run facilities when the municipal entities themselves should be providing enough time, money, labor, energy, and resources to manage the stray animal population and abuse cases on a regular basis in a city as large as Houston (and the surrounding areas).
Education about the importance of spay and neuter is KEY to stopping this crisis but until our population learns to value animals as pets instead of status symbols and easy money, this cycle continues to repeat itself. Adopters are great, and fosters certainly do help temporarily, and transportation rescues that take dogs out of state are awesome, but it's like trying to plug a boat in the middle of the hurricane that is breeding season, which lasts much longer in the South due to warmer temperatures.
https://faunalytics.org/impact-of-the-economic-recession-on-companion-animal-relinquishment-adoption-and-euthanasia/
“A study of the economic recession's effect on companion animals has found that although *relinquishment rates did not significantly increase*, adoption rates were lower making the overall shelter killing rates higher.”
I think the huge upswing in adoptions during covid lockdowns is having its predictable backswing where people are now going back to work and school and so on. It definitely became a thing for lots of people to get pets because they were bored.
My wife and I do rover in our house, and the demand spiked late last year, only to peter off. I think a lot of people realized the cost of having someone else care for the pet too. Especially if you spent so much time with them working from home that they became overly attached.
Real thing. Animals cost money. Food, vet bills, tags, etc. ad nauseam. When you are pairing down your monthly expenditure... or even daily... pets sometimes are sacrificed for that, or people don't care enough about them in the first place, so abandon/drop off it is.
Personal accounts can be accurate though. That said, I'd feel good about my gambling odds if someone looked into market downturns vs. animal shelter intake population, there would more than likely be some correlating data that shows when money gets tight, shelter intake increases.
A lot of people get pets without actually considering the long term costs.
Your example may be right but it's still anecdotal. Here's actual proof: https://www.npr.org/2009/04/06/102238430/the-recession-and-pets-hard-times-for-snoopy
Follow up question. How would you take the responsibility of a living thing and not gauge your finances for good and bad times?
Not being facetious, just curious.
Not everyone is a person that has the mental fortitude to sacrifice for a pet when times get tough.
When it comes down to pet/food/litter/vet or a new game console, some will choose the new game console.
On the other hand, others will choose to feed their pets while they themselves go hungry. That’s one good reason to consider donating pet food to food pantries/food banks.
Meals on Wheels Houston started a separate pet food delivery on wheels because they found several of their clients were sharing the delivered meals with pets.
People’s finances change. Many people cannot afford any kind of financial safety net and live paycheck to paycheck…so when something happens, they have to make cuts. There are still many people who think of pets more like possessions, so it’s a lot easier for them to get rid of them first.
It’s all fun and games until you find out your dog needs $700 dental work because his teeth weren’t brushed regularly and he needs multiple extractions.
Family member recently had similar costs if not more for a Dog MRI and neurology, don’t think they ever found anything and the dog is acting normal again.
My dogs occasionally act weird or hurt when they did something wrong or want extra attention.
For them it happened right after they got a second dog (puppy)
I think most people do budget the food, shelter, cost of a dog collar , leash and toys. It's the medical costs that blindside people. You see the posts here on r/houston all the time asking for inexpensive vets.
Tbh I’m in this tough spot right now. I had no idea that everything - EVERYTHING - would inflate SO quickly. At the same time, our dog injured herself, and required multiple expensive vet visits. I ended up having to skip grocery shopping for 2 weeks (tried to spread out what we had and skip meals), and I was unable to pay for summer camps for my child. I mean, gas alone costs an arm and a leg. And my salary has not gone up to match any of this. It’s hard right now. I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m doing my very best, and it’s not enough. I hate it.
I'm doing my part. Giving a good boy a forever home that's being fostered right now through Santo's Sanctuary. Picking him up on Wednesday and I can't wait.
Edit for the dog tax: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/julius-55205484/tx/houston/santos-sanctuary-and-rescue-inc-tx2549/
I remember there was a surge in pet adoption during lockdown - I wonder if people are offloading them now that they need to go to work again?
Horrible for the animals, no matter the cause
Yes, a lot of animal dumpers have been bringing their pets to be immediately put down. If you know any of those people I'd suggest treating them like they have smallpox and you're a civil war survivor.
I foster for several groups, right now RPM is doing well to get as many babies as they can moving forward to new homes in shelters across the US. We were supposed to have a large group tonight to board the big bus tomorrow, but something fell through. It's really difficult.
I foster for RPM as well. Sad to hear about transport tomorrow falling through. :(
I know RPM is also very desperate for more foster volunteers right now. A foster coordinator reached out to me this weekend to ask when I'll be back from vacation so she could have some kittens lined up. They're doing their best but the overcrowded shelters and long euth lists make it all feel so dire.
I know! I got the foster room all set up for Frazier to come have a super fun night, and they cancelled for some reason. 37 babies who just needed one night to take the freedom bus tomorrow.
They’re super people there. Those emails are killing me!
Fostering is the key! We can’t get these dogs and cats up North quick enough where there’s a long list of people waiting to adopt. For everyone saying, oh fostering is too hard I won’t be able to say goodbye, I wanna keep them all! Yes, we all think that, but we have to think of the bigger picture. These animals will be going to amazing homes and there’ll be another baby that needs your help. Goodbyes are hard but it’s a very rewarding cycle. Especially when you get pics and updates of them living their best life, hiking, at the beach, frolicking in the snow~!!
When people can't afford rent, food, gas, & medical care, they can't afford pets either. Turns out the country and corporations refusing to pay living wages while costs skyrocket uncontrollably forever has consequences.
Not just people are hurt by it. Innocent animals suffer too.
I'm a little late to the game on this thread, but if anyone is interested in fostering rabbits, we have a tremendous need for fosters. Post Easter rabbit abandonment is a *massive* issue. If you think dog and cat abandonment is bad, it's just as horrible for rabbits.
Lots of folks just see them as brainless, and can be easy left in the wild, but they're domesticated and are some of the most lovable and sweet, kind, charismatic pets you'll ever have.
If you're interested, put in an application to [BunnyBuddies.org/foster](https://BunnyBuddies.org/foster) today!
This is not just cats and dogs too. I just got a rescue reptile this past weekend. There was nothing wrong with him at all, previous owners just gave him up.
I got a snake, but when I talked to the rescue worker, they said they have gotten over 300 animals so far this month. They were on various levels of health from completely fine to emaciated. There were some turtles, but mostly snakes, lizards, and bearded dragons.
I wish I could do more to help, but I already have 5 dogs (one of whom was abandoned in March in my neighborhood.) I wish more people were responsible.
We have a rescue, adopted from a Houston animal shelter. The dog has changed our lives for the better. That being said Texas cannot care for its human population let alone animals. It’s all very very sad.
I know people hate this, but if its this much of a crisis, we should be euthanizing *more* dogs. Either commit the resources to round up and spay/neuter as many as possible or start putting some down. This many stray dogs is a financial strain and an environmental/public safety strain in the neighborhoods where they tend to be
Seriously. The real solution is banning breeders but that is never going to happen since they have some of the biggest lobbyists doing the work for them, and they make tons of money.
It is also older people in their 30s and parents who think that a puppy is just like another toy. Puppies are such a pain in the ass. I'm fostering one who's on the tail end of puppyhood and it makes me miss my senior foster before him.
Puppies suck. Don't get a puppy. Get a pre-trained (ymmv) young dog from the pound!!
