To what extent do you think poverty affects dogs?

[Germanshepherdlova]

My kids attend school on the other side of town, on my way to pick them up yesterday as I passed by an area that is stricken by poverty I observed a woman walking down the street carrying a big bag of dog food on her shoulder. My first thought was that poor woman doesn't have a car, and has to walk in the cold carrying that heavy bag and then another thought crossed my mind-that poor dog that will be eating that food. It was a bag of food that was a brand I'd never heard of something like Tasty Dog Bites-(I could only see part of the name from the angle I was looking) regardless, it was from the bargain store at the corner.

I drove on down the road and remembered an acquaintance telling me the other day that their dog jumped off the couch and injured his paw and could apply no pressure to it-and that they loved their dog with all their hurt but had no money to take the dog to the vet and get checked out and so they were simply just hoping it would be ok. I have another friend who has NEVER taken her puppy to the vet for a check up or vaccines because of a lack of funds and the puppy is almost a year old!

Not sure if there has been any research done on this but is the life span of dogs that belong to poverty stricken owners much shorter than that of other dogs? The answer to this would help to answer my other question-how important is the food we feed our dogs in regards to how healthy and how long they will live to be? What about the lack of professional healthcare that these animals receive?

People are concerned about laws that will require a mandatory spay/neuter but what about a law that does not allow people to have a dog if they can't afford one? Thoughts on this?

[Jax08]

I think there are homeless people on the streets whose dog gives them more comfort than a human ever has. I think that same dog may have more love than the dog tied in the back yard whose owner makes $75,000/yr.

Money doesn't equal high quality care.

Income is certainly a consideration but PRIORITIES are even bigger. Making an effort to find a low cost vaccine clinic or even calling your shelter to see if they would give vaccines are an option.

How many of your friends have cell phones with expensive plans? Or other "options" in their lives that are a larger priority than their dog?

So WHO decides who is able to get an animal and who isn't. Taking away personal rights are a slippery slope. First animals, then illegal to have children based on income...oh wait...we did that with the eugenics program in early 1900s. The government is now paying those ppl who had sterilization forced on them or done without their consent.

[GSDolch]

Originally Posted by Germanshepherdlova

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People are concerned about laws that will require a mandatory spay/neuter but what about a law that does not allow people to have a dog if they can't afford one? Thoughts on this?

Its as stupid as a law making spay/neuter mandatory. IMO. Who gets to decide what the affordable amount is? What are the circumstances? By all accounts I should not own animals because currently we are living from paycheck to paycheck with very little savings. As I posted in the poll thread, Buddy broke his leg. Had it not been for payment plans I would not have been able to afford to just take him in. At least not until the following week when we got the next pay check. If that had been the case I would I would have waiting. Im sure some people don't like that option, but oh well, my other options were shelter, dumping him, or giving him away. None of which would have got his leg any better so those were not options IMO.

I also don't care how stable someone is, it can all change quickly. Some years ago Hubs and I were looking to buy a house, he had a good job, then the it all went to hades in a hand basket and we lost everything. My dad took my GSD and Buddy is small enough to be at the apt. so we lucked out.

I stopped worrying about what people feed their dog along time ago. I don't care if its Alpo from the dollar store, or Raw or whatever...not when people are starving their dogs for no good reason. The cheap stuff is better than starving IMO.

[GSDolch]

Originally Posted by Jax08

I think there are homeless people on the streets whose dog gives them more comfort than a human ever has. I think that same dog may have more love than the dog tied in the back yard whose owner makes $75,000/yr.

Money doesn't equal high quality care.

Income is certainly a consideration but PRIORITIES are even bigger. Making an effort to find a low cost vaccine clinic or even calling your shelter to see if they would give vaccines are an option.

How many of your friends have cell phones with expensive plans? Or other "options" in their lives that are a larger priority than their dog?

So WHO decides who is able to get an animal and who isn't. Taking away personal rights are a slippery slope. First animals, then illegal to have children based on income...oh wait...we did that with the eugenics program in early 1900s. The government is now paying those ppl who had sterilization forced on them or done without their consent.

