Should I get a puppy...
#16
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Maybe you could ask the dogs in your apartment building what they think about the arrangement?
I'm not dissing you but I think many Canadians have a lousy attitude towards pets and treat them as disposables. I very much dislike what appears to be the common practice of not letting cats outside. Ever.
I'm not dissing you but I think many Canadians have a lousy attitude towards pets and treat them as disposables. I very much dislike what appears to be the common practice of not letting cats outside. Ever.
It's illegal to let cats out, for a start.
They go feral quickly and breed like rats, harming indigenous populations of birds, killing millions of songbirds for instance (even in Britain!), and outcompeting natural predators.
Their life expectancies are much lower when let outside - 2-3 years rather than 10 plus for indoor cats.
Many outdoor cats suffer badly from hypothermia and frostbite each year.
I will ask you, how can you let a domestic cat outside and call yourself a cat lover or even an animal lover?
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Maybe you could ask the dogs in your apartment building what they think about the arrangement?
I'm not dissing you but I think many Canadians have a lousy attitude towards pets and treat them as disposables. I very much dislike what appears to be the common practice of not letting cats outside. Ever.
I'm not dissing you but I think many Canadians have a lousy attitude towards pets and treat them as disposables. I very much dislike what appears to be the common practice of not letting cats outside. Ever.
I couldn't comment on whether Canadians treat pets as disposable more so than any other country I think there's just as much of a problem back in the UK with pet abandoment or cruelty (especially with particular breeds...such as staffies).
At home I knew of people who had 'house' cats that didn't go outside, I'm not sure that means they're badly treated. De clawing now that I don't agree with
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#19
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It's illegal to let cats out, for a start.
They go feral quickly and breed like rats, harming indigenous populations of birds, killing millions of songbirds for instance (even in Britain!), and outcompeting natural predators.
Their life expectancies are much lower when let outside - 2-3 years rather than 10 plus for indoor cats.
Many outdoor cats suffer badly from hypothermia and frostbite each year.
I will ask you, how can you let a domestic cat outside and call yourself a cat lover or even an animal lover?![Frown](https://britishexpats.com/forum/images/smilies/frown.gif)
They go feral quickly and breed like rats, harming indigenous populations of birds, killing millions of songbirds for instance (even in Britain!), and outcompeting natural predators.
Their life expectancies are much lower when let outside - 2-3 years rather than 10 plus for indoor cats.
Many outdoor cats suffer badly from hypothermia and frostbite each year.
I will ask you, how can you let a domestic cat outside and call yourself a cat lover or even an animal lover?
![Frown](https://britishexpats.com/forum/images/smilies/frown.gif)
Ours are indoors/outdoors. They don't go out when its very cold or in a blizzard, mainly because they are not stupid. They live a much happier life allowed to roam outside than those poor bloody animals cooped up indoors all day.
EDIT: Being rescue cats both ours are 'done' - it's a condition on rehoming them by the SPCA and the only responsible thing to do.
Last edited by Atlantic Xpat; Jan 29th 2009 at 3:55 am.
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Maybe it is where you are. It isnt here.
They go feral quickly and breed like rats,
Even the neutered and speyed ones? That's bizarre. Most pets have been snipped!
I will ask you, how can you let a domestic cat outside and call yourself a cat lover or even an animal lover?
Because they want to go outside, and come and go. We keep ours in most of the time, but you can argue that is equally unfair to keep an animal that evolved as a desert hunter cooped up inside. Our cats are certainly a lot thinner in the summer when they actually go outside and run around a bit. I suspect they are bored rigid inside, even with all the toys and attention they have.
They go feral quickly and breed like rats,
I will ask you, how can you let a domestic cat outside and call yourself a cat lover or even an animal lover?
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It's illegal to let cats out, for a start.
They go feral quickly and breed like rats, harming indigenous populations of birds, killing millions of songbirds for instance (even in Britain!), and outcompeting natural predators.
Their life expectancies are much lower when let outside - 2-3 years rather than 10 plus for indoor cats.
Many outdoor cats suffer badly from hypothermia and frostbite each year.
I will ask you, how can you let a domestic cat outside and call yourself a cat lover or even an animal lover?![Frown](https://britishexpats.com/forum/images/smilies/frown.gif)
They go feral quickly and breed like rats, harming indigenous populations of birds, killing millions of songbirds for instance (even in Britain!), and outcompeting natural predators.
Their life expectancies are much lower when let outside - 2-3 years rather than 10 plus for indoor cats.
Many outdoor cats suffer badly from hypothermia and frostbite each year.
I will ask you, how can you let a domestic cat outside and call yourself a cat lover or even an animal lover?
![Frown](https://britishexpats.com/forum/images/smilies/frown.gif)
Cats are natural predators. And they are not ornaments.
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It's illegal to let cats out, for a start.
They go feral quickly and breed like rats, harming indigenous populations of birds, killing millions of songbirds for instance (even in Britain!), and outcompeting natural predators.
Their life expectancies are much lower when let outside - 2-3 years rather than 10 plus for indoor cats.
Many outdoor cats suffer badly from hypothermia and frostbite each year.
