You know

[silverthorne]

I get just as upset as any other self proclaimed 'animal lover' when something happens, such as a dog freezing to the sidewalk because his owner didn't/couldn't get him inside when it dropped to 6 degrees outside.

I firmly agree that the person should not have had the dog in the first place (This is a very good argument for pet screening no matter where you attempt to get a pet from), and I likewise hope the dog recovers, and gets a new home where it is cared for properly.

But I am really tired of the pitchfork and bonfire attitude.

No, 59 is not old, thanks to modern medicine, but it is when, despite modern medicine, a decent part of the population have health issues that cause their body and mind to start to deteriorate. If they are also unable to get regular medical care at that age, the problems are compounded and worsened.

We won't even go into things such as at that age, you do start losing access to friends and family (because, you know, the whole dying thing starts, first with the ones who give into things like heart attacks and cancer), and not to mention, a lot of people live alone and isolated (and that's not even an age related thing).

A lot of people are not health nuts, and in this case, the dog was also 120 pounds (over feeding, but that's another issue that tends to usually have more to do with lack of education rather than flat-out negligence). So, if the lady was underweight herself, or just really out of shape, 'why didn't she just drag him in?' does not exactly have a straightforward answer (also--what, isn't dragging the dog in just as cruel, depending on how you do it? Which is typically by the collar...which can choke the dog. C'mon people, be consistent here on what's cruel).

And yes, great, you have relatives that are in their 80's and 'perfectly healthy' (newsflash, kids, chances are they at the very least have aches and pains they never talk about, because, well, it's part of getting old, and who complains about that? Well, okay, some would, but you get the idea). Hell, at 39, I'm already stiff when I get up in the morning, I get the odd ache now and then, and I'm neither old, nor do I have any medical problems (and I get a fuck ton of exercise at work). It's called age, and it happens, even if it's not talked about. So please get off your 20-something high horse about that, okay? Just because your loved ones don't give you their laundry list of health issues, and don't visibly display them, doesn't mean they don't have them.

In short, you don't know all the factors in this case. And yeah, if the lady in question were more along your ages, or even mine, I'd probably forget the whole 'extenuating circumstances' thing and go straight for the commentary like 'we should leave her outside in 6 degree weather', too.

But then, chances are, she'd be young, healthy, supposedly have all her marbles, and in theory, physically capable enough to deal with her own dog. (Note here: many animal hoarders are older and/or a bit off their wheel. It's part of the reason they hoard. Many people who 'neglect' their dog by over feeding are the same way--and they think they're showing their animal love by giving them food. Sometimes, education helps. A hell of a lot more than jail will, which is what this lady is facing.)

Compassion, ability to look at each situation as its own case, and a little more perspective on the human things too, kids. Kinda necessary.

PS: I still feel really bad for that dog. (I'm also starting to feel really bad for your older family members if this is how you think).

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Posted here, because where I was, they focused on the 'age' part rather than everything I said after it, and it's not worth my time to get into a pissing contest with kids who 'know it all'. IE; when the responses are 'She's not old', you know you're not going to get anywhere.

I've never considered being a self-righteous, judgmental ass a part of being a concerned animal lover (although I'm sure I've been one every once in a while. :P).

Okay, rant done, carry on. Sorry about the TL:DR