Better than having the brain of a fly.

I agree with this, though I still can't for the life of me work out what benefits we get from our cat, other than aesthetics, as she's a complete bitch

Not all people who give their pets away are heartless.

We left our beloved border collie behind when we left England, it was the hardest thing we have ever done, however I know it was the right decision. She was one of the most active dogs you will ever come across, we got her from a farm at 7 weeks old, and by the time she was 10 weeks old she was running the wall of death around the living room. Although she wasn't supposed to go outside until after her 2nd vaccinations, the vet told us to take her up onto the moors, away from other dogs, and that was it she was hooked on freedom. For 11 years we walked her every single day sun/gales/rain/snow/hail for at least 2 hours, always off leash with a ball, she would run for miles. When we had our daughter she became her protector, always within 3 feet of her if there was a suspiscious noise... When it was my daughters time for bed, it was also Meg's time for bed, she would go and lay outside her door.

Our move happened very quickly and it was only at the very last minute that we realized Meg would hate LA. She never liked the heat in the UK, and there is next to nowhere you can walk a dog off leash in LA, plus she was coming up on being 12, although she had always been healthy we were worried the flight wouldn't be good for her. She was going to be miserable.

A good friend one day said him and his family would love to have Meg as part of their family if we chose not to take her. We decided it was best for her to stay with them. Our friend was good to his word, he walked her for miles every single day, (in fact he took up running while he had her) and his kids gave her all the fuss and love she needed. Around 1 year after we moved, she suddenly became very sick, when she was taken to the vets she had an incurable tumor and our friend held her while she was put to sleep, she was cremated and her ashes scattered in the open fields where she used to run.

It still breaks my heart that we left her behind, and I'm sat here crying writing this. I've missed Meg more than I've missed any of the family or friends I left behind, however I still know we did the right thing for her.

I enjoy cleaning up sh*t, being ignored, having fur balls everywhere, getting clawed, and tying to find him when he has to go to the vet.

Oh yeah, that's it

Ours has a new thing now where she'll make you think she likes you, then she bites you, just for a laugh. I keep reminding her that at seven, she's on the back nine, which is utterly pointless of course.

I agree with you that not everyone is heartless, and even with the best of intentions, sometimes have no choice. You however show what most animal loving people do in an event which forces your hand. You ensured a loving home for your dog and that is the sign of a very loving and responsible owner. I so wish there were more folk like you out there. Unfortunately I have been exposed to far more of worst kind which can be so disheartening.

Sorry for your loss. Do take comfort in knowing Meg was loved even if not at your hand. The most important part is that she was loved and cared for all her life. She was a very lucky girl indeed.

This may work in the UK, but it certainly doesn't work in many places in the US because of the amount of wildlife for whom a small cat or dog is a nice lunch. I have quite big dogs, but when I hear the coyotes howling at night and see them crossing my property, I'm glad that the dogs are within a supervised, fenced area.

You seem to have overlooked the evolutionary fact that domestic animals in some manner gave up some of their absolute freedoms in exchange for shared shelter, safety, and security. Without those changes our dogs would be wolves/dingoes/foxes, and our cats some sort of big/wild cat.

I think that the "deal" we have with our pets is a fair one: you live with us, we feed you and take care of your health needs, and in return you (dogs) frighten would-be assailants/ intruders or (cats) kill rodents and other critters that eat our stored food, spread disease, and attract snakes, oh, and you go out when I say "go out", and come (stay) in when I say so too.

I keep my cat indoors because he is FIV+ (which I knew when I chose him from the animal rescue place). If I let him outdoors it will likely drastically reduce his lifespan and potentially infect other cats. He's 13 now, which is older than he was expected to live.

As to the indoor/outdoor argument, I'm in two minds. I think the argument that cats should be allowed to roam free is a valid one. But otoh cats are domesticated animals and this affords them advantages in terms of health/safety etc over other outside animals, especially birds. Non-feral cats kill billions of birds per year according to studies. It's a dilemma for me and I suspect that once my cat passes away, I will choose not to have another pet.

Our deal with the cat that like to be outside is that he comes in at night to avoid being a coyote dinner, luckily he does come when called. We lost a cat to traffic, but that is another deal, freedom against safety. We as humans take that deal, some of us die by traffic too.

I hear you on the coyote deal fatboy comes in at night, but last Friday 1st time he went AWOL there I was wondering about the streets and golf course in my pj's and "Hello Kitty" dressing gown at 2.30am half cut from too much wine screaming for him crying my eyes out..............he came in at 6am stop out!

We're moving in a weeks time and bringing our dog with us. I'm just getting her ready for the trip now

Don't forget to seal the bottom of the box.

Ohhhhh

Might explain why the box seemed very light when I picked it up