I will ask you, how can you let a domestic cat outside and call yourself a cat lover or even an animal lover?![Frown](https://britishexpats.com/forum/images/smilies/frown.gif)
They go feral quickly and breed like rats, harming indigenous populations of birds, killing millions of songbirds for instance (even in Britain!), and outcompeting natural predators.
Their life expectancies are much lower when let outside - 2-3 years rather than 10 plus for indoor cats.
Many outdoor cats suffer badly from hypothermia and frostbite each year.
I will ask you, how can you let a domestic cat outside and call yourself a cat lover or even an animal lover?
![Frown](https://britishexpats.com/forum/images/smilies/frown.gif)
Ahh but I bet those 2-3 years they had outside were a BLAST compared to those 10 long boring years kept inside.....
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one of the best things we did when we came to ca.was to get a poddle .
in our first summer we must have met everyone in the village when walking the little guy.
yes were still waiting for our pr but the thought of leaving him has made us even more determined to remain .
james and family
in our first summer we must have met everyone in the village when walking the little guy.
yes were still waiting for our pr but the thought of leaving him has made us even more determined to remain .
james and family
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Some of the shelters/charities round here do "overnight" dogs which removes a lot of the downsides of having a dog and working.
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It's not illegal here to let them out. Our municipality have recently introduced a bylaw that states they must be neutered if allowed out though ...grand idea.
Last edited by Monkey Puzzle; Jan 29th 2009 at 5:30 am. Reason: clarity
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If I were you, I would wait until you got PR status. Then you won't have the 'What if?' worry.
Do you know what breed you want? Do you know the behaviour of that breed? Is that breed easy to toilet train? How long a walk does that breed need? Will he still want a walk when it's -30? How much will he eat?
Research the breeds while you wait, if you are getting a mix, research all the breeds that make up your mix, find forums of the breeds and get/read advice.
The dog food I buy is now $10 more a bag than it was in the summer - so that's $44 a month. I also buy high quality treats - freeze dried liver and cheese and the such that runs at $14 a bag.
I got my first ever dog 2.5 years ago and I love him to bits, I wouldn't want to be without him. He gets 2 walks a day - whatever the weather, he is also a good dog that doesn't eat shoes or sofas so he gets the run of the house during the day, I work part time. We don't like to leave him for more than 8 hours though. If we are going to have a really long day you know an out 1st thing back really late, then we might pop him in the kennels if we can't bring him.
A lot of people put their dogs into doggy day cares.
Do you know what breed you want? Do you know the behaviour of that breed? Is that breed easy to toilet train? How long a walk does that breed need? Will he still want a walk when it's -30? How much will he eat?
Research the breeds while you wait, if you are getting a mix, research all the breeds that make up your mix, find forums of the breeds and get/read advice.
The dog food I buy is now $10 more a bag than it was in the summer - so that's $44 a month. I also buy high quality treats - freeze dried liver and cheese and the such that runs at $14 a bag.
I got my first ever dog 2.5 years ago and I love him to bits, I wouldn't want to be without him. He gets 2 walks a day - whatever the weather, he is also a good dog that doesn't eat shoes or sofas so he gets the run of the house during the day, I work part time. We don't like to leave him for more than 8 hours though. If we are going to have a really long day you know an out 1st thing back really late, then we might pop him in the kennels if we can't bring him.
A lot of people put their dogs into doggy day cares.
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Other than the above, I have no issue with cats being allowed outside in Canada, the local coyotes have to have something to eat
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#29
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Hi all,
I really really want to get a puppy, I'm trying to be sensible and listing all the reasons why I shouldn't get one i.e.
- I'm here on a whp (pr applied for but no guarantees of course)
- I work so it'll be at home on it's own during the day
- expense
- toilet training!
- training in general!
Yet I still really really want one.
All I keep thinking is that if I get kicked out in October I'm going to pitch up in London homeless, jobless and with a Canadian puppy! And finding landlords in London who don't mind pets is a nightmare.
Any advice??
I really really want to get a puppy, I'm trying to be sensible and listing all the reasons why I shouldn't get one i.e.
- I'm here on a whp (pr applied for but no guarantees of course)
- I work so it'll be at home on it's own during the day
- expense
- toilet training!
- training in general!
Yet I still really really want one.
All I keep thinking is that if I get kicked out in October I'm going to pitch up in London homeless, jobless and with a Canadian puppy! And finding landlords in London who don't mind pets is a nightmare.
Any advice??
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If I go home...the dog comes with me I'm not going to abandon it. And much as I joke about pitching up at home homeless and jobless I'm not serious! I have somewhere to live when I go home and I will get another job...i.e go back to where I was working before. Why am I less responsible than anyone else? Anyone could lose their job tomorrow and have to move...at least I can prepare for it.
And also you don't know me or what I would do to satisfy my want, I noticed a lot of people on here have animals and have brought them with them when they moved over even people on TWP's. I was interested to see the pros and cons that people would come up with.
Ultimately it's my decision on whether or not I can take on the responsibility especially given I am not someone who wants to lock animals up or leave them alone all day but please don't assume I'm going to go out and get a puppy like I would by a pair of shoes. It's insulting.
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