Pet Columnist Gina Spadafori's recent blog on not getting a dog stirred up something in me I've been thinking about for awhile. While Gina's blog refers to recent articles about "Hollywood dogs" and a collaboration between Walt Disney Co. and the American Kennel Club (AKC) to discourage puppy purchases as a result of dog stars, my thoughts go to an even more troubling issue.
I have two boys and almost one girl in college and about a week ago one of my sons called me and said, "Can you give my friend's dog a bath and haircut because he can't afford it?" It took all my control to not scream.
Fact is, my kids tell me all the time about friends at college with new dogs...many of them Pit Bulls or as the AKC calls them, American Staffordshire Terriers. I know, through my sons that these dogs are not being trained and that chances are they aren't being properly cared for. Tell me how many college boys will get up by 8 am to take a dog out to toilet?
What I want to know is why are landlords and rental companies allowing pets in these complexes? Why are breeders selling puppies to these kids (actually, I know that answer.)
I'm sure that many of these dogs will end up in rescue shelters, adding to the already too numerous poorly socialized population of unwanted dogs.
If you have teenage kids, talk to them about the huge responsibility of owning a pet. If they aren't ready to have kids, they shouldn't have a pet!
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