What was she thinking, or not?
 If someone has two dogs, cats, etc that look to be remotely the same breed, its time to get busy and procreate.
When meeting someone new, the first thing they ask about my dog is, "are they fixed"? When I say of course, they aren't breeding stock, I always spay/neuter, the answer I receive is "that's a shame, my friend has a sheepdog and they want puppies". 
I drive by the Walmart parking lot and see at least one person with boxes of puppies for sale every week. 
But all of you have heard this rant from me before, so I'll go on to the latest venting. Yesterday afternoon I'm standing in line at Petco, waiting to check out. There are 3 little girls, around 7 years old, in front of me. They all look upset, one on the verge of tears, the leader of the pack is holding a small animal box. The cashier asks, "Why do you want to return the hamster?” The upset girl starts to blurt out something about biting. The lead girl hushes her, but can't think of the lie her mom told her so she tells the truth. They had the hamster 2 days and her friend’s 4-year-old sister reached into the cage to grab it. Of course it bit her. She ran screaming to Dad and he said the animal had to go. So Mom drives the girls to Petco and sends them in alone to return the hamster. Since it was purchased on a credit card, one girl had to run to the car and get the card from Mom. She returned, with the card, looking very upset. Once the return was processed on the card, a signature was required. Little girl out to the car again to get Mom. Enter an angry Mom and three frightened little girls. At this point I was gripping the shopping cart so hard, my fingers had gone numb. I'm ready to tell Mom it's her responsibility to be involved and educate her children about care and wellbeing of an animal. Then I see Mom's angry face and know she doesn't care. She doesn't care enough to see how badly she upset her child, she sure doesn't care about that poor hamster. Bright side for animals in Utah is animal cruelty is now a felony. The first case under the new law was tried recently. The man had thrown a bag of 14 Jack Russell puppies in a dumpster this winter. Only one pup survived. He was sentenced to one year in prison for each puppy. I doubt the sentence will stand, but it sure sends a great message  |
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| How sad....I would be angry too...
If children learn by our example, what kind of pathetic example is this mother teaching her kids??? And, when those girls grow up...will they think the same way???? It is up to us to teach our children and grandchildren the proper way to handle any living creature...how to respect them...and accept their behaviour. I know with my own children, when they were younger and now with my grandchildren, we have many talks about the correct ways to approach a dog, cat etc...and how to respect their feelings... |
I don't believe the issue is limited to Utah. Unfortunately.  |
| wow...everyone knows that hampsters can bite.....my niece used to wear mittens every time she held hers just for that reason....its a RODENT...they bite....but they can also make fantastic first time pets for little kids.....
people have no brains sometimes! |
| All pets aside, you don't send three little girls in to return something alone anyway. She was just being lazy and irresponsible. Even if she wanted the kids to learn something, she should be there with them. |
ButtersStotch wrote: All pets aside, you don't send three little girls in to return something alone anyway. She was just being lazy and irresponsible. Even if she wanted the kids to learn something, she should be there with them.
granted and yes it isn't limited to Utah - but don't you think there may have been some other problem there? Is it possible this parent had other issues? I was raised by a practically agoraphobic mother who was bipolar (and no official diagnosis of that until she was hospitalized in her late 70's). This situation raises all sorts of warning bells - yes the situation is a bad one - on many levels. |
ButtersStotch wrote: All pets aside, you don't send three little girls in to return something alone anyway. She was just being lazy and irresponsible. Even if she wanted the kids to learn something, she should be there with them.
ditto  |
kerry wrote: granted and yes it isn't limited to Utah - but don't you think there may have been some other problem there? Is it possible this parent had other issues? I was raised by a practically agoraphobic mother who was bipolar (and no official diagnosis of that until she was hospitalized in her late 70's).
This situation raises all sorts of warning bells - yes the situation is a bad one - on many levels. That's a good point, kerry. We never know, do we? I have an agoraphobic neighbor - very difficult illness. |
Darcy wrote: wow...everyone knows that hampsters can bite....
Not me!  
But, I never liked mice well enough to find out. 
Its always the kids and animals that suffer! |
| I was bit by a Hamster during my first Hamster encounter at sleepaway camp. I still have a scar on my left index finger where the hamster bit me. I was asked to feed him and when I put my hand in the cage he bit me. Maybe he thought I was food? Those things can sure eat!!!
If they are not familiar with you they may bite and I believe I was also warned that the one I had to feed may try and bite. They are rodents and not really domesticated animals. Just because you stick something in a cage does not mean it's going to be sweet and loving. This didn't discourage me from getting one. I had Whisky for two and 1/2 years and he was my little buddy. He never bit anyone and was as sweet as can be. He died of a stroke or something... in my hands.
I do feel sorry for those kids... but who knows the full story. Maybe Dad was just worried that they would get hurt too? I did bleed like a stuffed pig from my finger when I was bit. |
| I'm sure she was thinking that she was teaching her children A Valuable Lesson. And that she'd be less likely to be reported for driving under the influence if she sent her kids in with her credit card than showing up herself all sloshed. |
kerry wrote: ButtersStotch wrote: All pets aside, you don't send three little girls in to return something alone anyway. She was just being lazy and irresponsible. Even if she wanted the kids to learn something, she should be there with them. granted and yes it isn't limited to Utah - but don't you think there may have been some other problem there? Is it possible this parent had other issues? I was raised by a practically agoraphobic mother who was bipolar (and no official diagnosis of that until she was hospitalized in her late 70's). This situation raises all sorts of warning bells - yes the situation is a bad one - on many levels. I've seen this type of parental behavior numerous times since moving to our little corner of Utah. Did Mom have problems, absolutely, but I don't think it had to do with intrinsic mental issues. I suppose, after three years I'd be accustom to this kind of behavior. tgir wrote: I'm sure she was thinking that she was teaching her children A Valuable Lesson. And that she'd be less likely to be reported for driving under the influence if she sent her kids in with her credit card than showing up herself all sloshed.
Generally not alcohol related offenses out here in the “new urbanism” section of Utah. However, Utah has the highest use rate per capita of anti depressant drugs. Go figure. It’s horribly depressing to live in one of the most beautiful spots on earth.  |
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