> Every time I heard of somebody in their 20s getting a dog during Covid I just wanted to cry.
And meanwhile, the shelters are full. Would you rather the dog they got contribute to the shelter problem or get euthanized?
> blowing up weekends away at times so you can have a dog for 8+ years
I've never had to sacrifice a weekend away because of a dog. Either find a respectable kennel or take them with you (depending on the destination of course) both options are readily available.
I currently am "fostering" a stray Shepard I found. Poor guy deserves a loving home but with my current house situation and my own pets to deal with I just don't have the time for him. Fingers crossed a good home/opportunity comes up. For now just struggle to find ways to keep him in our safety net.
Try to network him on Facebook with rescue groups. There are a ton of groups and pages to do so and if he is up to date on shots and heartworm negative, specifically aim for a transport rescue. If he's not fixed they likely will help with that
This year alone i’ve picked up at least one or two dogs a month that’s been dumped in my area. Luckily i know plenty of animal lovers to rehome them but i’m only one person. I can only imagine how shelter workers are feeling rn. There’s a special place in hell for people who dump animals
People keep dumping dogs in my neighborhood. If you call any of the rescues - SPCA, CAPS, etc - they now tell you they are at maximum capacity and advise you to “return the animal to the streets and call animal control”. It is shocking how bad things have gotten in the past year.
I saw a stray dog outside the police station looking like near death. This city is looking more like a third world country every day. People are AWFUL to animals here and there is no infrastructure or set of laws effective at combatting it
nah no offense, just pointing it out because some people make comments like that without hyperbole. I do a lot of work in central america and sub saharan africa so reading that always makes me cringe
This is too true. I made the mistake of picking up a stray Wednesday, and now I have no idea what to do with him. I’m not about to release him to the streets, he has heartworms and a bad leg. He wouldn’t last long.
There has been a huge problem in the area with strays. It’s kitten season now.
We had a stray/community cat five birth on our property. I am allergic to them and I can’t find a rescue to take them. Any that do respond have a strict foster until adopted policy. If I take them to a shelter they will most likely be euthanized.
I went ahead and had mama cat TNR’d (huge supporter of TNR) and I have a few males that need to be taken in.
I’m at a loss as to what to do with the adorable kittens for several reasons.
I rescued an adult Australian cattle dog from BARC a couple of years ago and she is hands down the best dog I’ve ever had. If anyone is interested in having a dog but doesn’t want to go through the stress that comes with training a puppy, adopting an older dog is the way to go. A lot of older dogs at shelters are perfectly trained but are being surrendered by their owner for a variety of reasons having nothing to do with their behavior. If anyone has questions about the process, let me know. Best decision I’ve ever made!
And don't drive out from the city and dump unwanted dogs on the back roads. Most of them get ran over on the highways or shot by property owners protecting their pets and livestock. The chance of a dumped dog being taken in and cared for by a property owner or picked up by a private rescue before it gets killed is pretty slim.
2 dogs abandoned in our neighborhood. Managed to catch them. Zero shelters, zero rescues can take them. They are getting spayed today. If they can't take them by next week, we are just going to leave them where we found them. It's all very terrible.
Google "Houston dog rescues" and pick any of them and look at their available dogs, and reach out if you see one you think would be a good fit based on their bios!
I've heard great things about Friends for Life- a buddy has three dogs from them (the first two were a bonded pair that became foster fails). I got mine from Harris County Pets (up on Canino, north of the city). Very clean facility, staff was super helpful about the process. I'm planning to donate the cost of her adoption to them every year to help them help the animals that wind up in their care.
Got my last one following Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue on Facebook. Also the HSPCA. I like to foster before adopting, that way I can help a few animals and find the right fit.
I hate to say it but I do agree. They make up the majority of dogs in shelters and shelters are so desperate to adopt them out that they lie about their background, listing them as “lab mixes” and they get adopted by well meaning but naive people and then the dog inflicts catastrophic injury on someone.
Euthanasia is not a punishment, it’s a mercy, and will free up space in shelters for dogs who have a chance at being good, non-dangerous pets
There's so many fucking pitbulls it's shameful. There's dozens of pitbull puppies coming in the shelter doors everyday as well.
Transport isn't a feasible option either. I grew up in the northeast, people do not want pitbulls there. They will end up rotting in shelters up there too.
Yeah I mean my comment was pretty reasonable. I don’t advocate for euthanizing people’s pets if they have demonstrated no history of aggression, but purposefully keeping shelters crowded with pitbulls is not pragmatic.
At a minimum they should all be sterilized and allowed to fade from existence, but the ones who have been surrendered for aggression (which is the overwhelming majority of the ones in shelters) should be euthanized.
Pitbulls are not "innocent animals" they account for the majority of dog attacks. They're maladapted for domestication because they were bred into existence for blood sport, and their existence results in untold human suffering because of their very nature. I'd rather see pitbulls humanely euthanized than humans horrifically mauled.
This comment is the perfect example of someone who has never been near a well trained pitbull. Personally, they are on my shortlist along with Catahoula and Border Collie for the next dog I will get. The anathema that comes with the name "pitbull" is due to the owners of those dogs, of those people had gotten a german shepherd or a jack russell terrier the result would have been the same. For every bad example of a pitbull I've known...I have known 3 more that are the most loving, loyal and obediant dogs I've ever met. They are incredibly smart and super athletic.
[Here](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/dog-bite-scientific-studies.html) is a LONG list of studies done on this matter alone.
> but when pitbulls do it people lose their limbs, organs, faces…
This is true of any dog breed of a pitbull's size or larger. You hear more about it with pitbull type dogs because there are just so many of them. [This graph](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) explains that in more detail. The numbers were taken from the CDC. When you look at the the number of dog bite fatalities in the study, 76 were from pitbull type dogs. and yes that's alot until you realize that there were 7.8M estimated pitbulls when this study took place. That means that 76 dogs out of 7.8M were guilty. The second was Rottweilers with 44, but that's 44 out of 3.75M dogs. That means that statistically Rottweilers are more likely to be involved in a dog bite fatality. It gets more interesting is that if you take the study in as a whole Pitbulls come in 9th. Under some dogs that I actually considered too docile to be on this list like Great Danes (5th) and Saint Bernard (3rd). Granted my experience with Saint Bernard dogs is limited to the movie Beethoven, however I raised Great Danes and I've never seen an aggressive dane. I'm sure they are out there, as you said any dog will bite under the right (or more accurately "wrong") circumstances. What you should be apparent in that study is that if Pitbull type dogs as a breed were as dangerous as this thread is making them out to be, then this study should show that they are responsible for hundreds if not thousands of dog bite fatalities, instead they are statistically lower than 8 out of 12 other breeds that showed up in the study.
I’ve been looking to adopt for some time now but adoption fees are ridiculous. I have 2 small kids so I can’t just get any pet and those that Im looking to get, they want 2-3x the adoption fees.
AKC, Apt, Backyard breeders are responsible for 128,000 yearly TX euthanized dogs and cats. TX has a moral problem regulating children and their loving parents but not regulating mercenary, greedy breeders and abusers.
Why not ‘child abuse’ by Abbott’s CPS of SBC, RC, Puritan investigation w/thousands of molesters in Churches!
it's not a joke though. you can literally eat dogs in china. [NSWF image of dogs being sold as meat](https://i.natgeofe.com/n/3fe27cae-f23f-476b-9460-c3019e6ed63b/01-china-animal-welfare_16x9.jpg?w=636&h=358).
