Pet Allergies - open invitation

Person_one

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Yes, allergies are a real danger to some and must be taken seriously - I think the vast, vast majority of us here acknowledge that.

HOWEVER, there is no denying the fact that some people use this as a convenient explanation to cover the need to get rid of an animal. Rather than confess that they made a mistake (didn't know how much care or expense was required, didn't know how big it would get etc) they find it less embarrassing to just say "allergies".

People should be encouraged to sit for a while around the breed of dog or cat they are interested in before making a decision to adopt - there should also be a kind of cooling off period for adopting from a rescue or buying from a shop or breeder. Some rescues make you wait for a week after making the decision so that you don't go in on a whim and take the animal away within the hour.

I accept that this is a very real danger for you but I would ask you to accept that others may use "allergies" as a throw away remark - when this is mentioned on threads it is not a "pop" directed at the real sufferers but at the inconsiderate lot that think that animals can be tried out and then taken back if they "don't fit" - just like they would any other lifestyle accessory - that's where our concerns lie. Please do not take offence - as, I would hope, none is intended.

I absolutely accept that some people use allergies as an excuse, people will lie about almost anything! The people who claim they have allergies when they don't (whether that's as an excuse to dump a pet or because they just don't like a food but think 'allergy' sounds better) are a huge huge part of the problem because they cause people like you to be so suspicious and disbelieving of anybody who says they have an allergy. Trust me, I take them to task to if I ever hear of somebody admitting to faking an allergy!

The problem with your argument is that you have no way of knowing who is genuine and who isn't, you might be able to have a good guess but you can't be 100% sure without a lie detector or a blood test!

So you're tarring everybody with the same brush, innocent or guilty, and while the people who just want to ditch their dogs might not really care all that much, the people who are genuinely allergic and totally heartbroken and bereft will care, they'll be really upset by your assumption.

Its very very simple, you give people the benefit of the doubt and don't leap to the conclusion that they are lying. I'm sure that's what you'd want people to do for you if you were in a similar situation.

I dont believe that people do mean to cause offence, but accidental offence is still offensive and after being informed maybe they should have a think about generalising in future.

chocdonuty

When we were younger, we decided to get 2 moggys as part of our family, we already had a couple of bunnies and had no problem with them.
However, after a few hours of having the cats in the house my sister developed an allergy, sneezing, itchy and runny eyes, the full works! our parents decided we couldn't keep them but after a lot of pester power we persuaded them to let us keep them
My sister had to take anti histamine tablets for a while (took them for hayfever anyway) and then after a while just became immune, problem solved :)the allergy did come back after she had been at uni a while when she returned in the hols but a quick tablet sorted that out and now she has 2 moggys of her own and went through a desensitising process again and no longer has any problem with moggys

Person_one

Oh dear, please don't turn this into a thread full of 'allergies are no big deal' stories.

picklepick

Oh dear, please don't let this turn into a thread full of people's experiences and opinions that don't fit in with your agenda.

Person_one

picklepick wrote: »

Oh dear, please don't let this turn into a thread full of people's experiences and opinions that don't fit in with your agenda.

Right, my awful 'stop being mean to people' agenda, I must be stopped!

picklepick

No, your "I have an allergy, therefore everyone elses experience must be exactly the same as mine, otherwise the illness they claim to suffer from isn't valid" agenda, is the one I have a problem with.

I agreed with you right up until your last comment when all of a sudden, everyone elses experiences of allergies, aren't as important as your own.

Toothfairy4

So people can't share their pet allergy stories now? Unless of course it includes an anaphylactic shock or reaction so severe the animal had to be rehomed? In her sister's case obviously an antihistamine was enough, and in many cases it may be!

Person_one

picklepick wrote: »

No, your "I have an allergy, therefore everyone elses experience must be exactly the same as mine, otherwise the illness they claim to suffer from isn't valid" agenda, is the one I have a problem with.

I agreed with you right up until your last comment when all of a sudden, everyone elses experiences of allergies, aren't as important as your own.

My agenda is simple, its "don't tar everyone with the same brush', that's it. Don't assume that people who say they have allergies so can't keep their pet are either lying or not trying hard enough.

While of course some people have positive stories of allergies and pets that's not really relevant and just serves to reinforce the idea that people who don't are somehow at fault. After all, if so and so just put up with it, and Mrs X only had the sniffles then Mr Y must be either soft or over-reacting, right?

Bear in mind that people with severe animal allergies are unlikely to be frequenting the pet forum, so there's bound to be under-representation.

Toothfairy4

I don't think anyone has questioned that SOME allergies are very severe. You are not the only one with knowledge of allergies and i'm sure most people are smart enough to realise that they can happen in various degrees of seriousness.

Person_one

Toothfairy4 wrote: »

I don't think anyone has questioned that SOME allergies are very severe. You are not the only one with knowledge of allergies and i'm sure most people are smart enough to realise that they can happen in various degrees of seriousness.

You'd hope, but have you read some of the comments on here recently?