Ok. Sorry to lay it on you like this... but there's another thing I've been keeping from you the past couple of weeks or so.
I have a new pet.
She's a Morkie (Yorkshire Terrier and Maltese mix). And I know many of you are anti designer dogs. But I like this dog. She was born on September 26th last year (same birthday!). She's gentle, loving, has an excellent temperament and is absolutely adorable when she goes into guard dog mode and is protective over me.
I bought her from her previous family who had her for a couple of months but had to give her up as the husband has been transfered to HongKong to work, so the whole family is moving there for 6 months.
They called her Jojo but I have since switched it to Lola. She is responding well, and is a happy dog.
Those of you who are wondering about Bailey (rabbit), he's been adopted by a friend called Justin who has many many hamsters but wants to keep Holland Lops too. Bailey is happy in his new home too.
I got the dog before the break up and the two events are not related to each other. (Just in case some of you go into speculation mode)
Lola looks adorable!
ReplyDeleteShe is kinda scruffy looking which makes make wanna run my fingers all over her.
what happened to your pug?
ReplyDeleteCute pet HJ but I hope you can really provide a good home to the dog and perhaps you have heard this many times before...great responsibilities involved.
ReplyDeleteYou can't just give them up for adoption when the going gets tough. We ain't Paris Hilton and they are not accessories... I know cos I have 3.
So u call this a secret? thats funny
ReplyDeleteyou look absolutely stunning in that pic
ReplyDeleteAnd cookie monster? Adopted too?
ReplyDeleteyeah.. why did u give up the bunny? I don't really understand how you could bear to just give up Bailey so easily... What's your reason?
ReplyDeleteYes yes and the pug too? I seriously hope you aren't just giving up your old pets on a whim. You are giving the impression that you are treating your pets like clothes.
how can you give up your rabbit so easlily? and you had another dog in the past. what happened to him.
ReplyDeletethis are animals and not clothes or other material accessories you can share and change how you want.
are you aware of this?
You may think that you are giving them better homes, better living conditions when you give them up for adoption but the truth is, animals feel it too, they don't like the feeling of being given up.
ReplyDeleteMay I suggest you stop keeping any pets since you will not be able to keep them for a long period of time. They are for life, not for a certain phase in our lives.
cookie monster is way too hyper to live in a flat. she was miserable, and kept chewing furniture to entertain herself (despite all her toys). 1 year plus ago, she was adopted by my friend who lives in a has with garden. And she's happy and still hyper.
ReplyDeleteAt 10.35am, how do you know animals don't go on to better homes?? Lola is very well adjusted and happy here in her new home.
A pet is a great responsibility yes, but it's not a life sentence. You should always do what's best for the animal. and if the current conditions aren't good enough (in terms of time/space/ compatibility/etc) then I don't see giving it to a better home as a bad thing.
Not as if I'm throwing it out on the street or giving to the SPCA to put it to sleep.
But it still confuses some readers why you would get a dog and then give up your rabbit.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as though you wanta give up your rabbit just to make room for your new dog.
I don't understand why you regard keeping a pet as a 'life sentence'. In the first place, you should have considered carefully the factors that will allow you to raise your pet properly, and not give the pet up due to 'current conditions'.
Because if you compare dog and rabbit. The rabbit is so much lower in work and commitment. Why dog all of sudden? Are you sick of your rabbit? Is it you need an animal which is more responsive and interactive?
Well, now I'm half-expecting you to give up your new dog for some other animal in the near future.
I liked Holly's reply though - I think its ok as long as the pet is properly taken care of.... I guess mistakes are made.
ReplyDeleteI beg to differ. Having pets is a life sentence, at least 15 years taking into consideration of your dog's average lifespan. One's life definitely needs adjustment to accomodate an additional member in the family. If not, do not even consider bringing a pet into the family.
ReplyDeleteFinding a better home for the pet is only to make yourself feel better about giving them up. I reckon you are not that heartless to the extend of putting it to sleep or giving them to SPCA let alone abandoning them on the streets.
If your dog is too hyper or chews up furniture, there is such a remedy call 'training' to correct such undesirable behaviors (and not giving it up). It is not about constraints of space or being unhappily holed up in a small home. Yours was a pug not a Golden Retriever or a Great Dane. What makes you so sure Lola is not going to run into such problems? If she does, are you going to find a better adoptive home for her?
You have been a responsible person from your blogs which I have been following all this while but apparently towards this issue about having pets, i totally think otherwise.
Relationship with your pet is just like relationship with your family member/ loved ones. Your life changes, there are ups and downs but you stick through them all because you made the choice the very day you bring these little ones home.
sigh holly holly holly. pug, bunny, new doggie, if you cant see the problem no one can make you.