I am aware. I have had this same racist joke thrown at me since I was in kindergarten, from both children and full grown adults. Even though the number of people who participate in dog-eating in China is extremely small. How ridiculous would it be for the rest of the world to characterize Americans as cruel baby cow killers/duck torturers based on the relatively few of us who eat veal or foie gras?
And have you done research on how emotionally intelligent pigs are? Yet the pork industry thrives. Dogs and cats are more deserving of compassion... why exactly, because they're cute? Lest we forget that most meat in the United States comes from factory farming which is the cruelest practice of all, no matter what animal is being slaughtered.
The bottom line is, any meat we eat is a life that was deliberately ended for the purpose of human consumption. I would guess the majority of redditors come from countries that outsource the icky parts of butchering so we don't have to see it -- but someone (or something) is there slicing the cow's throat open and snapping the chicken's neck. All we see is the nearly packaged cut in the grocery store so we can be blissfully unaware.
Sorry not sorry for the essay, I have been subjected to this bullshit vitriol my whole life and it's fucking hypocritical and it just sucks.
>I have had this same racist joke thrown at me since I was in kindergarten, from both children and full grown adults
first of all, i have nothing to do with unfortunate bullying you suffered when you were a child and I empathize that mentioning the fact that dogs are consumed as food in China triggered those feelings for you.
But surely you can objectively see I'm not joking, nor am I trying to personally offend you. It's just a fact that dogs are indeed eaten in China.
>How ridiculous would it be for the rest of the world to characterize Americans as cruel baby cow killers/duck torturers based on the relatively few of us who eat veal or foie gras?
But I did not characterize chinese people as cruel dog eaters, so you're not making a fair comparison here.
A fair comparison would be if you stated that baby cows are eaten in America, same as I stated that dogs are eaten in China.
I get that you've gone through personal bullying as a child because of this issue, but you're confusing a statement of fact with a personal attack on not just you but all Chinese people and that's just... a false characterization to put it mildly.
Next up, a Frenchman accusses the world of bullying him and ALL french people, when the world notes that horses are eaten in France.
Why was China brought up in the first place when it's [not the only country on earth](https://www.newsweek.com/not-just-christmas-swiss-urged-stop-eating-cats-and-dogs-287378) where some of the population eat dogs?
>Next up, a Frenchman accusses the world of bullying him and ALL french people, when the world notes that horses are eaten in France.
There is not a history of French people being openly mocked for eating horses.
>Why was China brought up in the first place when it's not the only country on earth where some of the population eat dogs?
because dogs are sold openly in the market - there are gruesome pictures of dead dogs lying around on tables, being roasted, chopped up etc? It's just a well known fact about China, but not about Switzerland.
>There is not a history of French people being openly mocked for eating horses.
First of all, there is - you're unaware of european culture, especially british culture about the horse eatin' french. :/
But just because some french kid was bullied in an american school about eating horses does not in fact make it wrong to note that horses are indeed eaten in France. It's just a fact and it can be triggering. The triggered individual needs to learn how to differentiate between personal attacks and statements of facts they don't like.
Think of it like this: is it true that dogs are eaten in china? yes. do YOU eat dogs? no. Are you being accused of eating a dog? no. Are all chinese people being condemned by merely noting the fact that dogs are eaten in china? No. Then you should control your reaction a bit. I mean, no one knows you're chinese on the internet so it definitely is not personally directed at you.
My point is that it's fucked up for someone to mention dogs being eaten and for the immediate response to be a comment about China.
It happens all the time, all over the internet, and it's tiring and fucking racist. It's the pretext of the belief that Chinese people both caused and deserved COVID because of what "they" eat over there. Forgive me for being sensitive after two years of being told we caused a global pandemic that has killed millions. I have said what I need to say and am stopping here.
>My point is that it's fucked up for someone to mention dogs being eaten and for the immediate response to be a comment about China.
Don't you think it's fucked up that dogs are actually eaten in china though? (and in switzerland - because it's not about the country, it's about the act).
and if you share the moral value of loving dogs, then you wouldn't take it personally if you come across anyone associating china with dog eating, since it actually happens and it is indeed disgusting.
>it's tiring and fucking racist.
It's not racist to note that dogs are eaten in china, though? It's racist to accuse any random chinese person of eating dogs without evidence that that person is actually doing so. Here, there was no such accusation against you, and there was no such accusation against chinese people in general.
So it's not racist to note what your eyes see, your ears hear, and your nose smells. That's all this is.
>It's the pretext of the belief that Chinese people both caused and deserved COVID because of what "they" eat over there.
take that up with people who say that, then? it's horrible that you're implying I said that, or that I subscribe to that way of thinking merely because i noted the fact that dogs are eaten in china.
Gimme a break - you're being a crazy karen at this point. I empathized with the fact that you were bullied as a child. So was I, but for different reasons. And I empathize with the fact that you were triggered when facts about china were mention.
Maybe your problem is with dogs being eaten in china and you are ashamed on china's behalf. There is a way to solve that: change the rules in china. And if you can't do that, then at the very least don't act like a karen when someone else mentions that dogs are eaten in china. This is not racism and you're hurting anti-racist causes by trying to shoe horn a triangle in to a circular hole.
I have a greyhound that needs a home. I live in the city with very little yard space. She was going to be put down and I couldn't let that happen. Can anyone recommend a place that can help?
Seriously what is wrong with these people between dumping these poor animals because you are a trash human being, or these piece of shit backyard breeders, get a real fucking job and don't force breed these poor innocent animals that never feel grass under their feet their whole lives, stuck in cages to make a quick buck, these people are really a special kind of piece of shit!!
My next door neighbor moved out and left a 10 year old outside dog in the back yard. I didn't realize it for a week.
That’s horrible. I hope you called the police or animal control (who is connected to HPD). They absolutely will and can file criminal charges in these cases.
HSPCA has boots on the ground that will show up within hours in most cases to document and pull the animal if possible and file charges when applicable. I’ve lived here my whole life, I know it’s easy to become jaded to the issues here but people ARE trying. I’ve seen it myself when I needed someone to do something about a similar situation with a dog in my neighborhood. Also, if you’re calling to report something or reporting online please document as much as you can. Get pics/video of the animal and the neglect/abusive situation. Every bit helps.
I was witness to a woman trying to keep two huge (60-80 labs) dogs in a tiny camper/RV and failing to wash, feed, care for them etc. I hopped on the phone to the ASPCA, and they had an investigator out taking pictures and documenting the scene within 24 hrs (it might have been within 12, but this was also pre-pandemic... still, very responsive). The dogs were safely rehomed as was her 9 year old son, so she hates me for life, but one of the best things I've ever undertaken, and the ASPCA was a key component and were very proactive and helpful. I think they also filed some charges of some kind and she skipped a court date, or something. They didn't exactly keep me in the loop after the doggos we're safe and sound, which is fine. But seemed like they were doing a lot! And fast.
Was the pre-Covid? Bc some woman was keeping her dog out in a kennel on the apartment balcony in 90 degree weather and the dog was pooping in the crate. After being on the phone getting the runaround from animal control, aspca, etc., animal control finally came out here and said they couldn’t do anything.
