In a Throwaway Society, Companion Pets Are Forever

By Vickie McKimmey, AFA Director of Shows & Special Events, Governing Board Member

There are those of us who save things and those of us who throw things out. Everyone is clearly in one category or the other. In the United States, more of us throw things away than save things. We live in a throwaway society.

I think it may be generational. Young people are not as sentimentally attached to their stuff as older folks may be. Things often come easier to the young, so they find it easier to let them go.

In many cases, however, it's not just stuff that goes. More and more companion pets have become disposable. It seems that in our society people aren't held accountable for their pets. Tired of taking care of Fifi? Well, then, dump her off at the pound. Fluffy doesn't fit your current lifestyle? Just throw him outside to fend for himself.

This may be the way things are, but it doesn't make them right.

When you take on the responsibility of a pet, it should be for a lifetime. On average, that means 14 to 18 years for cats, though it's not unheard of that some live well into their 20s. Dogs typically live into their mid- to late teens, as well, depending on the type. By comparison, ferrets live only 5 to 10 years. Tragically, however, they're dumped just as often as cats and dogs.

Many people seem to have their own definition of a "lifetime commitment." What does this term actually mean with respect to a pet? Until the newness wears off? Until it's not cute anymore? Until the next fad comes along, which seems to suit you better? Or, until it becomes a hassle to feed your pet, or to walk it, or to take it to the vet, or to find someone or someplace to put it when you want to go on vacation?

It's very sad. But, oh, don't worry! There are places that will take the stuff we don't want any more. For companion animals, they're called rescues and shelters. They take in the unwanted pets people feel they need to get rid of. Most of them do so, moreover, with no questions asked and without charging a fee. Obviously, that's great for the people who are getting rid of their pet: no guilt, no responsibility, nada. It's not so great, however, for the pet involved. And definitely not so great for the animal rescue or shelter.

Ferret shelters and rescues are usually run by ferret advocates whose aim is to prevent unwanted ferrets from losing their lives. They accept both owner-abandoned ferrets and ferrets from animal control/SPCA organizations. Ferret shelters will not euthanize a ferret in order to make room for another, though they may put down a ferret that is seriously ill.

Many shelters also take in old and sick ferrets that no one else will care for, allowing the animals to live out their lives as best they can. Some ferret owners seem to think that rescues are there to take in their own old and dying ferret, and to care for it in its final days. In that way, they think, the animal will get all the care they can't afford to give it, and they won't have to watch their pet suffer or die.

The fact is, however, that ferret rescues are not free clinics for all ferrets. Rescues barely get by providing the emergency care they're set up to provide. Ferret owners have to keep in mind that veterinary care is part of their own responsibility of pet ownership, just as pediatric care is a responsibility of parenting.

If your ferret is old and suffering-please, end that suffering. Yes, it's hard to do, but you have to look at the quality of your ferret's life. If your pet can no longer get around on its own, you can be sure it's not enjoying its life. Keep in mind, too, that if your ferret is old and has spent its entire life in your care, in most cases it will die if it is dumped at a shelter.

In such a situation, ask yourself: Is it fair to make the shelter operator responsible for ending the suffering of my pet? Hopefully, your answer will be no. Many things in our society may be disposable, but companion pets should not be among them. They deserve a lifetime commitment that actually extends from the day we take them in to the day they die in our care.

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