Why is it, and don't get me wrong, I like animals (pets), and have had several over the years. But is seems that the current news items about some pets being poisoned by canned food has gone far beyond what was reported when people were dieing of e coli from bad veggies in tacos or whatever. It seems that the news people (who are not well known for unbiased reporting) have put critters ahead of people...

For the same reasons we here all the time about spaying or nuetering your pets because of the over population of unwanted pets, but we don't hear anything from our "TOTALLY UNBIASED PRESS" about all the unwanted children that wander our streets. Ya gotta wonder when they might start doing the same to us

I think showing pictures of cute fuzzy animals and grieving pet owners is a sure fire way of getting people's attention and hence advertising dollars, and it is pretty easy to do (not a lot of journalistic heavy lifting involved).

Also, trying to get information on human victims of a wide-spread medical event is harder to do given the confidentiality protections. You have to get a lot of forms signed to take cameras into a human hospital to interview victims. Nobody cares if a cat's "confidentiality" is compromised.

I wonder if "human misery" fatigue is a factor in this as well. We've (the planet) has had a rough couple of years with images of dead and dying humans. I know I tend to tune it out myself.

Amen OBG.

I find it ridiculous that all of our local news here are spending so much time on this issue. They have been going to local shelters talking about how it is affecting their donation, etc. Well, why didn't the media go to the local soup kitchens when we had the peanut butter recall? That affected many PEOPLE (i.e. not animals that lick their behinds and eat their vomit).

Did you know that Con Agra was not even manufacturing peanut butter at all (I saw a confidential email, go with me on this) and that the recall is still on and AFFECTS ALL PEANUT BUTTER CONA AGRA MAKES, not just the 2111 code the media was talking about in Feb.

We put dogs and cats ahead of people who are hungry. Interesting...

And to think that many people on other countries have their dogs as home defense and not as a substitution/addition to family.

And I too, am a dog person. I have had dogs all my life (currently have two children now, so no dog for at least 5 years). Dogs know it when you are a dog person, and I can train them as close to a pro without being one, so please don't take this wrong, or be offended by my opinions.

Don't even get me started on animals receiving better medical care than humans.

and if you did not know about the peanut butter RECALL OF ALL CONAGRA PEANUT BUTTER, you can read about it here . Look in the 1st sentance of the 4th paragraph. Oh yeah, also check out the part in that link where the CEO is congratulating the company for cutting costs and expaning profits. Hhhmmm, makes you wonder...

Wish I had money to buy stocks...

I have a friend whose wife works for the FDA. When the peanut butter scare was going on she had between 17 and 20 calls. Strange that with the pet food she has had over 90calls. Some people have even wanted to send in their dead pets (my guess is to help a lawsuit )

I think that we live in a sad world when people are more upset over Fluffy or Rover kicking the bucket then food that they eat making them sick. But then again human life is worth so little now days, just ask people what they feel is worse, kicking a dog or aborting a human fetus. Of all the people I asked they said kicking a dog was worse. And people wonder why I some days I pray for a good global disaster

I remember when Yessir Arafat and his "palestinians" were sending people wrapped with bombs up to the Israeli checkpoints. Then, some genius strapped some bombs to a donkey and it blew up. PETA (my favorite organization I love to hate) sent a letter saying, in effect: "Look.... Blowing up Jews in Israel is pretty cool in our books, but could you please not involve the animals in your strife? Thanks!"

I am going to use that "people for the eating of tasty animals" line.

The media produces what they think will catch your attention. And they're not even much good at that. They used to make some attempt to cover the Who-What-Where-When-Why, but that's gone down the tubes on the tube.

But I'll listen to Mommy's worries about Fluffy's long dewclaws a lot longer than I'll listen to some guy ranting about abortion. Abortion is simple: Don't get pregnant or cause someone else to get pregnant. Beyond that, it's between a woman and her doctor. Why so many other people want to control someone else's life when they don't have control over their own is a total mystery to me. It's as stupid as trying to get people to change over to your religion.

Sue

This doesn't have anything to do with the media frenzy on the subject, but animals are unable to tell us when they are sick, and cannot tell us where it hurts. That may be why the consumers have been so concerned.

Now, Now OBG, you're breaking several rules of this modern civilization;

1) Speaking of subjects in a manner that espouses: "common sense" is politically incorrect and will eventually get you placed in rehab, aka: a re-education facility.

