Job Discussion Forums

[foster]

I feel for you, as I had to give up my dog when I moved to Japan as well. Thankfully, like you, he went to a good friend and she tells me all that he is doing.

It hurts and it is no fun, but know that he misses you and loves you dearly. I saw my puppy (ok, he's this summer and he knows me. Not as attached as he was, which kinda hurt, but he's still my baby.

[melirae]

I had to leave my little Bruiser at home with my dad. I miss him so much and I've only been here a few weeks! I wanted to bring him, but besides finding housing that would allow him, I didn't feel right putting him through quarrantine either and the long flight. He's with my dad and I hope he still loves me when I get home in a year (my dog I mean...and I guess my dad too!!)

I now have a picture in my wallet. And the saddest thing is when I find little black dog hairs on my clothes that just didn't come out in the wash. I get a little teary-eyed just thinking about him!!

[madeira]

News from Gaijinpot`s forum: Sometime soon, quarantine will be reduced to 12 hours for dogs and cats with all the required paperwork.

That`s good news!

[guest of Japan]

I'm afraid I'm in agreement with Agent Mulder. I think it is pretty selfish to get a pet when you have wanderlust burning inside you.

[madeira]

Eh?

The only selfish thing is throwing them out on the street when they`re `inconvenient`. Everyone here so far has good homes for their critters or is interested in bringing them with them.

[guest of Japan]

And if you weren't able to pass off your responsibility to someone else?

I have no greivance with those who make the effort to bring their pets with them.

I do have a greivance with those who somehow try to fill some kind of personal void with a cute cuddly pet then pass it off to someone as someone as soon as some chance at adventure looms. I've seen it happen countless times. The person who takes care of the pet seldom wants it, but will accept the responsibility for the sake of the pet. This person should never be put into this position. When you buy a pet you are taking responsibility for the life of the pet. Perhaps people should temper their whims with a bit of foresight.

[melirae]

Yes, it would be so much better to put an animal through 24 hours of traveling in a crate barely large enough for him to stand up or turn around in with little, if no opportunities for him to get out and stretch his little legs. Then, drop him off for a stay of at least two weeks, maybe longer, with a bunch of strangers where he will be kept in a crate not too much bigger than the one he just spent the last 24 hours in with no idea if he will ever see anyone familiar to him ever again. The new strangers will probably yell at him for crying and barking so much because he's so confused and sad.

That's a much better scenario than the selfish thought of leaving him with a friend or family member for a year, who has been around his entire life so far, that loves him almost as much as his owner.

[guest of Japan]

I am not arguing how humane quarantine laws are. I'm arguing that if you make a commitment to pet ownership, you should honor that commitment.

A friend of mine who was English had a dog in the United States. He bought the dog when he felt he would be staying indefinitely in the US. After his marriage fell apart he wished to return home. England had (maybe still has) fierce quarantine laws. My friend stayed in the US for six extra months until he found a vet in France who would forge the papers. Then he went to France, got the forged papers and finally smuggled his pet through the chunnel. If he had been unable to make that scenario possible, he was willing to stay in the US indefinitely, despite longing for his motherland. This is the same type of commitment that should be expected of people who buy pets.

People should not by pets when they know that in the future they will be in a situation which precludes pet ownership.

I'll get off my soapbox now, and I won't get back on.

[Gordon]

Guest of japan,
I think the trouble your friend went through to get his dog into England is a little over the top IMO. I love dogs as much as the next person, but they are not humans. When you get a pet I don't think it is "until death do you part". Sometimes a dog can live 16 years, as mine did. I was 9 when i got the dog and was I supposed to wait until he died until I left? Was i a bad pet owner?

My parents are aging and I'm not going to stick around and wait until they pass away before I live overseas, why would a person do that for a pet?

Now I'll get off my soap box

[guest of Japan]

This is not a soap box post.

Gordon, I think that the pets people get as kids are in fact taken by the parents. I'm ranting about what university students and adults tend to do. I think my friend was a bit over the top too. But he really loved his dog.

[Gordon]

[funakoshi]

i'm leaving my car......isnt that sad, dont ppl feel bad for me well, selling it is more accurate. i'm a boy, so thats like having a puppy isnt it?....hehe, j/k.

[PAULH]

Troll posts referred to Moderators Forum

[Gordon]

Where's the trolling here?
I think you misunderstand.