Would you ever return a pet?

[LisaR]

I voted it is always wrong to return a pet.


But then again, I would never get a pet without researching which pet (dog, cat, bird, fish?), what size (do I need a larger fish tank, do I have the time for a big dog or a small one), breed or mutt, and then I'd spend a LOT of time with that animal before I decided.

ETA: I think I sounded harsh. I don't have kids so I don't have that problem to worry about.

Doing research on a dog is all well and good if you are getting a purebred. If you are going to a shelter to get a dog, all bets are out the window. You can only go by what the shelter workers tell you. In some cases, the dog has only been there for a few days. In many more cases, nobody can determine what the real background story was on the dog. So homework is fine but if you adopt a Heinz 57 mutt, your homework may not come in handy.

 

[diznygirl]

Better to return a pet than keep one that you can't care for. My mother did this - wanted a cat to keep her company but the cat was too hyper for such an old woman so the cat went back. Better for the cat in the long run.

 

[Feralpeg]

Yes, I returned a pet. I adopted a beautiful year old golden retriever, Bandit, from a rescue group where I volunteer. He was a wonderful dog, except for one thing. He did not like my cats. I have two old cats. One is 17 years old. The other is 15 years old. I tried all the things people recommend to introduce Bandit to the cats. Nothing worked. The final straw came one Bandit jumped on the 17 year old. I thought he had killed her. It turned out she was just stunned. As much as I loved Bandit, the cats were here first. I took Bandit back to the rescue group. Happily, he was adopted by a wonderful family with kids and another dog...no cats!

Since then, I adopted two black lab puppies. They like the cats too much! That's okay. Until they are older and less exuberant, the cats stay out of their way. They drive me crazy, but they are part of the family and here to stay.

The point being that I could not sacrifice pets that had been part of the family for many years for a new pet.

 

[TeaToo!]

We adopted two kittens. Older kittens. About 4 months old.
One sunk his teeth into my hand, down to the bone in a finger.
He was not playing.
He went back with a full description of the events.
Yes I felt bad for him becasue I know what they probably did to him... but better that than a little 4 year old boy or girl taking him home and having her face bitten or her nose torn off.

I still have the brother and he's the best cat ever, even though he's a little stinker.


Good luck to your daughter on her report/project.

 

[Maryr1]

Difficult decision. My breeders make you sign an agreement that if you need to rehome a pet you MUST return it to them and they will rehome the animal or keep it themselves. I think that is the only way I would ADOPT a pet=knowing that if some awful thing happened (like a bite or agression) the animal would be returned to a person who had the resources and knowledge to handle such a situation. I always like to be proactive instead of reactive.

 

[bumbershoot]

I voted other.

I never have, but I should have.

I thought that getting a cat would be lovely, as I'd never had an indoors cat, nor a pet of my own as an adult. Then a few weeks later, DH's boss had a cat that needed a new home! She was the sweetest cat, she'd been picked up as a stray with a sibling cat and mama cat, had one home...adopted to another home...the owner's husband died and the wife needed to downsize in animals so she took the cat to the pound...that woman's son found out, and drove from Seattle to Spokane to get the cat, took the cat home...that man is the partner of DH's former boss. However, found out that the cat doesn't get along with other animals; she didn't do anything, but the other animals just try to KILL her (it's why she was the one chosen for the pound, b/c the other cats picked on her so badly).

So we took her. As I was meeting her, I started having allergies. I figured...they have 4 cats and 3 dogs that routinely use this area, I'm just being overwhelmed.

That night, I had my first "real" asthma attack (previously it required going running in the extreme cold, or rowing in a regatta, to induce lung problems) and it was very very very bad.

I should have returned her to the boss.

We didn't. And while I didn't have more attacks *quite* that bad, it never got easy for me. And things just got worse and worse (turns out the same thing she had about her that inspired violence in other animals also spurred my then toddler to try to "get" her as well), she had to be kept away from the main living areas to keep her safe...then we moved and our landlady had forgotten we had a cat, forbid her to be in the house, we had to keep her in the garage (shudder) while we worked out a better plan....we then had our in laws watching her (coming by every day) while we were in so CA, FIL took sick, DH went back...cat had been very very sick all over the place, and while hubby was cleaning it all up, he had doors open...he was called away to the hospital by his dad and left in a rush... We never saw the cat again.

I should have given her back to the boss the day after the asthma attack. Would have been better for everyone.

This was in '07. Haven't had another pet since. Not sure I will. Definitely not a cat again.

 

[Sparx]

The only time I would ever return an adopted pet would be if I discovered that I absolutely could not care for it the way it deserved to be cared for. Other than that, I would never return a pet. However, I don't go getting animals willy nilly. I research the breed/species and make sure that I'm ready for what they need me to provide.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I said health and safety. A few years ago I got a cat from Siamese Rescue to be a companion to a 14 year old cat. Unfortunately the cat was very aggressive. I reported this to them, but said I would try to keep the cat for six months to see if things would change. After a few months I found that Sheeba would try to hide under the covers for her safeyt, and several times I was woken up at night by noisy cats. One day I found a chunk of Sheeba's fur on the floor. At that point I called Siamese Rescue and said that there was no way I was going to take several more months, and they gave me a contact where I was able to return the cat two days later.

