Would you put your life on hold for a pet?

[BCV513]

Yes, I've done it before and I would do it again in a second. I had a diabetic cat for three years. He did wonderfully on twice daily insulin and also every other day fluids to combat kidney failure. Did he need or deserve to be put down because of his illness? Heck no! He lived a wonderful life because we took care of him. It meant that one of us had to be home at 7am and 7pm, but we did it. We went out to dinner earlier, if we had a wedding we ran home between the ceremony and reception, etc. We made it work.

ETA: We were still able to vacation regularly. Our vet was actually a neighbor and he came to the house morning and night to take care of the cat. We only got stuck once. I had taken my grandmother to buy a new car and it took longer than expected. My father wouldn't give the insulin, so he called my next-door neighbor (a nurse) and she agreed to give it.

 

[Jingle]

I've missed some events because of my dog. I absolutely love him and would stay home with him (and have) before putting him in an environment I knew wouldn't be good for him. Some people think I'm crazy, but I really don't care. I do what I feel is right.

 

[SandrA9810]

Family is important, but family is just a phone call away.

She could look into a hotel that accepts pets. Kari's parents did that before they got thier RV, and during the day boarded the dogs at the disney kennels so they could visit frequently. Thier dog is nearly 15 yrs old and her age is showing. But she still does well on trips down here in thier RV. And of course our day is scheduled around thier normal walk and feeding times. Of course besides her parent's visiting, Kari's more excited about seeing her Daisy.
That's one reason why I like visiting Kari's parent's more. Because they understand the importance of Kiani to us. And never complain about us bringing her... it's just a given. Of course with everything in black and red... white fur stands out more.

 

[PghLybrt]

I absolutley would. I have cancelled trips because of them. Just like with anything I took that responsibility. I will not push it off on someone else nor would I want to.

 

[luvwinnie]

absolutely...we do it all the time...we bought an RV to travel with our pets. We take our bulldog everywhere with us on vacation, which means we only go places he can go. It gives me peace and having him in my life is totally worth it. To each his own.

 

[Buckalew11]

I just do not think we should ever judge another person about something like this. When it comes to pets you just never know the bond between owner and pet. What's good for you is not good for me and visa versa. JMO.

 

[dismom2]

My dogs are family members who I made a commitment to, and whom I love enough to do what is best for them. I do not feel like I am missing out on anything when I do things for them. I would miss an event for my dog, and I have, and don't think twice about it. You don't put a dog to sleep when they have a health problem, or are older. There's a lot more to it than that, and people with that attitude should not bother owning a pet if they would rather kill thier dog when it's not necessary, or 'that time', just so they don't have to be inconvenienced. Part of owning a pet includes making sacrifices at times. These are live beings, not pet rocks. I have found that a lot of animal lovers are very compassionate people. We value thier lives very much, and care about them enough to do what is best for them. I don't think a dog is "just a dog". My dogs are lucky to have us, and we are lucky to have them.

 

[okeydokey]

Aren't the folks at the kennel capable of giving meds for one night away? Your SIL can take care of the dog and go to the reunion.

 

[Disney Doll]

I have and would miss things because of the needs of my pet.

When I got Ted, I made a commitment that I would take care of him. If I felt that going away would be a hardship for him, I wouldn't have gone. Near the end of his life, we had a Disney trip planned. He was failing fast, and I said to my DH "We need to cancel the trip. I can't possibly go away and leave this dog in this condition". It turned out when we took him to the vet the next day, he had a brain tumor and there was no hope for any good quality of life for any length of time, he was just laying there confused and stuff...kind of pitiful...so we put him down a few days later. But we did that because it was the right thing to do for the dog. I would have had no qualms about cancelling that trip if the situation had turned out differently and Ted was going to need care.

 

[Jennasis]

Yup. When you get a pet you are making a LIFETIME commitment to that animal. They are dependant on you for their very lives. Those unwilling to make sacrifices for them should not have pets. Now the level of sacrifice varies. For some, boarding a pet at a kennel is a sacrifice ($$) they can make and for others they can sacrifice the outing itself.

We almost cancelled a vacation once. Our cat disappeared jsut as we were loading luggage into the car. He always knew that we were going away when we would take out the luggage. We were driving 18 hours away to GA to visit family. When the cat ran off (pissed cause we were going away) we called our relatives and said we may not be coming if we cannot find the cat. Boy were they MAD. They thought we were nuts. A few hours later, kitty showed up and off we went.

