Pets and evacuations

[ThankQ]

I would save my dog, no questions asked. If I had time, I would save my two cats, but if I just had to go NOW, I doubt I could collect the cats in time. If I went into freak out mode, it would scare the shit out of them and they would run off in different directions to hide under something.

My dog, on the other hand, all I'd have to do is open the door and say "Outside!" or, if I just picked up the leash he'd be right next to me in a nanosecond.

But my dog IS my child. I could no sooner leave him beind than a parent could a child. I love my cats, but they are just pets. The dog is family. Cat lovers are welcome to hate me, that's just how I am.

 

[TheSeeker]

dont get me wrong I doubt I could leave my cat behind during an evac but what if a dog is pretty stressed out in the evac center bearing teeth growling of barking in a not too friendly way and your is family near it and there's little room to get away from the thing i'd have enough to worry about if I still had a home to go back to, last thing I need is will the dog attack me or not.

You could say the very same thing about the weirdo next to you too.

 

[ThankQ]

dont get me wrong I doubt I could leave my cat behind during an evac but what if a dog is pretty stressed out in the evac center bearing teeth growling of barking in a not too friendly way and your is family near it and there's little room to get away from the thing i'd have enough to worry about if I still had a home to go back to, last thing I need is will the dog attack me or not.

You could say the very same thing about the weirdo next to you too.

Yeah, that post bothered me. There is a lady who lives near by who gets around using a hoverround or some type of powered wheelchair. She takes her dog for a walk using the chair. She scoots on by my house usually every day. Now, my dog is quite the athlete ...

... So you see that 4'6" fence in the background? Yeah, to him, that's merely a suggestion. He loves to play with other dogs, and he's well trained and the sweetest thing ever (unless you happen to be a squirrel). So one day he jumps the fence when the lady is buzzing by walking here dog. She screams and hollars, I run outside and scold my dog, he tucks tail and makes for the door. I start to apologize to the lady and she starts yelling at me, "That monster tried to attack my dog!" and I calmly said, "No, he's never attacked anything, he just wanted to play..." And she yells some more, I realize I'm not going to make her happy, so I apologize again and start to get on with my day.

By the way, I am understand of how someone with limited mobility could be scared by this. I'm not faulting her for that. What I am faulting her for is 15 minutes later...

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! Yeah, woman called the cops. So I go to the door, step outside and close the door behind me. My first thought as soon as I saw the cop was, "yeah, if you're gonna take that dog you're going to have to arrest me right along with it, because your not getting in this house w/out a warrant or w/out me in handcuffs in the back of your car." Turns out, I didn't have to voice those thoughts, because the cop was very understanding. "Dogs get out of fences, we understand that, and it sound like you were Johnny on the spot and handled it well..." He was a good guy. Of course, instead of him it could have been dog-hating asshole cop who got the call, so I was lucky there.

Anyway, this attitude about killer dogs upsets me. As the One Who Seeks said, if its bodily harm you're worried about, worry more about the PEOPLE around you than the dogs.

 

[SPCTRE]

It's a completely hypothetical question for me personally to be quite honest (we don't get floods or massive fires here, ever), but if you ask me if I would go to stupid lengths to protect the lives of our dogs (as in: risk my life), then hell yeah, there is no doubt in my mind.

 

[tharpdevenport]

I can't really say in a disaster, though I would say:

Do we really want large centers of people, full or lou barking dogs and meowing, attacking cats, pets fighting with each other, and shit & piss all over the place, also risking disease and infection of the people there for help?


But on a related note, I am constantly saddened when I see posts on Craigslist of folks moving and giving away their pet, often cats. I'll use myself as an example: I love those little homeless kitties I see at the park (I'll be seeing them tomorrow -- I'll take some more pictures and post in the Pets Picture thread), and if I had my own place to take them back to, there's no way in hell I would willingly toss them away when I move. I would struggle and find a place tht allows for them, even -- if cash is optional -- leave them in a temporary shelter or pay someone to take care of them until such time as I can get back to them. They aren't throw away, feel-good household items to me. They're also not people, but they deserve better.

 

[ThankQ]

Do we really want large centers of people, full or loud barking dogs and meowing, attacking cats, pets fighting with each other, and shit & piss all over the place, also risking disease and infection of the people there for help?