A few months later I got another cat from Siamese Rescue who got along very well with Sheeba, until Sheeba died at 18½.

 

[pppiglet]

We've had to return two to the rescue group for spraying. They didn't like living in a multiple cat household. They were antsy all the time, couldn't relax, spraying everywhere....I could tell they were very stressed out. (we had them both at separate times) They are now both in one cat households and doing fine! It worked out fine all around. I have one that sometimes sprays now, but a totally different situation and I would never return him. We have changed one room in the house to a cat friendly room that is easily cleaned and if we have to confine him to this room when he is having problems, then that works for us. (and it's the largest room in the house!)

 

[samshane]

I have to agree with any of the others... for safety issues with my children, I absolutely would not keep a pet.

For behavioral issues (non-aggressive), no. We currently have 3 dogs and 2 cats. We have had many "throw backs" come through our house and they stay for good. I currently have a chihuahua who came from a rescue. He had 2 forever homes, 5 foster homes, and more issues than any other dog I had every owned. And he was only 2 1/2 yrs by the time I got him. For the past 2yrs we haven't given up on him - and it has been rough at times. But he has turned into a great dog... too many people were just willing to pass him off.

I have never taken pet adoption lightly. And every pet we have ever owned has lived with us until they passed.

 

[Nomi]

I can really only speak for fish/reptiles, but there are a lot of variables to consider. For fish, I would consider returning if said fish had a visible contagious infection or fungus (like velvet or ich) I didn't notice in the store, unless I had a quarentine tank set up. I wouldn't expect a replacement fish unless the store had individual filtration systems for each tank (most have a connected or partially connected system). However, this is unlikely since for any fish it's a general rule to quarantine new fish for at least two weeks after purchasing.

For reptiles, I would probably avoid returning it to a pet store if at all possible. In the case of being unable to care for a reptile anymore, I would probably re-home it using a local reptile club or reptile rescue. This would also apply to any dangerous reptiles, but except for specialist species reptiles are generally not dangerous. I would be more scared of a hamster than, say, a red tail boa.

I would, however, return a snake or fish to a breeder if it was the wrong sex or not the specimen advertised. I would not return a sick specimen, since that would bring the care of the breeder into question.

All in all, though, I would say it is up to the individual to make sure before purchasing or adopting an animal that they can care for them it's entire life span, and consider any future changes to your environment, like children or moving. But if anything unexpected happened, there is usually a local breed club or rescue one can rehome the animal through. This includes cats, dogs, horses, bearded dragons, constrictors, parrots, lamas... As well, if at all possible avoid purchasing pets through most chain pet stores, since most will have animals from bad breeders or have wild caught reptiles. Getting a pet from a reputable breeder or rescue usually helps reduce chances of unexpected behaviour or health problems.

 

[sunlver]

We've been lucky enough to have had wonderful dogs who have been a huge part of our family life. However, I don't want to say never. If we had a dog who was a threat to others, then, yes, we'd try to find a new home or return the dog. The safety of the human members of my family and neighborhood have to come first.

Totally agree....I own 3 dogs, foster dogs for rescue group...unless a dog was a physical threat to my family...it isnt going anywhere

If you frequent craigislist..u can see that a majority of pets are disposable...I can never understand why people dont do research before getting a pet, expecially a puppy???? There are so many puppies on there, and always same excuse..we just dont have time for them??? HELLO!!! U didnt know puppies would take up a whole lot of time

 

[clgwli]

We had a cat we brought in that attacked our other pets. A few days later the kitty was gone. Not humans in danger, but it wasn't worth the risk to the health of our other cats.

Not all animals are a good fit for homes. A wise person will try to rehome a pet if there are issues and realize that not everything works the way you want to.

Not everyone is able to work with pets nor is it always fair or safe to everyone in the family. Dropping a pet off in the middle of no where or at a kill shelter isn't something I would ever do. But responsibly rehoming is fine to me.

 

[Nancyg56]

I would not return a pet but I would not welcome one into my home unless I was willing to commit to caring for the pet. I have barn cats and have had them for close to 18 years so I do understand commitment.

My SIS IL bought a dog because she thought that my sister's new puppy was cute. She was cute but my sister and her DH knew what went into training and acclimating a new puppy into their home and were willing to do all that was needed. It only took a few days for my SIS IL and her DH to realize that owning a dog is way different than petting a dog. Thank God they brought this puppy back because his little life would have been a disaster if they had kept him. Placing a puppy that has been returned is much easier than placing an adult dog who is not trained or worse, has has bad habits trained into his behavior patterns.

