Comments on: The high price of animal shelters http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:46:37 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: dj http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/comment-page-1/#comment-308246 dj Mon, 16 Apr 2007 12:40:23 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/#comment-308246 I'm biting my tongue on the nasty cat remarks above. :-( That sounds like an expensive shelter. My last two cats (both have since passed away and now we have 3 dogs) were adopted, one was a stray I rescued from the streets, and the other from a shelter run by the Defenders of Animal Rights. The cat I got from the shelter cost me $70 and brought me joy beyond any price. I can also say the same for the $700 pug we got from a breeder. I don't think about pets in terms of what they cost, they're like members of the family. All the same, I think there are affordable adoption shelters in many places -- maybe the charges from your shelter were so high because their operating costs aren't covered by adoption fees and donations alone? I’m biting my tongue on the nasty cat remarks above. :-(

That sounds like an expensive shelter. My last two cats (both have since passed away and now we have 3 dogs) were adopted, one was a stray I rescued from the streets, and the other from a shelter run by the Defenders of Animal Rights. The cat I got from the shelter cost me $70 and brought me joy beyond any price. I can also say the same for the $700 pug we got from a breeder. I don’t think about pets in terms of what they cost, they’re like members of the family.

All the same, I think there are affordable adoption shelters in many places — maybe the charges from your shelter were so high because their operating costs aren’t covered by adoption fees and donations alone?

]]> By: ford4x4 http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/comment-page-1/#comment-306279 ford4x4 Fri, 13 Apr 2007 20:16:59 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/#comment-306279 I tried to get a dog from the "Humane Society" last summer. After finding out I'd have a "background check" and pay about $200 to adopt him, I ended up at the local puppy farm. Kind of makes me think that the humane society does just the opposite of what it intends. I tried to get a dog from the “Humane Society” last summer. After finding out I’d have a “background check” and pay about $200 to adopt him, I ended up at the local puppy farm. Kind of makes me think that the humane society does just the opposite of what it intends.

]]> By: Harriet Baker http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/comment-page-1/#comment-306199 Harriet Baker Fri, 13 Apr 2007 17:46:56 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/#comment-306199 Noted New York City Veterinarian for decades, Dr. Louis J. Camutti, had people like the cat owners mentioned in the article who didn't have time to train their cats, so they had the cat's paws dismembered, disfigured, crippled, maimed, instead. Dr. Camutti said in his book, All My Patients are Under the Bed: "Just the request, itself (to maim healthy animal limbs) is an indication that the household is not suited for a cat." Noted New York City Veterinarian for decades, Dr. Louis J. Camutti, had people like the cat owners mentioned in the article who didn’t have time to train their cats, so they had the cat’s paws dismembered, disfigured, crippled, maimed, instead. Dr. Camutti said in his book, All My Patients are Under the Bed: “Just the request, itself (to maim healthy animal limbs) is an indication that the household is not suited for a cat.”

]]> By: Sean Aqui http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/comment-page-1/#comment-306086 Sean Aqui Fri, 13 Apr 2007 15:48:33 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/#comment-306086 Ryan: Well, maybe we just got suckered.... But that was pretty much the going rate at the various shelters we visited: $100 and up per animal. Outstate it was much lower; if we had cared to drive to Austin, Minn., we could have had 'em for $50 apiece. Cats need to be socialized when they're young, otherwise they can be very standoffish as adults. That means gently holding them and petting them for a few minutes longer than they would prefer. Gradually, they get used to (and like) longer and longer petting sessions. But it also depends on the breed: both domestic longhairs we've had couldn't get enough attention. They were so affectionate you felt like you were being stalked. Ryan: Well, maybe we just got suckered…. But that was pretty much the going rate at the various shelters we visited: $100 and up per animal. Outstate it was much lower; if we had cared to drive to Austin, Minn., we could have had ‘em for $50 apiece.

Cats need to be socialized when they’re young, otherwise they can be very standoffish as adults. That means gently holding them and petting them for a few minutes longer than they would prefer. Gradually, they get used to (and like) longer and longer petting sessions.

But it also depends on the breed: both domestic longhairs we’ve had couldn’t get enough attention. They were so affectionate you felt like you were being stalked.

]]> By: Ryan http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/comment-page-1/#comment-306019 Ryan Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:22:32 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/#comment-306019 Strike that "cat's" and replace it with the proper pluralization. Strike that “cat’s” and replace it with the proper pluralization.

]]> By: Ryan http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/comment-page-1/#comment-306018 Ryan Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:21:55 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/#comment-306018 I don't know how you ended up paying $150 for a cat at an animal shelter. When my girlfriend and I got our dog, Albert, from the Athens-Clarke County animal rescue, it was $50 total (well, for the animal shelter - apartment fees were $300) and I am sure a cat would have been less. In defense of cats, many of the screwed up cats I know are screwed up because of (previous) bad owners. Cats require training and if they are not trained properly, they'll be total cock-ups. My family got our cat in 1993 (from a shelter) for $15, we trained him properly with the appropriate positive and negative reinforcements, and he has been good. He became mean after my parents were divorced and mom's boyfriend didn't treat him as a cat. Cat's are simple creatures. Play their game, it's only a small one. I don’t know how you ended up paying $150 for a cat at an animal shelter. When my girlfriend and I got our dog, Albert, from the Athens-Clarke County animal rescue, it was $50 total (well, for the animal shelter – apartment fees were $300) and I am sure a cat would have been less.

