child lost interest

codemonkey

I've noticed a couple of ads in the paper today for pets being sold or free to a good home, due to a child who has lost interest.

I can't decide about this. One on hand its teaching kids that if they don't look after their pets, they'll be removed, but on the other hand, its teaching them that when they get bored of a living thing, they can just get rid of it and I don't think that's right.

Wondered what other people's thoughts on this are?

fluffnutter

That the parents shouldn't have been stupid enough to agree to getting the pet in the first place.

Shepherd1

I agree with you I am not sure what is for the best. I think if the animal is given away though the child should not be allowed another pet.

We have 3 cats, 1 dog, 2 guinea pigs and a horse. The dog is mine and the horse care is shared. The cats and the guinea pigs are my daughters, before we got them we agreed on the care she would provide for them first with the cats and then guinea pigs. If she hadn't kept up the care of the cats I wouldn't have let her get guinea pigs.

I did make the decision that if she lost interest that I would continue their care (daughter doesn't know this) before we got them.

purple.sarah

I don't think a pet should be bought just for the child. The parents need to understand they are also getting a pet and taking on a lifelong responsibility to a living thing, it's not like buying their child a toy they can give away when they get bored. Caring for a pet is a good way for a child to learn responsibility but the parents need to be prepared to step in if necessary.

balletshoes

We have had quite a few pets over the years that my daughter has been a youngster. Invariably I end up looking after them all. I would never mistreat, neglect, or give away a family pet though - as a parent I know when I take on a pet I'm signing on for the long haul with it.

I agree a pet should be for the whole family.

Person_one

Do these parents not have any influence over their children?

If we moaned about having to clean out the rabbit hutch, or the birdcage, or brush the dog when we were kids we were told tough, its needs doing, same as with tidying our bedrooms and picking up the stuff we left lying around.

No wonder there are so many adults who think pets are disposable items.

Mankysteve

fluffnutter wrote: »

That the parents shouldn't have been stupid enough to agree to getting the pet in the first place.

Agreed never get a pet for a child that your not willing to looking after yourself.

chucknorris

Did the adverts say something like this:

Stupid owner(s) with fickle children have a loving, loyal but now betrayed best friend to give away to a good home with more intelligent caring people than our family

GBNI

fluffnutter wrote: »

That the parents shouldn't have been stupid enough to agree to getting the pet in the first place.

Couldn't agree more! I rehomed a dwarf lop bunny that the children had lost interest in within a month. Said bunny was kept in a tiny hutch at the bottom of the garden. Of course, when I went to take him there were tears and tantrums!

He lived a very happy few years with me, unfortunately he died quite suddenly. Vet put it down to a bad heart he was one of the sweetest buns I've ever owned, loved to rub noses and would climb onto your knee for a cuddle.

Mollymoonlight

We have a working breed cocker which we rehomed at 16 weeks after the couple that spent £500 buying him decided that he wasn't suitable for them. They had 3 children under 5 and had never owned a pet. He had been kept in too small a cage, for too many hours each day, craved attention, and they couldn't understand why he was so hyper! That family has since gone through 2 westies, 2 rabbits and 3 cats, all rehomed. Not one of those three children will ever understand the responsibility of owning an animal. I also have a beautiful big lop eared doe that I found on the pavement one day. Despite putting up posters all around my local area and knocking on doors, no one claimed her. Not surprising really given the state her coat was in. I'm sure she was another victim of fickle children with stupid parents.

I'm sorry but this one isn't difficult, if the parents aren't in it for the duration then the animal should not be purchased.

valk_scot

Our youngest cat came from the cat rescue at eight weeks old, he'd spent precisely two weeks with his previous owners before the novelty had worn off and he was just a nuisance that needed looking after. How can anyone get bored with an 8 week old kitten? He's the smartest cat we've ever owned, very affectionate and playful and he's very smart in his black and white fur. At least they took him to the cat rescue rather than dumping him somewhere, I suppose.