Post # 1
Member
14 posts
Newbee
Hello!
I am new to this forum. I have never posted anything, but one thread made me feel so uneasy I wanted to see if this was general opinion or just the people posting in that thread. I am not looking to start a fight, so for this thread I am honestly just looking for a yes no answer with no explanation. Your answer will speak for itself. Please read the whole post before you answer.
I just read a thread about a lady who had a cat that was very aggressive towards her SO, and she was thinking about moving in with him, but was wondering how to deal with the emotions surrounding the fact that her aggressive cat may not be welcome in his new home though her other two pets are. This poll is not about her. What made me pause were the few people who started asking what would you do if you had a pet that would attack your child? Would you keep it? Not one of the people who were pro-cat would answer that question. They just kept saying how a pet is a family member and a lifetime commitment… which I totally respect and understand.
HOWEVER, my question is this: If you had an animal… any animal (cat, dog, bird, snake, whatever) that was violent towards your new child or any other child in your household and after all attempts to curb the aggression you could not stop the violent behavior, would you keep the pet or not? That’s it. That’s all I want to know. What you do with it would be up to you, whether you find it a new home or give it to a relative or whatever is totally up to you, and NOT what I am asking.
Again, I am not looking to start a fight on this thread, so no written responses are necessary. Do not defend your answer either way because it will inevitably lead to fighting, and that is not the purpose of this poll. If you post an explanation then you did not read this all the way through! I am just very curious, and I want to know. Would you keep a violent pet in a family environment? Yes or No? That’s it.
Post # 3
Member
536 posts
Busy bee
Absolutely not. A pet may be a lifetime commitment, but it’s still just an animal. A human is more important, eespecially a helpless infant.
Post # 4
Member
6806 posts
Busy Beekeeper
As a parent of a 2 year old as much as I love my cat, the cat would have to go if said cat was aggressive toward my child. Which thankfully she is not, she doesn’t bother my child and generally ignores him.
Post # 5
Member
3683 posts
Sugar bee
Nope. My parents actually re-homed a dog that had started snapping at me by the time I was two.
Post # 6
Member
847 posts
Busy bee
Yes and No.
If it were a bird/snake/cat/rabid pet moose I probably would rehome it. But there’s a wide range of behavioral dog trainers that work can work with your dogs before and after a child is born/enters your home. If working diligently with a trainer to improve the dog’s behavior didn’t work over ‘x’ amount of time, only then would I consider rehoming it.
Post # 7
Member
9693 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
I don’t believe any dog can’t be fixed by proper training. I don’t know anything about cats but I’d never have one. As for a dog, I wouldn’t get rid of him because he’d be trained. I’m actually in this situation and it’s exactly what I did.
As for not answering on the thread, what’s the point of a discussion forum where you don’t discuss? This isn’t survey monkey, people actually post comments here. That’s sort of the point 😛
Post # 8
Member
277 posts
Helper bee
@MrsPanda99: I disagree. If I had a big dog and saw aggression in it, or if I still had my smaller dog but had a child as well, I would rehome it. I’ve known families that their dog ripped apart people/other dogs before – and they STILL didn’t rehome it. C’mon… a pet is just a pet. It’s not worth the risk
Post # 9
Member
9693 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
@sauerdragon: Obviously I don’t think a pet is just a pet. As I said, I have a fear aggressive dog who has been completely rehabilitated through training. Yes, the easy route was getting rid of him before we had kids and finding a friendly dog. That’s not the kind of people we are – we made a commitment to our current dog and he was worth it.
I personally don’t believe any dog is hopeless, not worth the effort, or impossible to rehabilitate. I wouldn’t get rid of my dog any more than I’d get rid of a misbehaving kid.
Post # 10
Member
2575 posts
Sugar bee
@Laulu123: I am a huge believer in pets being a lifetime commitment and made it clear to DH that my cat and I were a package deal when we started dating. However, in your case, I also believe that pets are expected to behave themselves as I am providing them with a loving home. If they can’t even do that and behave violently towards me, DH, potential kids, and other pets, then I would rehome them. However, I would do my very best to rehome the pet at another household instead of immediately shipping it off to the shelter.
Post # 11
Member
7454 posts
Busy Beekeeper
Its a solid no for me. I dont give animals the same value as humans.
Post # 12
Member
691 posts
Busy bee
I have a five year old and a baby on the way, there is no way I could have a violent pet. We have two dogs (lab/tick hound and German sheppherd), two fish, a guinea pig, and a cat. We love pjust and all of ours are the sweetest animals you could ask for
Post # 13
Member
277 posts
Helper bee
@MrsPanda99: Right, but during the training/rehabilitation, wouldn’t you seperate the dog from family (especially children)? I think my first step would be having my dog stay with my brother (who lives alone) or at least not let my dog alone with any children. You have an obligation to make sure the animal is provided for, but that doesn’t always mean the animal is a good fit for your home
Post # 14
Member
277 posts
Helper bee
@bklynbridetobe: THANK YOU! I don’t understand why people put the same value on dogs/cats as humans. To say your obligation to a pet is the same as to your child is really ridiculous in my opinion. Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t love my dog to death! Right now my dog is my everything and I’d do anything for him (don’t have kids btw), but at some point I know he’s still just a pet.
Post # 15
Member
14 posts
Newbee
@MrsPanda99:
Okay. I admit it was weird to ask people not to discuss. I just didn’t want my first post to be one that started a giant fight. I really am curious though. Thanks for your responses!
Post # 16
Member
12259 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
@MrsPanda99: I had a friend growing up who rehabilitated former dog fighting dogs. I agree with you! With enough love, and a SERIOUSLY gifted trainer, it’s possible.
I wish I could work through something like that, but I would always be terrified of my animal hurting my baby! So I would try to rehome the animal. Mostly because I couldn’t take adequate care of it and get it the help it needs.
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