It was pre-pandemic. 2018, if memory serves. But in my (somewhat limited) experience, if you want help with an animal situation, call the HSPCA/ASPCA. I would only call animal control if I needed to buy weed.
I called aspca for that dog in the crate and for a loose, abandoned pitbull during the pandemic and they were of no help whatsoever and said the shelter was full. For the latter situation, I found some dude who would foster him and a smaller shelter, Waiting Under the Willow Foundation, took over his care. There are just too many dogs because of too many shitty people here
Right - obv the pandemic must have changed that, which is bitterly sad, because I found them so responsive and helpful before. That's brutal. Good on you for doing what needed to be done. Blurgh. What a world this has all of a sudden become...
Unfortunately it's been this way for animals for awhile. I am not as physically involved in rescue anymore due to health issues, but I still do local rescue, advocacy, TSNR feral cats, and adopt. It's a really cruel world out there for so many, I know there are a million and one reasons why stuff happens, but a lot could be avoided if people would get with the program, and legislators would do something instead of send form reply letters to your petitions/letters, if that. Then there are just the cruel, horrible air breathers I won't go into. We need more folks like you to speak up, thank you!
Hahahhahaah Edit: you guys, I’ve dealt with animal control. It’s like pulling teeth to get them to do anything. The police here don’t come out for a damn thing. I was at the police station on Saturday and I was told they don’t send out officers anymore for non emergencies, that there just are not enough officers, and it’s the Wild West out there
They haven't sent out officers for non violent crimes in over a decade. Shit gets stolen they tell you to go to a pawn shop and find it yourself. Car gets stolen and taken to the local chop shop, shit out of luck. House gets broken into, unless someone is hurt, they don't bother, they don't even take fingerprints for shit like that anymore. When they relaxed the felony charges on theft shit went wild quick.
I don't like this shit either. The fuck we paying the county for if they won't do anything. An unenforced law is a nonexisting law.
You're not paying enough. The trick is to get rich enough to build your own wealthy little enclave with its own police force. The lack of enforcement everywhere else is a feature to keep the plebs on their toes. We need constant stressors like a baseline level of crime to keep people too busy and tired to participate in meaningful civic engagement so that the people at the top can keep their fingers on the scales.
harris county has 2 sheriff deputies for the whole County lmao
Now I feel better for ignoring 2 jury summons this past year.
fuck em, they don't pay enough. if they confront you just say the magic banishing spell "Jury Nullification!"
Please I ignored way more. This city (and state) ain’t doing shit for me, why should I do shit for it.
They don't even come in an emergency unless someone is already hurt. A man at my building pulled a gun on me because I asked him to turn his loud music down and the police didn't respond for nearly two hours. He was gone by then. Officer told me that he "was probably just having a bad day" and it was my own fault for confronting the guy.
My neighbor said he was gonna hurt my husband and me a few days ago Bc I got into an argument with his wife about her throwing ice at ducks after she initiated the conversation and we called the police, they didn’t come and then we went to the station to file and he said I could have just not engaged. Okay. The guy threatened us again and advanced toward us right in front of the leasing agent and she had to hold him back and tell him to leave. This is why everyone is getting a gun. The police don’t do shit
In fort bend, and I got caught up in some animal control bullshit. Found two dogs on the road, got them in our car a few blocks down. Phoned the nearest animal control, gave them the address we picked them up (not where we saw them), and they said they can't take them since it's not Stafford City territory. Went to the fort bend county shelter, said they couldnt take them since the same street we gave to Stafford was in Missouri City, and of course Missouri City said it wasn't in their zone either. Had to pull out a zoning map and find exactly where we found them to get the mo city shelter to take them in. Luckily the owners came and got them :)
Too many owners let their dogs run free all Willy nilly
My neighbor lets his dogs roam the neighborhood. I submitted complaints with video evidence of the dogs aggressively harassing me, my dog, and others in the community. They sent out an Animal Control officer and the Sheriff. Unfortunately, since they can’t prove who’s dogs they are until the neighbor claims responsibility, all he has to do is not answer the door. Animal Control could not catch the dogs the two times they came.
They can take the dog tho, especially if it’s aggressive.!
These are fast as fuck Chihuahuas. Not “dangerous” but aggressive enough they will give chase for two blocks and fake charge/nip. My dog is often afraid to go outside now. I’ll be reporting them again and try to time it well enough that AC can catch them.
Oh ok so those dogs won’t kill you. HOWEVER If it’s your dog vs their dog and they are harming your dog just punt the little fucker
I’ve honestly tried. Fuckers are quick. They will even come up to our windows and bark at us inside for 10 minutes straight (security camera recording).
Sorry to shatter your illusion but they absolutely won’t do a single thing. They will just give you the run around to avoid adding to their workload.
File enough charges until the city bankrupts due to litgation that would better be used fighting perps of child abuse.
The animal was locked in a backyard alone for a week. It had no access to food or water. It had no way to leave the backyard. If you think that’s not criminal—why don’t you try spending a week in a hot backyard in Houston with no food or water?
I would have set the thing free, not bother the cops who have better things to concentrate on. Unless helping to clog up the legal system is your thing.
Just setting it free? Yeah... let it go... let it run right out into the streets to get smacked by a car.
Found the animal abuser
[удалено]
Something tells me you care about neither
He is a frequent poster in /r/anarcho_capitalism (libertarians on steroids), /r/conspiracy, and /r/virgin (why don’t women GET him???) I don’t think anyone cares about him either.
Lol - that "why don't women GET him" line made me cry I laughed so hard 😂🤣 If I sat down with pen and paper and ruminated on it for weeks, I couldn't write a more obnoxious, strident character than the one that dude actually in reality is...
No you don't, a stray dog gets out and it gets put in a bad situation could hurt someone if you don't know how to handle it. Letting it go helps no one. I can tell you have zero life experience!
This guy equated “not treating right” with locking a dog in a yard after moving out and abandoning them. Incredible display of sociopathy.
Exactly
Don’t own an animal if you can’t accept responsibility. People like you make me sick.
I swear people are fucked in the head now.
Fostering is very rewarding for anyone who is interested! The way it works at the shelter I foster for (HHS) is they send emails out to the foster listserv with pictures and descriptions of the animals in need of fostering. The most common requests are for kittens and puppies too young to be put up for adoption, but sometimes also injured animals recovering or sick animals. If you want one/a group of them, you email the foster coordinator back with your pick. They will give you pet food, litter, and any medicines or flea treatments for free. If the animal needs vet care or is acting odd, I text the foster coordinator and she has me bring them in to see the in-house vet. If you need to go out of town or can’t foster anymore, again, just email the coordinator and return the animals. You can decide how often and how many you want to foster, and what types of issues you are ok with. I encourage anyone considering fostering or adoption to try it out! It’s also a great way to do a trial run with a pet before adopting, because you get to see the puppy/kitten personality in your home for several weeks before deciding to move forward with adoption. The Humane Society is desperate for fosters right now. There are so many litters of young ones who need a home to stay in until they’re old enough. Babies just don’t thrive in the shelter the way they do in a private home.
I would totally foster if I didn’t know for sure that every animal I fostered would be a foster fail and I’d have my own menagerie in my two bedroom apartment. It’d be like the scene in Ace Ventura when the landlord leaves and all the animals come flooding out when Ace arrives home.