In defense of cats, many of the screwed up cats I know are screwed up because of (previous) bad owners. Cats require training and if they are not trained properly, they’ll be total cock-ups. My family got our cat in 1993 (from a shelter) for $15, we trained him properly with the appropriate positive and negative reinforcements, and he has been good. He became mean after my parents were divorced and mom’s boyfriend didn’t treat him as a cat.

Cat’s are simple creatures. Play their game, it’s only a small one.

]]> By: confused http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/comment-page-1/#comment-305969 confused Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:47:47 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/#comment-305969 DosPeros, Thanks for the giggle you gave me on Friday morning. I will have to check my closets for circus midgets. DosPeros,

Thanks for the giggle you gave me on Friday morning. I will have to check my closets for circus midgets.

]]> By: Dyre42 http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/comment-page-1/#comment-305869 Dyre42 Fri, 13 Apr 2007 08:09:09 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/#comment-305869 You know Sean I had the same problem with my cat meaning the "attack the feet under the covers" thing. Eventually It ended up being unintentionally punted across the room and off the opposite wall and never had that problem again. You know Sean I had the same problem with my cat meaning the “attack the feet under the covers” thing. Eventually It ended up being unintentionally punted across the room and off the opposite wall and never had that problem again.

]]> By: DosPeros http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/comment-page-1/#comment-305617 DosPeros Thu, 12 Apr 2007 20:42:53 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/#comment-305617 So are circus midgets, but that doesn't mean I want one living and shitting in my closet... So are circus midgets, but that doesn’t mean I want one living and shitting in my closet…

]]> By: confused http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/comment-page-1/#comment-305609 confused Thu, 12 Apr 2007 20:19:01 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/#comment-305609 Weighing on the cats' defense; they are an unending source of amusement and entertainment. Weighing on the cats’ defense; they are an unending source of amusement and entertainment.

]]> By: Sean Aqui http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/comment-page-1/#comment-305542 Sean Aqui Thu, 12 Apr 2007 18:40:33 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/#comment-305542 Oh, they do worse than that: they make it clear that if they were bigger, they'd try to eat <i>you</i>. As is, I have to be careful about wiggling my toes for fear of attack by a near-soundless carnivore. On the other hand, they're great foot and hand warmers on cold nights. My two favorite lines about the difference between cats and dogs: 1. A dog looked at his owner and thought, "He feeds me, cleans up after me and takes care of my every need. He must be a god." A cat looked at his owner and thought, "He feeds me, cleans up after me and takes care of my every need. I must be a god." 2. When a dog misbehaves and you yell at it, it thinks "I did something wrong. I'll do better next time." When a cat misbehaves and you yell at it, it thinks "People are mean." Oh, they do worse than that: they make it clear that if they were bigger, they’d try to eat you. As is, I have to be careful about wiggling my toes for fear of attack by a near-soundless carnivore.

On the other hand, they’re great foot and hand warmers on cold nights.

My two favorite lines about the difference between cats and dogs:

1. A dog looked at his owner and thought, “He feeds me, cleans up after me and takes care of my every need. He must be a god.” A cat looked at his owner and thought, “He feeds me, cleans up after me and takes care of my every need. I must be a god.”

2. When a dog misbehaves and you yell at it, it thinks “I did something wrong. I’ll do better next time.” When a cat misbehaves and you yell at it, it thinks “People are mean.”

]]> By: DosPeros http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/comment-page-1/#comment-305373 DosPeros Thu, 12 Apr 2007 17:26:30 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/04/12/the-high-price-of-animal-shelters/#comment-305373 Uum Sean, I hate to be the one tell you this, but your first mistake was to buy a CAT. Just the idea that a CAT would have some monetary value is funny - it does nothing, it produces nothing, it has no talent and its personality generally suck (unless they around dogs and then the K-9 personality wears off on it.) Cats suck. They shit in a box in your house. They aren't friendly unless THEY WANT TO BE FRIENDLY - its like they are always on the rag. Do yourself a favor, kill'em, skin'em and eat'em. Uum Sean, I hate to be the one tell you this, but your first mistake was to buy a CAT.

Just the idea that a CAT would have some monetary value is funny – it does nothing, it produces nothing, it has no talent and its personality generally suck (unless they around dogs and then the K-9 personality wears off on it.)

Cats suck. They shit in a box in your house. They aren’t friendly unless THEY WANT TO BE FRIENDLY – its like they are always on the rag. Do yourself a favor, kill’em, skin’em and eat’em.

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