The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.
I really hate neglectful pet owners. We found two puppies in our shed yesterday, and we're assuming they were dumped nearby (we live on a county road). It's sad how many animals are adopted over the holidays, and then discarded by the New Year. Animals should never be a gift, if you're not also going to be taking care of the animal (like parents gifting their child a puppy). People might not want or be able to take care of an animal, so those animals end up on the streets or worse. Euthanasia rates are also incredibly high, and shelters are overcapacity.
News:
I really hate neglectful pet owners. We found two puppies in our shed yesterday, and we're assuming they were dumped nearby (we live on a county road). It's sad how many animals are adopted over the holidays, and then discarded by the New Year. Animals should never be a gift, if you're not also going to be taking care of the animal (like parents gifting their child a puppy). People might not want or be able to take care of an animal, so those animals end up on the streets or worse. Euthanasia rates are also incredibly high, and shelters are overcapacity.
The US Military is equally to blame for excessive breeding of working dogs. They have various programs that produce litters, and only a few dogs from those litters are actually selected to become working dogs. The rest are adopted out to families in the surrounding area. This hurts the shelters, and also seems like a ridiculous idea in general. Why don't they adopt dogs from shelters? I'm sure the success rate would be similar, and they'd also be helping the animals in their communities. Breeding more animals is rarely the answer, not when there are so many that still need a home (at the very least, shelter and food).
Additionally, these programs that the military uses aren't the most humane. The puppies stay with their mothers for the allotted amount of time, and then they are transferred to families to be fostered for awhile. The puppies get used to warm houses, snuggles, walks, movie marathons, etc., and then they are taken back and placed in small outdoor kennels once they're old enough to be trained. Can you imagine how that must feel? They go from unconditional love, to barely enough exercise, cement slabs and cages. Animals should be treated with compassion and not like things. They think and feel, can learn and love, and deserve so much better than what they usually get in life.
In other news, we think we've found a house! It's very tentative at this point, but most of the boxes have been checked. Right now we're waiting to see if the move-in date will be early enough. Fingers crossed!
This is my son's last weekend before school picks back up! It's been nice having everyone at home, but they are driving me insane. He also misses his friends, and knows that he won't live here much longer. He's eager to go back, and I'm happy that this school has been such a positive experience for him.
Previous week on the blog:
- Sunday: The Sunday Post [35]
- Monday: DNF&Y [24] -- Coral by Sara Ella & Lost Girl: A Shelby Day Novel by Holly Kammier
- Tuesday: My 2019 Challenge Wrap-Up!
- Wednesday: Top Ten Tuesday [3] -- Favorite Books (2019)
- Friday: My 2020 Challenges!
- Saturday: Wolf Gone Wild (Stay A Spell, #1) by Juliette Cross [+Giveaway] (★★★⋆☆)
What I'm currently reading:
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 🎧
Nameless Queen by Rebecca McLaughlin
Jane Anonymous by Laurie Faria Stolarz
What I plan on reading next:
Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Legacy of Orïsha, #2) by Tomi Adeyemi 🎧
Don't Read the Comments by Eric Smith
Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
What I'm watching:
Jacob and I finished the second season of Making It, and now we're waiting on the third! There is going to be a third season, right?? Also, if anyone knows when the next section of One Piece will be dubbed, please share! I feel like it's been years... 👵
Challenge updates:
- Audiobook Challenge 1 / 50+
- Beat the Backlist Challenge 1 / 110
- Discussion Challenge 0 / 1-10
- Goodreads Challenge 2 / 365
Poor puppies! I'll NEVER understand how people can just abandon/dump an animal. :( I hope someone takes them and gives them a good home. Their little faces on your IG picture...
ReplyDeleteI know!! They're adorable... and they're still here. No one has claimed them, and the shelters weren't open over the weekend. Making some calls this morning, so hopefully they'll have a place later this afternoon. I just can't keep them here -- we have too many animals already. :)
DeleteOh gosh, poor abandoned puppies! I always hear horror stories about how people deal with animals that want (specifically when their pet has a litter) and it just breaks my heart. I'm happy you were able to find them though!
ReplyDeleteYou've got a lot of books lined up. I did the audiobook for Where the Crawdads Sing as well and while I liked it, I wasn't obsessed like everyone I knew was.
Amber Elise @ Du Livre
I've lost count of how many boxes of puppies I've found and taken to a shelter, or bags of kittens. They just toss them on the side of the road -- it's terrible. I firmly believe that people should be treated the way they treat their animals, just so they know how it feels.
DeleteI always have a lot of books lined up! Haha! Just keep reading, just keep reading... it keeps me sane. ;) I'm listening to the audio as well. It's good, but not amazing. Everyone else seems to be raving about it! Are we the black sheep in this scenario? <3
It really is sad how many animals are discarded so easily. We had a four-legged visitor a couple weeks ago, but it turned out to be our neighbor's dog who had gotten through the fence. Luckily that story had a happy ending. I hadn't realized that about the military. That does sound like a really bad idea. :-( Yay for finding a house! I hope it works out and you get it. I hope too you are enjoying your current reads. Your upcoming reads sound good too! I hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your story had a happy ending! I've taken a lot of lost animals to shelters, and I always wonder what happens to them, you know? Were they adopted? Did they find a forever family? Were they euthanized because no one wanted them, or the shelter was overcapacity? It's so sad to think about. There are so many animals that need loving homes, which is why I'll never understand breeders or breeding programs.
DeleteFingers crossed about the house! We just need the current renters to move out two weeks earlier, haha. Have a lovely week yourself! <3
Best of luck with the house. I hope it all goes smoothly. I hope you enjoy Tweet Cute too. I absolutely loved it!