I like dogs. I don't like children. No children in evac centers. They're loud, messy, shit and piss all over the place and they can be little breeding grounds for disease and all types of nasty things.

Did I just sound like a reasonable person, or did I sound like the worlds biggest asshole?

From a practical standpoint, okay, you may be right. But I love my dog deeply. And I don't need a parent telling me "You don't know what love is till you've had a child..." blah blah. That's insulting, beyond insulting, and it's one of the few things anyone can ever say that will get me fighting mad. I'm sure that is a unique, special love. My dog is my child. Maybe that's odd, but it's certainly not unique.

Just as people in emergency shelters will need to take care of their children, so will people with pets. You take care of your kid, I'll take care of my dog. Why didn't you ask about the people who let their kids run around causing a ruckus? There's going to more of that going on than dogs running loose, I'd bet ya diamonds to doughnuts on that one.

 

[tharpdevenport]

A pet is not a human being. Children can wear diapers, in fact I bet many shelters have some stocked for their needy folks. Animals will shit and piss on hte floor without lettign you know they have to go, and even after you've let them out, or even because their scared, or territorial. If any guys whips out his dick and pisses to make his territory, then you have a point. If any girls pees on herself because large crowds scare her, then you have a point.

And simply taking them outside the center, fills the surrounding area with mouds of shit and piss -- and who knows how long the folks will be there.

In a true emergency, people come first, and pets fall by the way side. If you can rescue your pet, then good for you -- go do it. If you can afford to get someplace other than an emergency shelter, and be able to take your pet with you, more power to you.

 

[ThankQ]

Children beyond diaper wearing age soil themselves ALL THE TIME! You don't think any 4-12 year olds would have any "accidents" in a situation like that?


I agree with you, but I disagree. If I HAD to sacrifice my dog to save your child, I would.

But why should I sacrifice my dog simply because you don't like the smell or the noise? My point is, in an emergency situation, anyone who is worried about comfort really doesn't have a grasp on the situation.

And you're right about some dogs and some pet owners. My dog would be sitting right at my feet wondering "what the hell is going on?" A little kid could pull his whiskers or bite his nose and he wouldn't snap. He's trained. I'm a responsible pet owner.

You totally ignored my points about kids running around like crazy animals. My dog will be better behaved than a lot of the children there. He'll be quieter and actually less likely to have an "accident". Hell, I go to Wal-Mart and see how well some people deal with their children in a store. I don't want to imagine how they'd be acting in a crisis situation.

Again, my point isn't to say let the dogs in and keep the kids out. My point is that all your points about why dogs shouldn't be protected, save "kids are human", could be made about children. Comfort isn't the issue in a survival situation.

 

[bigdaddy]

My aunt and uncle live in a trailer / pre-built house thing in south western GA. They get hit by hurricanes and never leave because they won'tt leave their pet.

I don't understand why they cane make a classroom in the school a pet zone, then everyone would evacuate.

 

[Trekker4747]

My aunt and uncle live in a trailer / pre-built house thing in south western GA. They get hit by hurricanes and never leave because they won'tt leave their pet.

I don't understand why they cane make a classroom in the school a pet zone, then everyone would evacuate.

A) That class room could "house" several more people.

B) Tossing a bunch of animals unfamiliar with each other into a room together is asking for loads of trouble.

C) Anyone who won't leave their home because they are unable to bring their pets is being foolish and actually a bit contrary to evolutionary principles.

 

[bigdaddy]

C) Anyone who won't leave their home because they are unable to bring their pets is being foolish and actually a bit contrary to evolutionary principles.

Have you ever cared for anything in your life?

There are already schools that have different rooms for different pets that are in cages. People almost never sleep in the classrooms, they almost always are all kept in the gyms(s)

 

[Trekker4747]

I have cared for other things in my life. But if the choice is "get out now and save your life" or "stick around in a dangerous situation and possibly die" and the thing that I have to give up in order to be saved is my dog, sorry, I'm going to value my life more than his.

It wouldn't be an easy choice but if it's I live and he dies, or I stay behind and we both might die (or both might live) then I'm going with the former.