2) When speaking of current affairs and/or trends, it is strictly forbidden to "confuse the issue with factual material". Infractions of Rule 2 will get you placed in a mental rehab facility.

Now go take a couple of aspirins, drink heavily, and get re-programmed immediately!!!

Simple.

Where the women go so goes society.

Whoever controls the sexuality and reproductivity of the females controls society.

Successful churches know this well. If they develop programs that attract the moms then the kids and eventually husbands follow.


I'm probably going to get flamed for this but what's life without a little risk?

Ain't that why we got so many politicians, cuz some want to control others?

Well, that and greed I reckon.

Well, you've got the right attitude anyway. Getting flamed for being honest and telling a truth is worth every flame and ember.

"...Now go take a couple of aspirins, drink heavily, and get re-programmed immediately!!!..."

How 'bout if I drink heavily now, take the aspirin in the morning, and try to reprogram my GPS? Will that be good enough to keep me out of retraining for a week or two???

I think that will suffice but remember that THEY are watching and listening ....

Boy, do I have a lot to say about that. But I won't. Anybody who's curiousity is killing them can PM me.

Don't mind the blood, I'm just biting my tongue...

I'll say it. It's between a woman and her conscience.....as long as she has one. The doctor is no more than a weapon...in this case.

Uh, you mean mechanism, right? Anything can carry the connotation of weapon.

Opinions vary...

Uh, "weapon" is pretty accurate. Albeit a weapon with a mind and ostensibly a conscience of its own - One that is in a very good position to know better.

"I've noticed that everyone that is for abortion has already been born." - President Ronald Reagan

Well, that is still an opinion, which is just as good as the next one I suppose.

As far as Reagan's quote goes, that only applies to the ones he knew of, of course.

"Cross me, and I will make you curse your mothers for ever having borne you." Captain Bligh

[EDITED BY STRETCH]

And all this time I thought I was infillable. Next they'll tell me I'm not really Pope...

Hey, I kinda like that, Pope Thomas I.

Works for me

BTW, ever make it down to Summit? How far NW in Jersey are ya? There's a dairy up that way that has some really good cheese I hear. I wanna get up there sometime and give it a try. Maybe when I get back from OZ, assuming that they don't send me somewhere else.

OBG, I think I just realized what the answer to your original comment here might be. (Late is better than never, right?)

The average American has no control over what is going on in Iraq, or in Washington, D.C. They can't help how Katrina survivors are being handled. They don't know what has happened to the two little kids who disappeared with their mental father here in WA. They have no control over any of the thousands of other problems they're exposed to daily, but they might be able to do something about saving their pets or the pets of friends.

***

If you're going to kill the kids anyway, don't do it when they're the size of a pea, do it a few years later, as they're cowering in terror from years of abuse from the people who produced them. And NO, these people do not put them up for adoption... get real.

Sue

I'm in Warren County, less than 15 miles from the Delaware River. I don't usually head East unless I can't help it. Too much traffic.

BTW, Sue - You are even more cynical than I thought.

Yes, but a wonderful cynicism it is....

OK my comment has nothing to do with the media. I think I wrote somewhere sometime that I didnt understand why people have to prepare for pets. It is OK to have pets, but if you are really really focused on being prepared, one of the things you should do - in my opinion off course - is to give away that little cat or dog and focus all your preps on yourself and family. That is what I said earlier. Less live creatures to worry about in case of SHTF and less preps to accumulate.

With this in mind, I have read this story.
http://www.alpharubicon.com/prepinfo/what6monthspreps.htm

Now, I really need someone to help me understand why a couple with medium income and need to save to build a decent amount of preperation have to have FOUR dogs.

I liked the idea of wheeled garbage cans, but NOT for dog food. I can steal the idea and use it for FAMILY preps that need to be hidden or transported in an emergency. They can be considered mega-sized BOBs.

Even the parrots that may not need much to eat, they still need to care for them. Imagine your self in a case of panic trying to remember as many things to do as you can beofre bugging out. With these parrots in your truck , you have to make sure that heavy tool box wont crush their cage. Their cage has to stand straight up in your truck or their water will be spilled...etc.