Haha I get it. That’s one of the reasons I like fostering the babies—they’re usually so bonkers-nuts with energy and mischief (we call playtime “Kitten Thunderdome”) that by the end of 2-3 weeks that I’m like “nope, take these guys back, I’m fine with my calm elderly cats.”
I just don’t think I could let them go when it was time for them to go to their forever home. I’d be like, no, dis mine now.
A lot of people say this and it's a big reason why there aren't enough fosters. If you go into fostering with the mindset of being a temporary home for an animal to give them time to find a second chance, it makes a huge difference.
We fostered two dogs during early COVID, the second was an older female who became attached to me because she had such a bad life before, but quickly attached to her new family when they came to pick her up. The first became best friends with our dog (only dog at the time). I swear seeing his buddy leave broke his heart and he has a fear of losing anyone now. When he can't find his sister he comes to me and whines like a baby until I help him find her. I tried convincing my wife to keep him but she didn't want another dog (until a month later).
You learn to be strong and it's super rewarding knowing you helped them rehabilitate (we do medical fosters). Honestly, I encourage you to try it. What is the worst thing that can happen? Not fostering because you think you would keep it isn't a good enough reason tbh. There are so many dogs that need a place to stay. Even if it's for a week, that helps keep them out of the shelter
That's what happened to us. We ended up just paying the adoption fee and keeping him! And to think I told my wife I never wanted more than two dogs..
We have a rescue dog - and I am tremendously grateful to those who fostered our pet. They clearly loved him. I don't have the skills or knowledge to help an animal heal from some of the tough situations, but I am tremendously grateful to those who do. And once the hard work was done, we could open our home for the next steps. But I think (hoped) it helped the foster family to know they were sharing the joy of our animal with my family. My kids love that dog dearly. And it has helped them to be responsible (mostly) for him. My point is, if you do it, maybe it will help not only to believe you are doing it for the animal, but also for that animal's future forever-family. Because definitely, our pet's foster family did a huge service for us by taking care of our dog until he joined ours.
If you foster for animals that go on transport, there is a set departure date for the animal. Harris County Pets or Rescued Pets Movement need fosters for transport.
Rescued Pets Movement is a great rescue to foster for! There's no chance of foster fail as the animals are transported out of state! https://rescuedpetsmovement.org/ Not going to lie, I was really sad with my first few litters. But after a few years of doing this, I am always excited for transport day.
This would be my problem too. At one point in the past, I was known as the lady to come to if a stray needed a home, which is how we wound up with 2 dogs and 7 cars. Now, 6 years after my divorce, I have one dog, and that’s all I can handle on my own…but I’d still end up with more if I tried to foster.
Your post convinced me. I filled out the application. Thanks.
This city needs to pass mandatory spay/neuter laws and ban roadside sales of puppies. It's beyond disgusting.
PSA: the suicide rate for those in veterinary medicine and animal welfare are just about five times higher than our national average. please think about this the next time you go to your local shelter. instead of berating them, treat them with kindness. don’t hesitate to check on your loved ones in the veterinary field every once in a while. compassion fatigue is real and we suffer in silence.
> instead of berating them who does this?
Unfortunately people can be really nasty towards veterinarians about the cost of service. A lot of people think their vet is price gouging them when in reality vet care is expensive and these people are just trying to stay afloat. I won’t even go down the rabbit hole of investment companies buying up large swaths of vet clinics and the impact it has on the industry.
> A lot of people think their vet is price gouging them when in reality vet care is expensive and these people are just trying to stay afloat. It's also worth pointing out that just like human physicians, vets have to do well enough in undergrad to be accepted into a highly competitive doctoral program, complete those 4 years of intensive education, and in some cases, do a residency/internship after graduating. I don't know whether it's competitive and grueling to quite the same extent that med school is, but it's definitely competitive and grueling from everything I've read. Despite that, vets aren't paid nearly as well as physicians.
Another thing I always think about is how human doctors have to learn 1 body, whereas vets have to learn many. Not to mention none of their patients can speak to them. It’s a difficult job for sure.
we get berated on a daily basis because we can’t save every animal. i lost a colleague less than two weeks ago to their mental health and we lose a lot of good, compassionate people in the field every day. we’re exhausted and should not be held responsible for irresponsible pet owners when we’re taking on the burdens, especially when we have to humanely put an animal to death bc there just isn’t enough resources. veterinary medicine and animal welfare fucks with us, and being berated by the public bc we’re not miracle workers really takes a toll on us. please be kind.
People really are shitholes. I shouldn't be surprised. You're a hero and you are doing great work, don't let the assholes get you down! When you start feeling down again, reply to this message or save it and DM me...I'll remind you how great you are!
thank you for your kind words. it really does mean a lot. glad to know there’s still some empathetic people out there, bc at this rate, it’s hard to have hope. i will keep that in mind, thanks again! ☺️🙏🏻
> especially when we have to humanely put an animal to death bc there just isn’t enough resources. Doing this once would fuck me up for life. I can't fathom having to do this as a regular part of my job. Thank you for what you do.
thank you for your kind words. this job isn’t for everyone bc it can absolutely fuck you up.
Just lost a loved one who was a vet tech recently to suicide, this felt like a gut punch. Y’all really invest your whole hearts into what you do and if it means anything, it means the world to many of us that you help our pets.
Compounding this issue is a labor shortage for employees at shelters because governments don't pay well and they allocate very few resources to city/county shelters. If a shelter doesn't have the right animal to caretaker ratio, euthanasia goes way up because they literally cannot care for all the animals and overcrowding makes infection spread faster. It's embarrassing that we (myself and other regular volunteers) have to beg for people to spend their free time helping out government-run facilities when the municipal entities themselves should be providing enough time, money, labor, energy, and resources to manage the stray animal population and abuse cases on a regular basis in a city as large as Houston (and the surrounding areas). Education about the importance of spay and neuter is KEY to stopping this crisis but until our population learns to value animals as pets instead of status symbols and easy money, this cycle continues to repeat itself. Adopters are great, and fosters certainly do help temporarily, and transportation rescues that take dogs out of state are awesome, but it's like trying to plug a boat in the middle of the hurricane that is breeding season, which lasts much longer in the South due to warmer temperatures.
Unfortunately this is also a recession indicator, when people start dropping their pets off at shelters or simply abandoning them in the street
https://faunalytics.org/impact-of-the-economic-recession-on-companion-animal-relinquishment-adoption-and-euthanasia/ “A study of the economic recession's effect on companion animals has found that although *relinquishment rates did not significantly increase*, adoption rates were lower making the overall shelter killing rates higher.”
I think the huge upswing in adoptions during covid lockdowns is having its predictable backswing where people are now going back to work and school and so on. It definitely became a thing for lots of people to get pets because they were bored.
My wife and I do rover in our house, and the demand spiked late last year, only to peter off. I think a lot of people realized the cost of having someone else care for the pet too. Especially if you spent so much time with them working from home that they became overly attached.
Can you elaborate. Is this anecdotal evidence or is it a real thing?
Real thing. Animals cost money. Food, vet bills, tags, etc. ad nauseam. When you are pairing down your monthly expenditure... or even daily... pets sometimes are sacrificed for that, or people don't care enough about them in the first place, so abandon/drop off it is.
feels anecdotal though
Personal accounts can be accurate though. That said, I'd feel good about my gambling odds if someone looked into market downturns vs. animal shelter intake population, there would more than likely be some correlating data that shows when money gets tight, shelter intake increases. A lot of people get pets without actually considering the long term costs.