Yup yup and yup to the bolded. When Buddy broke his leg I took what money was going to go to Cable to give to the vet, who let me make payment plans on the rest. Called the cable company and they gave me an extention to pay my bill so I didn't have to worry about that. If they hadn't then it would have been cut off until I got it paid, whatever I didn't care. Buddy got his leg taken care of (oh, and hes doing SO much better, still limps a little bit).

Whats wonderful is that my 14 and 11 yr old told me to cut the cable off (which included internet actually) so Buddy could get to the vet. I was so proud.

[LARHAGE]

I agree, some homeless people have nothing but the love and affection of their dog, and I have seen them feed their dog before they feed themself. There is this homeless Veteran that hangs around the feed store where I buy my hay, he has the mangiest looking litlle scruffy terrier that he adores with all his heart, and the feelings are mutual, the guy on occasion will help with loading hay for tips from patrons, I buy him a 5lb bag of Nutro Little Bites when I see him and I vaccinated his little pooch for him myself, that dog wouldn't trade places for any mansion in Beverly Hills, he has all the love and devotion a little dog could ever want.

[Whiteshepherds]

A good friend of mine is living in Texas in a very bad situation. Her family has offered to pay her airfare to leave Texas and go to Michagan where they live. The only problem is, she has a 9 year old Aussie and they won't let the dog come.

She has no job, no unemployment, and barely enough money to feed herself let alone her dog. The dog is being taken care of before her own needs, and she refuses to give him up to a rescue. This isn't a matter of things will change in the next week or so, it's a downward spiral that doesn't seem to have an end. It's irrational but I don't think uncommon. She'll give her last morsel of food to her dog, I have no doubt in my mind.

[Gracie's My Girl]

Not every dog is able to live the perfect lifestyle. Some have to survive without shots, quality food, and a warm place to sleep. However, I don't think they care or see it as the end of the world. If they are with someone that they love...that is where they are happy. Loving your dog and taking care of it in the best way you possibly can is nothing I can turn my nose up at.

[Good_Karma]

Jax said it best IMHO. "Taking away personal rights are a slippery slope." As sad as it is to see a dog in need of medical care go without, it's part of being a member of a free society.

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

I think people who are improverished love their pets just as much as the rich. I have seen the homeless guy w/the dog . i see a guy almost every day walking his older pitty and i dont think he has a vehicle. You see him carrying bags from the one of the local stop and robs. the dog and he walk everywhere. We have some places that you can get help w/ shots at a discounted rate. Our local food bank started accepting donations of dog food as people swere struggling. If i could start some charities one of them would be a low income pet medical help. I think about the fact that all the breaks I got in my life are how Ive been able to be Ok and that there but for the grace of god go I. Substitute whatever diety you believe in. I know last summer when Daisy needed blood work and my husband had not had a paycheck in a couple months i managed tightly so we could meet daisy's needs and everything else and somehow it worked. However if she had needed hospitalization i could have done it for 10 to 12 days and then there wouldnt have been anymore. i am a very blessed person from a employment and home situation and that can change. not sure i actually commented on the question posed but as I read this thread on my supposed lunch break this is what i thought.

[x0emiroxy0x]

My father was making 800,000 a year as an independent contractor for NASA and various oil rigs/plants in the US, Venezuela, and Columbia when he got his dog.

Does this make him a better dog owner? NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.

Just wanted to emphasize how MUCH he made and how BAD of an owner he is.

Hisrescue dog was probably crated 19 out of every 24 hours of the day because he was 'bad' and they wouldn't get a trainer.

Now, since the oil spill cost him a lot of jobs a few years back and since the new president came aboard and many NASA people lost their jobs due to cutbacks, my dad is poor compared to his old salary.

He is NOW a better dog owner and has a golden retriever that he loves to death, and he loves the mutt even more.

He wasn't any better to his kids than he was to his dog by the way. He lived in Venezuela from the day he left (I was 12/13) until 2 years ago when my stepmom got a US citizenship. I worked 45 hours a week waiting tables to buy groceries and clothes. I didn't have a car until I was 20. Many rich people are GREEDY! My dad never really liked me or my brothers and sisters until he lost all his money.