Dumping unwanted pets

IndyJones

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As some of you may or may not know I looked after a sick cat named Snuffles a few years ago who I have no doubt was dumped by someone who did not want to pay for her medical bills. Unfortunately by the time she built up enough trust to let me pick her up she was in full septic shock and had to be put to sleep.

I was watching something on tv today about the number of dumped unwanted litters and sick animals in rural areas and it got me thinking, why isn't there a bigger punishment for this behaviour? It's like abandoning a baby really. People who do that end up in prison but people who abandon animals don't get more than a slap on the wrist if that even.
 

FeebysOwner

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I hear what you are saying. But, a program that many cities have put in place whereby a newborn baby can be taken to a fire station and abandoned - no questions asked - might be a possible solution for unwanted pets. At least those animals that are sick and the owners cannot financially take care of them might be conscientious enough to drop them off at a place like that. But, many people who just are tired of their 'pet' or there are behavioral issues involved will probably still dump them elsewhere and figure out someone else will care for them, or, just plain don't care what happens to them.

Edit: I do know of cases where a local PetSmart has had animals dropped off outside on pet adoption days, hoping someone will take them. Since the PetSmart is affiliated with a rescue center, those animals do end up in a foster situation with rescue volunteers.
 

Willow's Mom

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It doesn't just happen in rural areas.

I was sitting in my car in a residential area a few weeks ago and someone across the street just drove off and abandoned their Alaskan Malamute mix. I didn't want him to get hit by a car and we didn't have a leash or a fenced yard to put him in, so the best my music teacher, fellow band members, and I could come up with was to call the humane society and hope that they could get to him before animal control did. :(

I am furious, but I wonder if this would have happened if there was less stigma involved in rehoming animals. Maybe the person genuinely couldn't afford enough food for a big dog or had suddenly become homeless. Maybe Snuffles' previous owner genuinely couldn't afford even palliative care or euthanasia.

In my area, there is a lot of hostility towards "homelesses and their pit bulls" because of a parvo epidemic. Vaccine clinics sound like a better solution to me than classism and (dog) breed bans, but you are right that abandoning a pet is analagous to abandoning a baby, the difference being that the baby has a much better chance of being helped by a good samaritan.

That malamute is going to haunt me for the rest of my life, but there's no way I could have gotten him into my car and then where could I have taken him?
 

Kieka

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The problem is probably two fold, 1) catching them being dumped and proving that's what happened 2) what's the penalty?

For 1, you have to prove the animal was dumped which means actual evidence that the person purposefully left their animal in a place with the intent of not returning for them. Otherwise the person will claim the animal got lose, ran away, was stolen, they had an emergency and were coming back or any number of excuses. If someone of authority is physically present, they would just go somewhere else.

For 2, animals are considered property so is it illegal dumping? But that has to be posted to apply. I think the cases I've heard of go with animal abuse and abandonment but those still have to be proven that the animal was abandoned on purpose.

This case shows what level of evidence is needed to make charges stick (in this case the woman leaving the puppies in a trash can on camera). California woman who dumped 7 puppies in garbage bin sentenced to jail I am sure if they weren't on camera the abandonment would have been harder to prove.

We all know people purposefully abandon, the trick is catching them.

Edit to add, there is a third issue of the level of effort required to make it stick versus the payoff. How much time and money would it take to track down owners and prove they abandoned their animals? That money could go towards the animals care and rehoming. It doesn't solve the problem but what choice is there?
 

MoonstoneWolf

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I was wondering about that too. Although is it considered dumping when someone dumps their unwanted pet in an area that a feral cat colony and caretaker live? I suppose it's better then on the side of the highway in the middle of nowhere but I am more than sure that from the way Cooper acts he is a dumped pet.
 
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IndyJones

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I was wondering about that too. Although is it considered dumping when someone dumps their unwanted pet in an area that a feral cat colony and caretaker live? I suppose it's better then on the side of the highway in the middle of nowhere but I am more than sure that from the way Cooper acts he is a dumped pet.
It still isn't really a good idea to dump unwanted pets on other people. It just puts the burden on somebody else.

That's what often happens out here on the outskirts. People from the urban ares dump there unwanted pets thinking a kind farm will look after them. Fact is though often the farms already have too many barn cats/dogs and many dumped pets end up being hit by cars or killed by wildlife.
 

fionasmom

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When I lived in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountain out here, the dumping was absolutely worse than where I am now in an urban dense area of Los Angeles. Case in point: I personally rescued my previous GSD who had been tied to a tree in the Angeles National Forest and left to die. Definitely not left by someone who was just hiking a ways ahead on the trail as I called AC and they advised me on his condition and what appropriate followup would be. Cats were just about everywhere and Fiona herself was a rescue from a huge coyote infested park one Sunday morning, tiny and crying for food and just waiting to be coyote bait. By the time I left that area, I had another dog who was abandoned, along with 3 cats who were also abandoned in the area. One rescue group worked specifically with animals abandoned in the ANF and in some of the CA beach areas. Years ago a coworker told me that he often brought stray cats to the ANF because they could always hunt. Aside from offering to take any strays off his hands, it was not like I could prove that he did this just because he bragged about it.

Yes, it happens in cities as well.


Kieka Kieka is right that the problem is basically catching the person doing the dumping in the act which is well nigh impossible. Penalty in CA is $1000 fine and 6 months in jail or some combo. I bet almost no one is ever picked up for that crime.
 
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