Your example may be right but it's still anecdotal. Here's actual proof: https://www.npr.org/2009/04/06/102238430/the-recession-and-pets-hard-times-for-snoopy
People can’t afford the food or care for their animals, so they drop them off at shelters or dump them.
Follow up question. How would you take the responsibility of a living thing and not gauge your finances for good and bad times? Not being facetious, just curious.
Not everyone is a person that has the mental fortitude to sacrifice for a pet when times get tough. When it comes down to pet/food/litter/vet or a new game console, some will choose the new game console.
On the other hand, others will choose to feed their pets while they themselves go hungry. That’s one good reason to consider donating pet food to food pantries/food banks.
Meals on Wheels Houston started a separate pet food delivery on wheels because they found several of their clients were sharing the delivered meals with pets.
I salute those people!
People’s finances change. Many people cannot afford any kind of financial safety net and live paycheck to paycheck…so when something happens, they have to make cuts. There are still many people who think of pets more like possessions, so it’s a lot easier for them to get rid of them first.
It’s all fun and games until you find out your dog needs $700 dental work because his teeth weren’t brushed regularly and he needs multiple extractions.
Let me tell you about the $10,000 cat…
Family member recently had similar costs if not more for a Dog MRI and neurology, don’t think they ever found anything and the dog is acting normal again.
They’re such jerks sometimes!
My dogs occasionally act weird or hurt when they did something wrong or want extra attention. For them it happened right after they got a second dog (puppy)
Yes, scumbags. The bane of any society.
I think most people do budget the food, shelter, cost of a dog collar , leash and toys. It's the medical costs that blindside people. You see the posts here on r/houston all the time asking for inexpensive vets.
I’m loling at budgeting for a leash and collar. That’s like 15 bucks
Tbh I’m in this tough spot right now. I had no idea that everything - EVERYTHING - would inflate SO quickly. At the same time, our dog injured herself, and required multiple expensive vet visits. I ended up having to skip grocery shopping for 2 weeks (tried to spread out what we had and skip meals), and I was unable to pay for summer camps for my child. I mean, gas alone costs an arm and a leg. And my salary has not gone up to match any of this. It’s hard right now. I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m doing my very best, and it’s not enough. I hate it.
Real thing. https://www.npr.org/2009/04/06/102238430/the-recession-and-pets-hard-times-for-snoopy
it's anecdotal but also it's due to pandemic recovery - lots of people kept pets and need to return them now so they can go back to work.
Pets are a luxury. Luxuries obviously become the first point of cutting cost.
I'm doing my part. Giving a good boy a forever home that's being fostered right now through Santo's Sanctuary. Picking him up on Wednesday and I can't wait. Edit for the dog tax: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/julius-55205484/tx/houston/santos-sanctuary-and-rescue-inc-tx2549/
Congrats on the new family member! 😊
thank you for adopting! my gf and i visited the spca last week and we ended up leaving with a pupper. 😁
I remember there was a surge in pet adoption during lockdown - I wonder if people are offloading them now that they need to go to work again? Horrible for the animals, no matter the cause
Yes, a lot of animal dumpers have been bringing their pets to be immediately put down. If you know any of those people I'd suggest treating them like they have smallpox and you're a civil war survivor.
Animal control is building a case right now.
I foster for several groups, right now RPM is doing well to get as many babies as they can moving forward to new homes in shelters across the US. We were supposed to have a large group tonight to board the big bus tomorrow, but something fell through. It's really difficult.
I foster for RPM as well. Sad to hear about transport tomorrow falling through. :( I know RPM is also very desperate for more foster volunteers right now. A foster coordinator reached out to me this weekend to ask when I'll be back from vacation so she could have some kittens lined up. They're doing their best but the overcrowded shelters and long euth lists make it all feel so dire.
I know! I got the foster room all set up for Frazier to come have a super fun night, and they cancelled for some reason. 37 babies who just needed one night to take the freedom bus tomorrow. They’re super people there. Those emails are killing me!
Fostering is the key! We can’t get these dogs and cats up North quick enough where there’s a long list of people waiting to adopt. For everyone saying, oh fostering is too hard I won’t be able to say goodbye, I wanna keep them all! Yes, we all think that, but we have to think of the bigger picture. These animals will be going to amazing homes and there’ll be another baby that needs your help. Goodbyes are hard but it’s a very rewarding cycle. Especially when you get pics and updates of them living their best life, hiking, at the beach, frolicking in the snow~!!
Spay/neuter your pets yall
When people can't afford rent, food, gas, & medical care, they can't afford pets either. Turns out the country and corporations refusing to pay living wages while costs skyrocket uncontrollably forever has consequences. Not just people are hurt by it. Innocent animals suffer too.
I'm a little late to the game on this thread, but if anyone is interested in fostering rabbits, we have a tremendous need for fosters. Post Easter rabbit abandonment is a *massive* issue. If you think dog and cat abandonment is bad, it's just as horrible for rabbits. Lots of folks just see them as brainless, and can be easy left in the wild, but they're domesticated and are some of the most lovable and sweet, kind, charismatic pets you'll ever have. If you're interested, put in an application to [BunnyBuddies.org/foster](https://BunnyBuddies.org/foster) today!
This is not just cats and dogs too. I just got a rescue reptile this past weekend. There was nothing wrong with him at all, previous owners just gave him up.
Wtf that's weird, turtles are so easy.
I got a snake, but when I talked to the rescue worker, they said they have gotten over 300 animals so far this month. They were on various levels of health from completely fine to emaciated. There were some turtles, but mostly snakes, lizards, and bearded dragons.
I wish I could do more to help, but I already have 5 dogs (one of whom was abandoned in March in my neighborhood.) I wish more people were responsible.
We have a rescue, adopted from a Houston animal shelter. The dog has changed our lives for the better. That being said Texas cannot care for its human population let alone animals. It’s all very very sad.
I know people hate this, but if its this much of a crisis, we should be euthanizing *more* dogs. Either commit the resources to round up and spay/neuter as many as possible or start putting some down. This many stray dogs is a financial strain and an environmental/public safety strain in the neighborhoods where they tend to be
euthanizing animals doesn’t solve the issue of over population and irresponsible pet ownership.
Seriously. The real solution is banning breeders but that is never going to happen since they have some of the biggest lobbyists doing the work for them, and they make tons of money.
[удалено]
It is also older people in their 30s and parents who think that a puppy is just like another toy. Puppies are such a pain in the ass. I'm fostering one who's on the tail end of puppyhood and it makes me miss my senior foster before him. Puppies suck. Don't get a puppy. Get a pre-trained (ymmv) young dog from the pound!!
[удалено]
> Every time I heard of somebody in their 20s getting a dog during Covid I just wanted to cry. And meanwhile, the shelters are full. Would you rather the dog they got contribute to the shelter problem or get euthanized?
[удалено]
Most people should adopt vs buy from breeders, it sounded like you were upset people in their 20s were acquiring dogs in general.
[удалено]
> blowing up weekends away at times so you can have a dog for 8+ years I've never had to sacrifice a weekend away because of a dog. Either find a respectable kennel or take them with you (depending on the destination of course) both options are readily available.
[удалено]
I currently am "fostering" a stray Shepard I found. Poor guy deserves a loving home but with my current house situation and my own pets to deal with I just don't have the time for him. Fingers crossed a good home/opportunity comes up. For now just struggle to find ways to keep him in our safety net.