So to answer the question, no I would nto return a pet unless it was an agressive animal.

Yes, I feel that if people fund that owning a pet is a big mistake and they are not going to care for that animal properly, I would rather see that poor thing get a second chance rather than wait until there are so few options that the pet ends up being put down.

 

[tomthebarncat]

I would NEVER PURCHASE A PET! why??? when shelters and rescue groups around the world are euthanizing animals everyday. Your daughter should do some research on puppy mills and then she will really have an ethical question to answer!

 

[TeaToo!]

Totally agree....I own 3 dogs, foster dogs for rescue group...unless a dog was a physical threat to my family...it isnt going anywhere

If you frequent craigislist..u can see that a majority of pets are disposable...I can never understand why people dont do research before getting a pet, expecially a puppy???? There are so many puppies on there, and always same excuse..we just dont have time for them??? HELLO!!! U didnt know puppies would take up a whole lot of time

I know. I see that too. Puppies can be like the worst behaved child ever! You have to be willing to devote a huge chunk of time for two years on behavior training (depending on breed, but I;m talking labs.) They can be insane for two years. BUT give them what they need for those two years and learn how to deal with issues and you'll have a devoted friend for the next 12 (or hopefully more)years! People give up too soon to realize those rewards.

 

[TeaToo!]

I would NEVER PURCHASE A PET! why??? when shelters and rescue groups around the world are euthanizing animals everyday. Your daughter should do some research on puppy mills and then she will really have an ethical question to answer!

She's 11.
I dont think she's goign to hide a camera in her backpack and sneak in to a puppy mill just yet.

But your point is well taken.
What Ive seen of them on TV is disgusting and sad and criminal.
On the other hand, I have bought purebred dogs.
Not all breeders are demons.

My dog is now 11 and he's literally the best dog Ive ever had or seen.
I'm glad I bought him from the breeder that I did.

I'd deffo say check the shleters first. ANd if you dont want a specific breed, save a life. My other dog is a pound dog. Half lab half sheppard and he's dingy as all get-out. But we love him just the same.

 

[Imzadi]

For behavioral issues (non-aggressive), no. We currently have 3 dogs and 2 cats. We have had many "throw backs" come through our house and they stay for good. I currently have a chihuahua who came from a rescue. He had 2 forever homes, 5 foster homes, and more issues than any other dog I had every owned. And he was only 2 1/2 yrs by the time I got him. For the past 2yrs we haven't given up on him - and it has been rough at times. But he has turned into a great dog... too many people were just willing to pass him off.

I have never taken pet adoption lightly. And every pet we have ever owned has lived with us until they passed.

While I applaud and admire your patience, compassion and emotional capacity to deal with an animal with behavioral issues, not all people/familys are. If you consider the family + pet as an ecosystem, and the pet is severely disrupting the ecosystem it is not a good fit. Meanwhile, there are dozens of emotional healthy pets euthanized each day. A healthy pet which isn't given a chance for life because someone has been guilt-tripped into keeping a pet they don't want instead. It's not like there is a shortage of adoptable pets to love that may fit in perfectly to the home. (I am throwing into this scenario, that the family does take pet adoption & care seriously. That they are not into simply disposing inconvenient pets, but actually looking for a good, right fit.)

 

[tomthebarncat]

She's 11.
I dont think she's goign to hide a camera in her backpack and sneak in to a puppy mill just yet.

But your point is well taken.
What Ive seen of them on TV is disgusting and sad and criminal.
On the other hand, I have bought purebred dogs.
Not all breeders are demons.

My dog is now 11 and he's literally the best dog Ive ever had or seen.
I'm glad I bought him from the breeder that I did.

I'd deffo say check the shleters first. ANd if you dont want a specific breed, save a life. My other dog is a pound dog. Half lab half sheppard and he's dingy as all get-out. But we love him just the same.

Your child is learning first hand how valuable life can be! I also have a pound puppy, actually he is a street dog from Spain, they make the most wonderful pets. I would never re home a pet due to my inability to work/deal with it, pets cannot tell you in english what is wrong but they will tell you in other ways!

 

[Kath2003]

I'd return/rehome any pet that wasn't suitable - for its own welfare. For example, we recently got a kitten. If that kitten hadn't been compatible with our existing cat, it wouldn't be beneficial for either cat to live in that environment, so I would rehome the kitten (thankfully they love each other).

I wouldn't ask for my money back though - but then we try to take rescue animals or "freebies" (we're the suckers who always take the last kitten to stop it going to the rescue centre ). Both are cats have been the "last of the little" - but not the runts (both were the biggest!) - but people didn't want them because their colours/markings weren't "pretty" like their siblings. This is great for us because we got two awesome cats (and we LOVE their colours/markings because they're unusual).

I would also return any dog anyone "gifted" to me because I am NOT a dog person - my partner and I have had discussions about the possibility of ever owning one so I hope he knows there is a big red "X" through that one!! (I love other people's dogs, but I would never want to own one).