All the Creatures

Is It just me or are today’s kids not interested in animals as much as we were when we were kids? Instead of kids asking their parents for a puppy or kitten, they are wanting a new Xbox or cell phone. Everything seems to be related to entertainment or electronics in some way. Parents are much more likely to give an electronic device to a child than a pet because that device does not need attention in the same way a living being does.

I bet you thought that I was going to say that electronic toys are not as expensive as pets since they don’t need to be fed. You are wrong on that account. Have you priced the cost of a cell phone service account, or looked at the price of Cell phone accessories? Video games are not cheap either. So long range cost does not factor into the decision but time and energy do.

I think if more children had the full, and I do mean “full” responsibility of having and caring for a pet then they might be more prepared for life after they leave school and are out on their own.  By “full” responsibility I mean that mom and dad don’t step in to help with potty training, feeding and clean up after the pet. If the child is old enough, and have an allowance from doing chores, they should also put in some money towards the pet food or vet visits.

So what do you think? Are we short changing todays youth by only getting them the latest electronic gizmo on the market? Or have we become a nation of pets only for adults?

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It will be soon the full blown flu season for us humans. For us pet owners that can sometimes mean struggling to take care of our pets and livestock especially if we have to venture outside several times a day to take care of them.

If you know someone who is a pet or livestock owner and they are sick, instead of taking them a get well basket of goodness, offer to help them for a few days with their pets until they feel better. It may mean a bit of time on your part but I guarantee that your actions will speak louder than a get well card any day of the week.

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This has got to be on of my biggest beefs with city folk who move into the houses for rent way out here in the country. They move in and visit the local feed store and say “how cute” to the day old chicks that are for sale. They get the idea that they can have fresh eggs when the chickens get older.

Now here is what they don’t understand: we live in the foothills where we have coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats and other assorted predators. They get the foolish idea that they can let the chickens free range (otherwise known as letting them wander all over the place including all the neighbors properties) because keeping them in a chicken coop is cruel. Then they complain to their neighbors that their chickens are missing. Us country folk just shake our heads in disbelief.

The latest nut job of a neighbor let her broody mother hen free range on my property (they have 20 acres of their own) with at least 20 chicks around her. She told me that she thinks one of my barn cats got 2 of her chicks since she can’t find them.  Sorry lady but keep your chickens off of my property and penned up so they don’t go “missing.”

Too bad common sense did not go along with the farm they rented. Welcome to the country folks, get educated.

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