 

[Seewhatimesdone]

Our cat has heart problems and has to have quite a bit of medication every day so he comes first. Before we think of taking any trips we have to figure out his situation so he can get his meds while we're gone. We just love him so much!

 

[RainbowBrite]

When we adopted our cat Elvis, and then six months later Nemo, we made the decision that they were part of our family just as much as any human. So yes, I would absolutely miss a trip if one of the cats were sick, although most likely they could stay with my parents.

For me personally, if my parents couldn't watch them during a particular planned trip, even if they were healthy, I would never kennel them. I'm not saying putting them in a kennel is a bad thing or judging anyone who does, I just don't think it would work for Elvis and Nemo. They love wandering around the house, stretching out on a blanket or pillow or the windowsill, cuddling with each other and having lots of room to play. I think sometimes they think they are dogs.

We definitely look at them as part of the family, not just a pet. We got Elvis when we lived with roommates and they didn't want us to have him, so as a result he spent all of his time in our bedroom and he was lonely. He NEEDS to be with another cat. He got to be the meanest cat you ever saw, to the point where no one could pet him. Luckily we moved out 2 months later and then a few months later, we got Nemo and Elvis has been a completely different cat.

Nemo was rescued off the streets at 5 weeks old. He was found wandering around a dumpster with his brothers and sisters. Some kind woman took them in and found all of them homes, but could not find one for Nemo (until she finally found us on craigslist, that is). To this day, I cannot understand why. Nemo is the sweetest cat I have ever met in my life. He sleeps draped across my wife's neck every night. When we come home from work he rolls over at our feet until we pet him. If she could not find him a home, as sweet as he is...well, his brothers and sisters must be something special!

So anyway, my point is...we feel like both Elvis and Nemo had rough beginnings and yes, we spoil them to some degree. We want them to know they are wanted and loved and we would not hesitate to stay home from a trip if they needed us.

 

[onelilspark]

What about finding a pet-friendly hotel near the reunion?

 

[OctMtnWoods]

Yes, I have and I'm doing it currently. We take her if at all possible, but its not always possible and sometimes we decide its too much for her and us.

 

[MonorailNate]

Absolutely not. Life is too short. If pet is old and needs that much care it's time to let go and say goodbye. Was pet parent to a beautiful Springer Spaniel for 15 years.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Absolutely not. Life is too short. If pet is old and needs that much care it's time to let go and say goodbye. Was pet parent to a beautiful Springer Spaniel for 15 years.

What if pet is not old at all? Like my Elvis, for example. He's just over 1 year old. What if he got sick and was temporarily on meds? I should say goodbye so I can go on a trip?

 

[Fintastic]

No, I wouldn't put my life on hold for pets, and that's why we don't have dogs. We have two cats who are low-maintenance.

 

[Parkers_girl]

We often don't travel unless we can bring our dogs. They are a big part of our lives, heck they're our kids! We often bring them along wherever we go, if this means driving instead of flying, then so be it! Dogs are not with us as long as we would like so as long as mine are here they are going to be number one in my life. If we were ever going someplace like a cruise, where we could not take them then I would have them stay with a family friend who I know I could trust. Do I miss out on life experiences because of my dogs? No way, they are making my life more of an experience than I could ever imagine.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

Aren't the folks at the kennel capable of giving meds for one night away? Your SIL can take care of the dog and go to the reunion.

I would presume so.

Believe me, I understand the love of a pet and I have never had a disposable animal. My dogs are for keeps. I just don't know that I would not not go anywhere if the animal was unable to be boarded. I guess I just do not get the "what if" concept. I don't like to live my life thinking what if, kwim? This is a huge reunion, like a once in a lifetime one. People are coming in from as far away as Italy and my brother is very disappointed in her not coming. She is also disappointed in not be able to attend, but she has made up her mind and will stay home. I am in no way advocating that she put the dog down, maybe just find alternative care.

 

[MonorailNate]

What if pet is not old at all? Like my Elvis, for example. He's just over 1 year old. What if he got sick and was temporarily on meds? I should say goodbye so I can go on a trip?

O.K. RainbowBrite--that is ridiculous to start a negative thread when you know good and well what my post said. If my pet was young and temporarily sick I would rearrange schedules. That's not what the original posting was about. Maybe you should reread. I, however, would not continually put my life and my family's life on hold for a cronically ill pet. You are entitled to your option just as I am entitled to mine.