 

[nevermore]

^This is not theoretical, there really are people and agencies that house pets during disasters, and apparently it's SO practical and possible that the US Congress passed a law requiring that it be done.

 

[Kestra]

But my dog IS my child. I could no sooner leave him beind than a parent could a child. I love my cats, but they are just pets. The dog is family. Cat lovers are welcome to hate me, that's just how I am.

I don't hate you. But I'd have to save your cats if you left them behind.

Anyone who won't leave their home because they are unable to bring their pets is being foolish and actually a bit contrary to evolutionary principles.

I don't think anyone who would save a pet really cares about being foolish or evolutionary principles. I know they are "just animals" but I put my cat's life at the same value as my own.

 

[nevermore]

Anyone who won't leave their home because they are unable to bring their pets is being foolish and actually a bit contrary to evolutionary principles.

I don't think anyone who would save a pet really cares about being foolish or evolutionary principles. I know they are "just animals" but I put my cat's life at the same value as my own.

Beyond that, when you take in a pet, you accept the responsibility to care for them, and that includes protecting them when they can't protect themselves. If that's something you consider conditional to convenience, or that it only applies when its at no risk to yourself, then you shouldn't own a pet. Some people shouldn't; hopefully they don't.

 

[bigdaddy]

I have cared for other things in my life. But if the choice is "get out now and save your life" or "stick around in a dangerous situation and possibly die" and the thing that I have to give up in order to be saved is my dog, sorry, I'm going to value my life more than his.

It wouldn't be an easy choice but if it's I live and he dies, or I stay behind and we both might die (or both might live) then I'm going with the former.

I really hope you have no pets because gods help them if you do.

 

[Starbreaker]

I would NEVER leave any of the family dog. I would be hard pressed to leave the cat that occasionally wanders over.

 

[Trekker4747]

I have cared for other things in my life. But if the choice is "get out now and save your life" or "stick around in a dangerous situation and possibly die" and the thing that I have to give up in order to be saved is my dog, sorry, I'm going to value my life more than his.

It wouldn't be an easy choice but if it's I live and he dies, or I stay behind and we both might die (or both might live) then I'm going with the former.

I really hope you have no pets because gods help them if you do.

Why? I would love it make sure it's properly feed, cared for and got it's medical needs met. But if a man comes to my door and says, "Sir we have to evacuate you right now [some disaster is going to occur] grab whatever you need and be ready in 15 minutes and, I'm sorry, due to space limitations we cannot allow pets."

I'd feel bad about it but I'd have to leave the pet behind I do not value his life more than I value my own.

I'm not likely to ever be in such a situation so if I had a pet I wouldn't have to worry about this happening. In a perfect situation, yeah, I'd bring the pet but if it's my life or the dog's, sorry, the dog's life is less important to me than my own.

 

[Miss Chicken]

^^^ However, under the new law (in your country) states wanting federal emergency assistance have to include pets and service animals in their plans for evacuating residents - so you could insists on the pets being evacuated..

 

[Amaris]

I have cared for other things in my life. But if the choice is "get out now and save your life" or "stick around in a dangerous situation and possibly die" and the thing that I have to give up in order to be saved is my dog, sorry, I'm going to value my life more than his.

It wouldn't be an easy choice but if it's I live and he dies, or I stay behind and we both might die (or both might live) then I'm going with the former.

I really hope you have no pets because gods help them if you do.

Why? I would love it make sure it's properly feed, cared for and got it's medical needs met. But if a man comes to my door and says, "Sir we have to evacuate you right now [some disaster is going to occur] grab whatever you need and be ready in 15 minutes and, I'm sorry, due to space limitations we cannot allow pets."

I'd feel bad about it but I'd have to leave the pet behind I do not value his life more than I value my own.

I'm not likely to ever be in such a situation so if I had a pet I wouldn't have to worry about this happening. In a perfect situation, yeah, I'd bring the pet but if it's my life or the dog's, sorry, the dog's life is less important to me than my own.

All that means, however, is that you're willing to use your pet until it's no longer convenient to do so, and then you leave it behind to fend for itself. I'm sorry, but that pet is your responsibility. It is your job to protect it's life to the best of your ability. To leave it behind it unconscionable. It's not the pet's fault you can't plan ahead.