You know, if i had them I'll just open their cages give them freedom, preferably BEFORE SHTF, so that they learn to live on their own. If they want to come back and visit time to time, they are welcome and some seeds and water will be there in the balcony, but they shouldn not depend on me to survive.

That is how I see it.
Do you think I am being illogical ??

IMHO, I believe that you are missing the Morale Factor that pets provide. In the case of dogs (in particular), they are a part of a family's "early Warning System". I personally believe that my dogs and cat are an asset, Not a liability.

This is part of what separates us from barbarism and makes us human.

I am not asking anyone to shoot pets or kick them out. All I am saying is: Dont have them in the first place. Not if you are preparing for possible bad times.

Its like you are going somewhere important ; a busines meeting , a tricky situation, a risky mission ..etc. will you take kids with you ? I will prepfer to be alone or with responsible adults only.

Likewise, how can I predict pet behaviour in messy situations? I can hardly manage crying kids and under-prepared wife ..etc. not to mention my own fears and shortcomings. So, in a survival situation it is better - IMHO at least - to have less dependents and less things to worry about. That means less pets or NONE.

Even in case if I bug-in. With family members suffering from prolonged shortage of nutrition and hygeine after SHTF, pets may become a source (carriers) of diseases, especially if they wander out around corpses of dead animals or sewage or whatever.

Please notice, I am in no way saying : Keep the pet and when you hear that Katrina is approaching take your gun and shoot your pet.

What I am saying is : think about it as a part of preparing for a possibility. If you think the pet could become a source of trouble in SHTF, you still have the time NOW to consider giving it to another loving home. IMHO, you will be better prepared that way. That wheeled garbage can mentioned in the story above could be full of wheat and beans instead of dog food.

I have to agree with wildman. Dogs anyway, are more of an asset than a liability. I would sleep better after TSHTF knowing my dog will alert me to possible danger when I am sleeping.

My BOB doesn't include any pet food. He is going to have to rely on table scraps, or fend for himself. And he is probably better at finding water than I am.

Plus, he might go nice with some fava beans and a nice Chianti:)

Another thing I remember reading about dogs some time ago. Maybe in this forum I dont know.

Anyway, it says that after a major SHTF many people will be releasing or losing their pets. Stray dogs can band in groups and may start to target/attack humans or their domestic animals.

Anyone who read any such thread please refresh us or add your comments. Thanks.

OK DesertFox, maybe ONE dog can be an exception if he is of the right type and size to defend you. Maybe only then.

Granted. A pack would be a headache. One, or two max.

As far as dogs in the wild, you don't have to wait until the SHTF. When I lived in Clark County, Nevada in an extremely rural area with a lot of mining communities (eg. high turnover) people would routinely let there dogs loose when the moved. Packs of feral dogs were a problem. In the two years I lived there, I recall three cases of people being attacked. On the other hand, when I lived in the middle of nowhere in Arizona for 20 years, I would routinely see packs of coyotes while hunting and camping. Never had a problem and never talked to anyone who did. Maybe familiarity breeds contempt.

On a related note, I recall a study a while back (can't find the link) by a biolgist in Calcutta, India. He studied the stray dogs in the city and concluded that the little ones die off because they can't defend themselves or reach food (garbage cans and dumpsters I assume). The biggest ones died off because they could not find enough food to support themselves. The medium size (collie, golden retriever size) thrived.

So, if there is an EOTWAWKI situation, being attacked by a pack of killer Chihuahuas is not going to be one of our problems.

Ya have to wonder if those wild dogs might taste just like chicken...

They sure do but I prefer dog to be stewed and rats are best roasted over an open fire.

Makes sense to me. How 'bout shish kebab cat???

This is a funny thread!

My dog has ears like radar and a nose that can smell something like 60,000 times better than I can. She can tell me if there's someone down the street, a stray cat on the porch, or a raccoon, or a strange person or vehicle near/on my property. Liability or asset?

But I'm not going to live my life based on FEAR of upheaval.

Besides, where I live now, I dislike many of the people, so feeding my dog and cats isn't likely to be that much of an issue. We were raised poor and taught not to waste food, esp meat.

Oh, OBG, I've heard that carnivores do NOT taste like grass- and grain-fed animals. Alfred Packer said people taste better than beef, and he should know.

Sue

"...he should know...'

Indeed he should.

I can tell you that boa constrictor does not taste like chicken, at least not raw...