ReplyDeleteso why did u give the rabbit away then? to make place for your new dog?
ReplyDeleteMoving homes, switching owners are traumatic events for pets. You cannot just do it on a whim. I agree with someone above who mentioned that you have to think long term when buying a pet and shld have taken almost everything into account before buying them. I thought it would be traumatic for the owner to give away pets too but... are you traumatised? you don't seem to mention it... only as a passing comment, perhaps. That's just not cricket, is it?
i'm sorry to say this but this is a bit of a let down.
@anon3.06= rabbit is a little boring, in terms of response and interaction.
ReplyDeleteand because i got Lola, i had to cage Bailey because he scratches Lola with his hind legs (he's bigger than Lola), not violently but more out of fear. Lola will still innocently try to smell him again and again.
He used to run free, and it sucked to have him caged up. Then Justin wanted a lop, and I was actually glad to re-home him.
I don't feel regret. It's not traumatising, I can visit anytime. And I honestly do think it's better for him.
About this concept you hv abt pets being traumatised when moving/ re-homing. I'm not too sure.
Lola certainly didn't seem traumatised. She's well adjusted and looks at home from day one. I even think she's forgotten about her old home/owners... she doesn't show signs of being depressed or pining for them.
Can you put more pics of your doggie? Its sooo cute!
ReplyDeletethis is a prime example of the disposable society we live in.
ReplyDeletePlease think before you write things like 'giving it to the SPCA to put to sleep'. People keep perpetuating the belief that any animal that goes to the SPCA gets put down & the organisation is basically a glorified slaughter house. Anyone who has done a day of volunteer work at the SPCA would know that the staff there would like nothing more than to keep all the animals - but what is there to do if an animal is really unadoptable (read: aggressive/health problems that could cause the new owner HEAPS of money). Don't make statements like that unless you're donating/volunteering/NOT buying pets (there are hundreds of pets waiting to be adopted, why buy one and encourage puppy mills/irresponsible breeders?).
ReplyDeleteJust a thought.
But I'm no stranger to the SPCA. I did volunteer as a teenager. And I was looking to adopt a dog (wasn't actually looking for a puppy)... just didn't find one I liked from SPCA's site.
ReplyDeleteThough I have to say, they're not the most pleasant/helpful ppl around when you call to enquire. I guess they must receive a lot of calls each day from ppl who waste their time and end up not serious abt adopting. ( I don't know).
I have nothing but respect for what the SPCA does. What I meant with that sentence was that I bothered to find the pet a home, rather than dump it on the street or to SPCA and expect them to take on tht responsibility for me. I did not mean to make it sound like I felt they were a slaughter house.
And I didn't buy Lola from a mill/shop. Not sure if you missed that paragraph in my post, but her family was giving her up because they had to move for work. I paid for her because I felt it was fair compensation given that they spent a lot on her and her dog house/ accessories/ jabs/ supplements etc.
I take it you didn't buy Bailey then
ReplyDeleteHi Holly,
ReplyDeleteI like the manner with which you answer all the questions and accusations no matter how unpleasant they are.
Your courtesy is inspiring.
I'm sorry that it didn't work out for Bailey and Lola together. In a perfect world, a rabbit and a dog, a tiger and a deer, would be able to live together without killing each other. In an ideal world, the same is true of people and no breakups would happen, there would be no traumatised children to carry on the legacy.
I suggest that instead of "moralizing" - which is telling everybody how they should live their lives and what choices they should make no matter the good intentions, it would certainly make the world a better place if we each simply understood that the choices each of us makes has repercussions. It is how we feel individually about the consequences that help us decide on the choice.
And everybody feels differently about situations.
Whether the animal is "happy" or not in it's new home, at the very least, it is being cared for in a humane fashion. It is being fed and has living space.
Happiness is an emotion elusive even to human beings. Trauma-inducing? We'd like to inflict this guilt trip on everyone, but can we know for certain if the animal does not display physical distress?
If we cannot ascertain if watching Simpsons or playing fetch-a-ball makes an animal "happier", must we really speculate and accuse each other of arbitrary "cruelties"? :)
Even though I've only come across your blog recently, I've been a big HJ supporter and often root for you to when I see mean comments on you.
ReplyDeleteHowever, with regards to how you treat your pet, your actions are really irresponsible.
The pet has no choice as to whether you let it stay or throw him to some "better home".
Having a pet is indeed a live long commitment, at least for as long as the pet lives.
Look at it this way, if you had a kid who was fine but don't along with your next child, would you just give your 1st kid away to "a better home"? Why do you do that to your pets then? Is it because they are just animals?
It's sad.