New School Year, Same Old Pet Problems

The UGA students have been back in class for a few weeks now, the football season has started, Fall is in the air, cooler days will soon be here. Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, a very common problem  is ALSO back---the students who adopt pets because ________(fill in the blank), but soon get involved with all the other parts of campus life (even studying), and that dog or cat (or iguana) is no longer getting the attention it once received on a regular basis. It's "lucky" if it gets food, CLEAN water, and protection from the weather (heat, rain, etc).

I take my three little dogs for a walk (on leashes) every day, around my neighborhood; it's the "high point" of their day, so I don't skip a day unless I'm out of town or hospitalized. We recently moved (within Athens) and are getting to know our new neighborhood. We found a nice place to walk where there are very few vehicles, and all was going well for the first few weeks. One day a very large (un-neutered) male boxer came BOLTING out from under a house, barking at us as we passed "his" house. He stopped at the edge of the front lawn, although he wasn't on any kind of tether. I assumed that he was being restricted by an "invisible fence", the kind of device that gets buried underground & the dog wears a signal box on his collar which somehow (shock?) discourages him from crossing the buried device/wire. Anyway, he didn't go any further than the edge of his lawn & we continued our walk.

This happened a few times (5 or 6?) over the next several days, with the dog stopping at the edge of the lawn, but definitely barking aggressively at my dogs each time (I don't think he cared at all about me, the human). Yesterday, however, he must have reached his tipping point, because he ran OFF the lawn, out to the street and up to my dogs, who were, all combined, about half the size of the Boxer. I have seen (or been involved with) several dog fights over the years, and I will NOT stand by while any dog/animal is threatening to attack my dog(s), so I "told" the Boxer, with words & my actions, that he was going to get HIS butt kicked (by ME) if he didn't back off. Fortunately, this dog was not (yet?) in a "Kill Mode", he hadn't yet actually grabbed any of my dogs, but I'm pretty sure that's what he had in mind. I was able to "convince" him to return to his lawn (verbally & with my body language), and we were able to walk away without any more trouble. 

After we got home, I returned to the house (without my dogs) and knocked on the door, rang the bell, knocked & rang some more (I KNEW someone was home), yelled that I was NOT going away, and waited for someone to come to the door. in the meantime, I noted the empty (dirty) dog food bowl, scummy (almost empty) water bowl, and crumpled up filthy towel on the front porch; I'm guessing this was how the dog was "cared for"....well, at least he HAD a porch & (scummy) water...

Finally, after more than five (ten?) minutes, a young man opened the door, looking as if I'd maybe woken him up (around 10:30 am). I asked him if the dog belonged to him and was told he belonged to his roommate, who wasn't home at the time. I told him what had happened and he ASSURED me that the dog could NOT pass over the invisible fence. I ASSURED him that he HAD not only passed over it, he had made a beeline for my dogs, and not because he'd wanted to "play". I pointed out the dishes & filthy towel, the fact that the dog was not neutered, and the next step would be to report this situation to animal control, for the safety of the Boxer (running into the street, he could be hit by a car), as well as the danger he is to other dogs in the neighborhood. I explained that I would be carrying pepper spray in the future & would use whatever force was necessary if the Boxer attacked again. He ASSURED me that the dog is docile & mild mannered....I told him that might only be true with humans, not when other dogs are involved.

I am SO tired of students (Yes, it's almost ALWAYS college students) who get a pet, give it all kinds of attention for a few weeks or months, and then it is simply ignored, except for some food and, if lucky, water & protection from the weather. This Boxer is a young, energetic dog who NEEDS some exercise, and deserves some love & attention from whoever decided to adopt him. He is NOT a P/T pet, he is an animal who will live to be 12 or more years & he deserves to be treated with kindness & proper care. He SHOULD be neutered, which would probably remove his drive to be aggressive toward other (male) dogs. Unless a dog or cat is champion Show Quality, then get over it---there's NO NEED to breed your dog/cat!There are already WAY too many homeless pets in shelters or simply abandoned to the streets to allow YOUR pet to contribute to those numbers.

Be responsible. Don't adopt a pet unless you KNOW what you're signing up for---for the next 10 to 20 years that pet will live. And if you DO adopt a pet, then make sure YOU are taking proper care of him/her. Pets require some money to pay for food, veterinary care, possibly training classes, and other possible "circumstances", such as paying a fine for not having your dog secured properly and allowing him to attack another dog...or child/person. Remember, animals act mainly on instinct, unless WE teach them otherwise. Humans are supposedly the more intelligent species, so ACT that way! Don't be a lazy, irresponsible human when it comes to your pets. I feel like a broken record (those of you under 40years old, look that term up), but EVERY single school year it's the same old problems. A pet will be  with you for it's entire lifetime....PLEASE take that into consideration BEFORE you decide to adopt a pet. I look forward to the day when I won't feel the need to write about this again....