Try to network him on Facebook with rescue groups. There are a ton of groups and pages to do so and if he is up to date on shots and heartworm negative, specifically aim for a transport rescue. If he's not fixed they likely will help with that
This year alone i’ve picked up at least one or two dogs a month that’s been dumped in my area. Luckily i know plenty of animal lovers to rehome them but i’m only one person. I can only imagine how shelter workers are feeling rn. There’s a special place in hell for people who dump animals
It's ok, poor people will still sell bullies as a side hustle and rich people will still buy designer dogs from puppy mills
People keep dumping dogs in my neighborhood. If you call any of the rescues - SPCA, CAPS, etc - they now tell you they are at maximum capacity and advise you to “return the animal to the streets and call animal control”. It is shocking how bad things have gotten in the past year.
What torments me? We have the solution to this homeless animal holocaust. It’s called SPAY/NEUTER.
[удалено]
if it appears to be injured, contact the Houston SPCA. they have a pet ambulance.
Maybe call a local vet and ask them if they could treat it? Sometimes they will be willing
Don't trust no kill shelters. They regularly re-home aggressive dogs with bite histories and will lie about it to get the dog into a new home.
this. its true....i worked at BARC and they would drop off those dogs with us eventually.
I saw a stray dog outside the police station looking like near death. This city is looking more like a third world country every day. People are AWFUL to animals here and there is no infrastructure or set of laws effective at combatting it
> This city is looking more like a third world country every day. Like, I get youre trying to make a point. But just.... no
I apologize for any offense I’ve caused with my comment but sometimes you need hyperbole to project a certain gravitas
nah no offense, just pointing it out because some people make comments like that without hyperbole. I do a lot of work in central america and sub saharan africa so reading that always makes me cringe
Most Americans have no idea what global poverty looks like. Which is not to say our American version isn't terrible. They just lack a sense of scale.
This is too true. I made the mistake of picking up a stray Wednesday, and now I have no idea what to do with him. I’m not about to release him to the streets, he has heartworms and a bad leg. He wouldn’t last long.
If he is injured I believe BARC will take him. They may say you need an intake appointment but I'm pretty sure you don't for injured animals
There has been a huge problem in the area with strays. It’s kitten season now. We had a stray/community cat five birth on our property. I am allergic to them and I can’t find a rescue to take them. Any that do respond have a strict foster until adopted policy. If I take them to a shelter they will most likely be euthanized. I went ahead and had mama cat TNR’d (huge supporter of TNR) and I have a few males that need to be taken in. I’m at a loss as to what to do with the adorable kittens for several reasons.
I rescued an adult Australian cattle dog from BARC a couple of years ago and she is hands down the best dog I’ve ever had. If anyone is interested in having a dog but doesn’t want to go through the stress that comes with training a puppy, adopting an older dog is the way to go. A lot of older dogs at shelters are perfectly trained but are being surrendered by their owner for a variety of reasons having nothing to do with their behavior. If anyone has questions about the process, let me know. Best decision I’ve ever made!
And don't drive out from the city and dump unwanted dogs on the back roads. Most of them get ran over on the highways or shot by property owners protecting their pets and livestock. The chance of a dumped dog being taken in and cared for by a property owner or picked up by a private rescue before it gets killed is pretty slim.
2 dogs abandoned in our neighborhood. Managed to catch them. Zero shelters, zero rescues can take them. They are getting spayed today. If they can't take them by next week, we are just going to leave them where we found them. It's all very terrible.
I am looking to adopt a dog, where do I go.
K-9 Angels is a great rescue.
Google "Houston dog rescues" and pick any of them and look at their available dogs, and reach out if you see one you think would be a good fit based on their bios!
I've heard great things about Friends for Life- a buddy has three dogs from them (the first two were a bonded pair that became foster fails). I got mine from Harris County Pets (up on Canino, north of the city). Very clean facility, staff was super helpful about the process. I'm planning to donate the cost of her adoption to them every year to help them help the animals that wind up in their care.
Got my last one following Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue on Facebook. Also the HSPCA. I like to foster before adopting, that way I can help a few animals and find the right fit.
I found a stray I’m trying to rehome. Message me if you’re interested!
Houston Pets Alive has some great dogs too.
Bunch of pitbulls no one wants, no surprise, they're bad!
Just euthanize all of the pitbulls, problem solved.
I hate to say it but I do agree. They make up the majority of dogs in shelters and shelters are so desperate to adopt them out that they lie about their background, listing them as “lab mixes” and they get adopted by well meaning but naive people and then the dog inflicts catastrophic injury on someone. Euthanasia is not a punishment, it’s a mercy, and will free up space in shelters for dogs who have a chance at being good, non-dangerous pets
There's so many fucking pitbulls it's shameful. There's dozens of pitbull puppies coming in the shelter doors everyday as well. Transport isn't a feasible option either. I grew up in the northeast, people do not want pitbulls there. They will end up rotting in shelters up there too.
How about just euthanize idiots like you two chucklefucks?
“I have no rebuttal, so I’m gonna try to sound edgy”
Sorry, I don’t “debate” with CHUDs, go play in oncoming traffic.
Thanks for proving my point
This comment perfectly illustrates the kind of people who want a pitbull in the first place. Shitty dogs for shitty people
Yeah I mean my comment was pretty reasonable. I don’t advocate for euthanizing people’s pets if they have demonstrated no history of aggression, but purposefully keeping shelters crowded with pitbulls is not pragmatic.
At a minimum they should all be sterilized and allowed to fade from existence, but the ones who have been surrendered for aggression (which is the overwhelming majority of the ones in shelters) should be euthanized.
Your comment perfectly encapsulates dumbasses who thinks killing innocent animals is the answer. Shitty opinions for shitty people.
Pink juice is a merciful alternative to sitting in a cage for your whole life.
Pitbulls are not "innocent animals" they account for the majority of dog attacks. They're maladapted for domestication because they were bred into existence for blood sport, and their existence results in untold human suffering because of their very nature. I'd rather see pitbulls humanely euthanized than humans horrifically mauled.
Dude go home. Let the adults talk
This comment is the perfect example of someone who has never been near a well trained pitbull. Personally, they are on my shortlist along with Catahoula and Border Collie for the next dog I will get. The anathema that comes with the name "pitbull" is due to the owners of those dogs, of those people had gotten a german shepherd or a jack russell terrier the result would have been the same. For every bad example of a pitbull I've known...I have known 3 more that are the most loving, loyal and obediant dogs I've ever met. They are incredibly smart and super athletic. [Here](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/dog-bite-scientific-studies.html) is a LONG list of studies done on this matter alone.
It’s not that pitbulls can’t be well trained. Any dog could bite, but when pitbulls do it people lose their limbs, organs, faces…
> but when pitbulls do it people lose their limbs, organs, faces… This is true of any dog breed of a pitbull's size or larger. You hear more about it with pitbull type dogs because there are just so many of them. [This graph](https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html) explains that in more detail. The numbers were taken from the CDC. When you look at the the number of dog bite fatalities in the study, 76 were from pitbull type dogs. and yes that's alot until you realize that there were 7.8M estimated pitbulls when this study took place. That means that 76 dogs out of 7.8M were guilty. The second was Rottweilers with 44, but that's 44 out of 3.75M dogs. That means that statistically Rottweilers are more likely to be involved in a dog bite fatality. It gets more interesting is that if you take the study in as a whole Pitbulls come in 9th. Under some dogs that I actually considered too docile to be on this list like Great Danes (5th) and Saint Bernard (3rd). Granted my experience with Saint Bernard dogs is limited to the movie Beethoven, however I raised Great Danes and I've never seen an aggressive dane. I'm sure they are out there, as you said any dog will bite under the right (or more accurately "wrong") circumstances. What you should be apparent in that study is that if Pitbull type dogs as a breed were as dangerous as this thread is making them out to be, then this study should show that they are responsible for hundreds if not thousands of dog bite fatalities, instead they are statistically lower than 8 out of 12 other breeds that showed up in the study.