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE for this move to go smoothly, but there are so many unknown variables at this point. It's stressful! I'm ready to just be there and be done with it, haha. I cannot wait to start Tweet Cute! <3
DeleteI didn't know about the military and their dogs. Breeding them on purpose is foolish, and subjecting some of them to such a treatment is cruel. Also, boo to people who take a pet in and then dump them because, go figure? they aren't self-sufficient.
ReplyDeleteI hope everything goes smooth with the new house!
*smoothly
DeleteYes and yes. The military should do and be better. I can see why they think fostering is a good idea, but it ends up being a very cruel adjustment for the dogs. People suck.
DeleteMoving is crazy stressful. :(
Ooh hope the house thing works out! Fingers crossed. :) And so true about the animals. Heartbreaking to think about how much of that goes on. that must have been a shock!
ReplyDeleteThanks! We've settled on a house, but we need the current renters to move out two weeks earlier than they planned. There was a miscommunication between them and the rental company, so it's up in the air at this point.
DeletePoor pups. :(
Good luck!!! Hope the pups thing works out...
DeleteI'll know more tomorrow! I've been trying to interact with them as little as possible, because I get attached VERY easily to animals, and they're puppies (ADORABLE). They just want to be loved on, so it's hard to remain aloof. :(
DeletePoor little pups, I hope they find good homes, and I hope you have found your dream home too.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a great reading week
I hope the shelter takes them in (the no-kill shelter one town over), and that they lived very happy and fulfilled lives! This definitely won't be our dream home, haha. We're a military family, so we move often. I just want it to be a house I'd like to live in for a few years, and one that has a good school nearby for my kiddos. :)
DeleteIt is horrible how people treat animals and pets. We adopted a rescue this summer and are very happy with her. I hope you find the home you need.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week back to normal with some great reads! I'm reading Children of Virtue and Vengeance on audio.
Anne - Books of My Heart Here is my Sunday Post
All of our dogs are rescues, and most have found us along the way. It's crazy how things work out! Fingers crossed all of the moving stuff works smoothly, because I am ready to get things rolling. Lots to do!
DeleteI'm doing the audio for Children of Virtue and Vengeance, too! The narrator is phenomenal. <3
I'm so with you everything you said about animals. That's just seriously sad. I always hate hearing things like that!
ReplyDeleteAnd yay for finishing season 2 of Making It. There BETTER be a third season!!!
-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I try to follow and support programs like PETA, but they share pictures and videos that kill my heart. I'm left thinking about it for days, which is the point, but still. It's heavy on my heart. MAKING IT IS THE BEST SHOW EVER.
DeleteThat is so sad about the puppies and the programs in the military, I never would have guessed they weren't humane. :( I love animals and have such a hard time thinking or seeing anything like that, it just tears my heart out.
ReplyDeleteYay on the (maybe) house though! That is great news! I will keep my fingers crossed it will all work out.
They aren't necessarily cruel to the dogs themselves, but they definitely don't consider the dog's feelings when they make the transition. They go from living the good life (love, family, warm beds) to living in a cold cage for the foreseeable future. The dogs become "tools" for the military to use.
DeleteMoving is always so stressful. And military transfer add a whole other layer of issues. I hope the house you’ve found works out! How soon is the transfer happening? Will your husband go ahead first before you and the kids?
ReplyDeleteSometime this month! We don't have long to prepare, so it's going to be a pretty crazy January for us. :) No, he'll move with us. I can't move the kids and animals solo -- it's too much. Plus, we move a few things with us that we don't want damaged or stolen, and the military moves the rest.
DeleteThat's awful about the puppies. And I had no idea about how the military breeds and trains dogs---I agree that it's very sad and no way to treat living creatures.
ReplyDeleteI wish you good luck with the house, though!!
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
The military should definitely reevaluate their methods and programs. You wouldn't take a child out of a loving home and place them in a cage, so you shouldn't do it to a dog. I know their are significant differences, but the dogs understand when they go from warm, loving home to a cold cage with indifferent people.
DeleteOw that's horrible about those puppies! I hope you we're able to get them to a shelter. Sigh.. the world is a hard place at times.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week and happy reading!
We actually found their owners! A broken fence was to blame, and not neglect. Yay! It doesn't always work out that way, so I'm happy I called the shelter again asking if anyone was looking for these puppies. A woman had been buy several times to see if they were there, but we couldn't take them because the shelter was overcapacity. That means the system is broken, and changes need to be made. The shelter needs a way for owners to inquire or post about their lost pets, and people who find animals need a way to let owners know they've been found. The dogs weren't chipped, the shelter couldn't take them, so it was luck that everything worked out the way it did.
DeleteI hate to hear how awful people are to animals! That is just awful. it makes me want to fill my house with dogs! I'd have to get a bigger bed though!
ReplyDeleteWe have a bigger bed, but it's still not enough! If all the kids wind up in there (bad storm, dreams, etc.) on top of the dogs... half of my body hangs over the side. I'm lucky if I manage to stay in the bed all night! I usually get kicked in the face or back a few times, too. ;)
DeleteTweet Cute does sound like it could be fun. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope it's as cute as it sounds! ;) <3
DeleteI'll never understand the mentality of people who can just abandon animals. I was raised to treat pets like family members.
ReplyDeleteYay for finding a house. I hope it works out for you. :)
My pets are like my children! <3 Well, that house didn't work, but we may have found another one. It's so stressful! The house needs to be nice, the school district needs to be good, we have to have a fence for the dogs (preferably a privacy fence so they can't climb over). A neighborhood that isn't too crowded, or a house that isn't too far away from everything. Ugh. My brain!
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