WHY do parents in this country believe they are giving their children a positive experience when they insist upon getting them a kitten (or puppy, etc) when they, themselves are unwilling to spend the time to teach (and watch) them how to handle them?

I guess I am 'old-fashioned' but I watched my kids like a hawk once we had pets, I taught them how to 'pet the kitty. "Soft so they like that, and want to be your friend." It worked for me, and my kids. They learned to respect and love animals.

I am just sickened by the lack of respect for life that I'm seeing as an 'everyday social more' these days.The general social attitude seems to be 'get the kiddies a pet as soon as possible. Reason being, I have to suppose, so the kiddie can squeeze it to the point it has brain damage, kill it and - - - then get another, and another'.......because we don't want to let the children be deprived of the animal experience. Ouch.

I find myself 'fed up' today.....just heard one too many stories about parents getting their small child a kitten... The story that drove me nearly over the edge, came from a woman I've never met until today, a temp employee at the rural nursing home I work. She happened to notice the facility cat laying on my desk - and she wandered in, with a buoyant, cheerful manner, then proceeded to tell us about the 'bad luck' she had with cats. I won't go into all the gory details, but it finished with her 'regaling' us with the fact that her sister, also had the 'bad luck' (go figure) ...........just last night, this woman's little daughter had quote/unquote "somehow gotta hold of" the sister's kitten, and NOW the kitten was at the Vet's office - with severe brain damage, they don't think it will ever 'come out of it'. She went on to complain that the kitten had already been 'potty trained'. The thrust and gist of her 'story' being (one could tell by the tone) was how very badly the cats/kittens in her life - and of course, her sister's - had mistreated her.

Bad luck.

I cannot imagine the irresponsibility that led to such an attitude! I am coming to believe that we are going to have to demand federal animal abuse/neglect laws, with some 'teeth' in them. People who have neglected/abused animals shouldn't be allowed to have them in the future. I don't like the idea of more laws, but honestly....that is the only answer I can come up with.

What most people don't realize is that people ARE animals too.

To those who 'will hear' me, thanks for listening.

This article is Copyright © Kathy Henderson, and printed with permission of the author.
August 9, 2003