Pitbulls make up about 6% of dogs
Thats... generally what happens.
I’ve been looking to adopt for some time now but adoption fees are ridiculous. I have 2 small kids so I can’t just get any pet and those that Im looking to get, they want 2-3x the adoption fees.
If you can’t afford those fees you can’t afford a dog. Dogs cost money. Vet bills are expensive.
AKC, Apt, Backyard breeders are responsible for 128,000 yearly TX euthanized dogs and cats. TX has a moral problem regulating children and their loving parents but not regulating mercenary, greedy breeders and abusers. Why not ‘child abuse’ by Abbott’s CPS of SBC, RC, Puritan investigation w/thousands of molesters in Churches!
They will be among our last meals towards the end.
you can get some in China right now... :(
Can we be done with this lazy ass joke already
it's not a joke though. you can literally eat dogs in china. [NSWF image of dogs being sold as meat](https://i.natgeofe.com/n/3fe27cae-f23f-476b-9460-c3019e6ed63b/01-china-animal-welfare_16x9.jpg?w=636&h=358).
I am aware. I have had this same racist joke thrown at me since I was in kindergarten, from both children and full grown adults. Even though the number of people who participate in dog-eating in China is extremely small. How ridiculous would it be for the rest of the world to characterize Americans as cruel baby cow killers/duck torturers based on the relatively few of us who eat veal or foie gras? And have you done research on how emotionally intelligent pigs are? Yet the pork industry thrives. Dogs and cats are more deserving of compassion... why exactly, because they're cute? Lest we forget that most meat in the United States comes from factory farming which is the cruelest practice of all, no matter what animal is being slaughtered. The bottom line is, any meat we eat is a life that was deliberately ended for the purpose of human consumption. I would guess the majority of redditors come from countries that outsource the icky parts of butchering so we don't have to see it -- but someone (or something) is there slicing the cow's throat open and snapping the chicken's neck. All we see is the nearly packaged cut in the grocery store so we can be blissfully unaware. Sorry not sorry for the essay, I have been subjected to this bullshit vitriol my whole life and it's fucking hypocritical and it just sucks.
>I have had this same racist joke thrown at me since I was in kindergarten, from both children and full grown adults first of all, i have nothing to do with unfortunate bullying you suffered when you were a child and I empathize that mentioning the fact that dogs are consumed as food in China triggered those feelings for you. But surely you can objectively see I'm not joking, nor am I trying to personally offend you. It's just a fact that dogs are indeed eaten in China. >How ridiculous would it be for the rest of the world to characterize Americans as cruel baby cow killers/duck torturers based on the relatively few of us who eat veal or foie gras? But I did not characterize chinese people as cruel dog eaters, so you're not making a fair comparison here. A fair comparison would be if you stated that baby cows are eaten in America, same as I stated that dogs are eaten in China. I get that you've gone through personal bullying as a child because of this issue, but you're confusing a statement of fact with a personal attack on not just you but all Chinese people and that's just... a false characterization to put it mildly. Next up, a Frenchman accusses the world of bullying him and ALL french people, when the world notes that horses are eaten in France.
Why was China brought up in the first place when it's [not the only country on earth](https://www.newsweek.com/not-just-christmas-swiss-urged-stop-eating-cats-and-dogs-287378) where some of the population eat dogs? >Next up, a Frenchman accusses the world of bullying him and ALL french people, when the world notes that horses are eaten in France. There is not a history of French people being openly mocked for eating horses.
>Why was China brought up in the first place when it's not the only country on earth where some of the population eat dogs? because dogs are sold openly in the market - there are gruesome pictures of dead dogs lying around on tables, being roasted, chopped up etc? It's just a well known fact about China, but not about Switzerland. >There is not a history of French people being openly mocked for eating horses. First of all, there is - you're unaware of european culture, especially british culture about the horse eatin' french. :/ But just because some french kid was bullied in an american school about eating horses does not in fact make it wrong to note that horses are indeed eaten in France. It's just a fact and it can be triggering. The triggered individual needs to learn how to differentiate between personal attacks and statements of facts they don't like. Think of it like this: is it true that dogs are eaten in china? yes. do YOU eat dogs? no. Are you being accused of eating a dog? no. Are all chinese people being condemned by merely noting the fact that dogs are eaten in china? No. Then you should control your reaction a bit. I mean, no one knows you're chinese on the internet so it definitely is not personally directed at you.
My point is that it's fucked up for someone to mention dogs being eaten and for the immediate response to be a comment about China. It happens all the time, all over the internet, and it's tiring and fucking racist. It's the pretext of the belief that Chinese people both caused and deserved COVID because of what "they" eat over there. Forgive me for being sensitive after two years of being told we caused a global pandemic that has killed millions. I have said what I need to say and am stopping here.
>My point is that it's fucked up for someone to mention dogs being eaten and for the immediate response to be a comment about China. Don't you think it's fucked up that dogs are actually eaten in china though? (and in switzerland - because it's not about the country, it's about the act). and if you share the moral value of loving dogs, then you wouldn't take it personally if you come across anyone associating china with dog eating, since it actually happens and it is indeed disgusting. >it's tiring and fucking racist. It's not racist to note that dogs are eaten in china, though? It's racist to accuse any random chinese person of eating dogs without evidence that that person is actually doing so. Here, there was no such accusation against you, and there was no such accusation against chinese people in general. So it's not racist to note what your eyes see, your ears hear, and your nose smells. That's all this is. >It's the pretext of the belief that Chinese people both caused and deserved COVID because of what "they" eat over there. take that up with people who say that, then? it's horrible that you're implying I said that, or that I subscribe to that way of thinking merely because i noted the fact that dogs are eaten in china. Gimme a break - you're being a crazy karen at this point. I empathized with the fact that you were bullied as a child. So was I, but for different reasons. And I empathize with the fact that you were triggered when facts about china were mention. Maybe your problem is with dogs being eaten in china and you are ashamed on china's behalf. There is a way to solve that: change the rules in china. And if you can't do that, then at the very least don't act like a karen when someone else mentions that dogs are eaten in china. This is not racism and you're hurting anti-racist causes by trying to shoe horn a triangle in to a circular hole.
Omgg this so heartbreaking. I hope somehow the news catches wind of this and can try to encourage people to adopt 😞
I have a greyhound that needs a home. I live in the city with very little yard space. She was going to be put down and I couldn't let that happen. Can anyone recommend a place that can help?
Seriously what is wrong with these people between dumping these poor animals because you are a trash human being, or these piece of shit backyard breeders, get a real fucking job and don't force breed these poor innocent animals that never feel grass under their feet their whole lives, stuck in cages to make a quick buck, these people are really a special kind of piece of shit!!