pet ownership - removing pets from bad owners

[loublou]

Ever known a cruel pet owner?

I need to find out how an official owner can have their pet removed from their care.

Someone I know shows little or no respect for their animals, a dog and 2 cats. All great animals.

They leave them on their own for long periods, simple put them out the door without any care what they do and never seem to show them much affection.

Worst is that they go away for long periods, leaving the cats for kindly neighbours to feed and the dog boarded out. They are now paranoid (probably rightly) that the cats may prefer the neighbours, so now put them both into a RSPCA cattery for anything up to 3 months at a time.

They are educated people, bit sad, lonely peeps with no friends. They are also a touch snobby and fit the classic type of regarding their pets as 'pieces of furniture'.

Anyone any idea what can be done?

 

[AdamW]

I would speak to your local CPL (Cats protection league) and the equivalent dog version, as well as the RSPCA.

Unfortunately, a lack of love doesn't count as neglect. Just so long as they are medically well and have the basic biological necessities there is little that can be done.

It's the same with kids if you think about it. When was the last time that well-fed, non-abused children were taken into care simply because the parents didn't love them enough?

I reckon your best bet would be to convince the people that the animals could go to a good home, if they are too much to look after.

 

[loublou]

I would speak to your local CPL (Cats protection league).....
It's the same with kids if you think about it. When was the last time that well-fed, non-abused children were taken into care simply because the parents didn't love them enough?

ta for that, I know someone who takes in their cats.

interesting comment about children.

Could be why we have the extent of social problems we have. Certainly would help if children felt more loved.

 

[ninebob]

I'm a cat lover myself. It's a shame your location is "Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands", or I'd volunteer to have a word and possibly take them in myself.

Having said that, if they're paying for a cattery when they go away, they must care at least a bit for them, possibly just not realsing that cats aren't as self-sufficient as people think and still need lots of attention.

I'm still deeply missing my cat who sadly didn't take well to my house move and went missing:

That's Tiddles (full name "Princess Marriott Brass Band of Tiddly-Om-Pom-Pom). When I started work as Night Manager of the Marriott Hotel in Grantham a couple of years ago she was supposedly the "Hotel Cat" for mouse-catching purposes - in practice she was only allowed in the building by the night staff who used to give her some scraps, then she was kicked out before the guests got up and used to sit in the car park all day mewing pitifully. I took pity and took her home and within 2 months she'd fattened up and become a proper "house cat" - even though the window was always open she'd only go out for the loo then straight back in purring on the settee or bed!

As I said, I unfortunately had to move, and although I did everything one is supposed to (keeping her in for 2 weeks, keeping an eye on her when she went out after that, etc), she toddled off one day and hasn't been seen since. I've tried searching around the old place and even back at the hotel (miles away) but now 6 months later I'm having to accept that either something untoward has happened or hopefully she's been taken in by another kindly soul.

I did say that she wouldn't be replaced, but this topic has made me think that maybe now is the time for a new bundle of fluff to join the Simon/Nigel household........

 

[securespark]

nine - I didn't know you loved p*ssy????

 

[loublou]

I did say that she wouldn't be replaced, but this topic has made me think that maybe now is the time for a new bundle of fluff to join the Simon/Nigel household........

I'd say search one out, there are so many that need a good home like yours.

I should say the people have just moved and the two cats are both exotic breeds. They placed the cats into the cattery to 'get them used to the move' (?) in other words get the neighbours out of their system. It was a selfish thing as they can't provide for them at their new home (always away)

I've read several things about what makes a 'bad owner' and moving comes up. People generally don't consider the pets in the move and assume they'll accept whatever.

I'm not saying you didn't consider it in your move, however the change can't have gone down well. You probably did everything you could. I assume you wouldn't lock them up in a cattery for 90 days! It says something about the lack of respect these peeps exhibit.

 

[AdamW]

One of my friend's neighbours moved recently, and he was surprised to see the new people had a very similar cat.

Turns out they included the cat in the deal to avoid the cat getting upset about a new house!