Oh Dog! It’s Sunday, and that means it’s time for another visit with me- DeDe!
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We’ve been talking feral kittens this week. As you know, we found no rescue group or person willing to take in these little guys, so they will live a feral life. It got me to thinking- how is it that no one wants to take on 4 little feral kittens, but people are intent on interacting with (and owning) animals that were never domesticated?
Last weekend a British woman was injured by “tame” cheetahs in a cage at the Kragga Kamma Game Park in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Violet D’Mello has injuries all over her body caused by two hand-reared cheetahs. (you can read the story from BBC news here).
We hear these stories over and over again- people injured or killed by undomesticated animals that were supposedly tame. One of the most famous being that of Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy being mauled by one of the tigers in their show (CNN story here).
And yet, people want to own these animals as pets? And can do so with relative ease. Here’s a link to the story published in Time after the Zanesville tragedy about how easy it is to buy a tiger here in the US.
Ya know, those little kittens were cautious but curious when I was in the yard with Jen. But if Jen was out there without one of us dogs? The kittens hid. They’ve already learned the truth about humans- they’re not to be trusted.
So take a little advice from DeDe- let wild animals be wild, and quit thinking that you gotta own everything you like.
See ya next week!
Dogpaddling Through Life 
Sorry u couldn’t find anyone to take kitties ): very sad. I dont understand humans that want to keep wild animals, they NOT pets, not fair to them. And they ones rhat suffer
I don’t understand it either. What the heck are ya gonna do with a tiger?
Yep, scary weird. Wild birds & animals in cages or worse, pet shops… 😦
yeah…. 😦
It’s hard to not “fall” for a little wild animal, a friend of mine found a baby porcupine, decided to take it over to his place, at first was allright but eventually his dog didn’t like it much, they ended up getting into a fight and it wasn’t pretty for the dog nor for the porcupine who ended inured and sent to the shelter.
I can imagine! But that’s never a good idea. The porcupine could carry diseases or parasites that could have made the dog very sick.
Dear DeDe…you’re totally right…I don’t understand why people buy those undomesticated animals paying more money…then they don’t have any interest in poor little kittens…It is them who need to live with humans…undomesticated animals don’t need to live with humans…Life is very unfair…isn’t it? 😦
Yep Kevin…. for rational creatures, humans do some really stupid stuff.
I agree…Wild animals belong in the wilderness. They must be allowed to act instinctively and enjoy the life of freedom.
Thanks Rayya!
Very sound advice DeDe I have a similar picture of the Cheetah with my daughter hanging on my wall, She went to Africa to a Cheetah Sanctuary two yrs ago to do voluntary work.. They raise Cheetah cubs and teach them to hunt so they can be released by in the wild. I was so relieved when she came back home.. Wild means Wild, and they are wild for a reason.. If Man hadn’t interfered in Nature to start with, we would not be having these wild-life parks and breeding programmes to boost their dwindling numbers .. It is only Man who as created the situations of extinction in most instances Wishing you a Peaceful Sunday ~Sue
You’re so right….. if we hadn’t made the mess in the first place, we wouldn’t be having to do all these things to try to rectify the situation.
No one should ever think that those cheetahs can’t harm you! They are wild animals 🙂
What’s sad is that they believe the cheetahs who mauled the woman were not being aggressive but were playing, and the situation escalated.
Well said lovely DeDe!! Wild animals are just that – wild. We should respect their wildness and leave them alone! 🙂
Hugs to the feral kitties though!
Take care
x
It is a sad situation isn’t it?
I sooooooo agree. Now you may remember that I live Near Zanesville.. less than 20 miles from where the animals were… Just for your updated information… the remaining 5 animals were just RETURNED to Mrs. Thompson… on FRIDAY. They had been living at the Columbus Zoo.
That was a very SAD and truly TERRIFYING time in this area. We all HATED to see the animals killed but HUMAN SAFETY must ALWAYS come first.
THANK GOODNESS Ohio is now making it MUCH MORE DIFFICULT to buy/sell/trade exotic animals.
I didn’t realize you lived so close to that area. I’m also VERY upset that the animals were returned, and that it has taken the Ohio legislature SO LONG to pass a law restricting the ownership of wild animals.
DeDe, I so agree! I am fascinated with wolves. As an artist I love to draw them. As someone who enjoys everything about nature I love to read and write about them. But as a dog-lover I cringe whenever I hear that someone owns a wolfdog. I love wolves but I would never have a wolfdog as a pet – no way! They’re beautiful but I just couldn’t imagine taking the chance of trying to raise one as a pet.
Sorry you couldn’t find someone to take the feral kittens. I really do wish we were closer. I’d be willing to give them a try.
I agree!
My brother-n-law had a Cougar named Sheeba years ago, not even sure how he got the Cougar, but I was intimidated by the size of it back then when I was younger. They lived in the country, and once the word got out that he had it, he had to get rid of it as it made people nervous and I think he ended up giving it to a zoo. I agree, not everything you want, you should get, and getting a cougar is not on my list of things I would want to own. I have enough problems with the “cats” that we have now pooping outside the litter box! LOL
You make an excellent point there also- it’s important to be mindful of the needs of those around you, and not just of your wants.
That is so true, Rumpy, no one these days is mindful of others, where are their manners?
I dunno…. humans seem so wrapped up in their “rights” that they forget they also have responsibilities
Meh…sorry, but I don’t buy that ‘mindful of people’s needs around you’ thing. I mean, to a point, yeah. Within reason. But if you tried to please EVERYONE, all the time, no one would be able to do or have anything just because someone else ‘wasn’t comfortable’ or didn’t ‘like’ it. It’s why American is so pussified and people can get away with suing all the time to get what they want, why a person can break into a home and then sue the owner if they hurt themselves there and why you can’t say prayers or where a Confederate flag t-shirt to school. Someone’s delicate sensitivities might be offended. People are beginning to EXPECT others to cater to them. Once it starts, where does it stop?
K… I’m done. LOL o.O
Ya know, if you’re looking for some kind of fight here, you’re in the wrong place. I’d appreciate it if you’d quit trying to start one.
Yep, they talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk.
Absolutely right, DeDe…. Awwwww… four little kitties…
pawhugs to them and to you, Max
Thanks Max! hugs!
We are with ya DeDe! Wild animals are not pets! You may think they are “tame”, but they are not! It takes thousands of years to domesticate animals! And look- cats still aren’t completely domesticated- i.e. the feral kitties! Not only do you put you & the animal in danger, but wild populations can be desimated when people want them for pets :(.
Exactly! The more we “domesticate” them in our minds, the more likely we are to wipe out their natural habitat. A downside of having so many zoos.
AZA accredited zoos also work very hard to save wild populations of animals too! It is sad to think that zoos may be the last place for some species!
Very sad. I really wish help had been found for the kitties. Not fair or realistic to have wild animals as pets; you’re right. xo Berner Girls
Certainly not ones large enough to do some serious damage.
Oh no, sorry you didn’t find a home for the babies 😦 We agree with you, DeDe– wild animals are meant to be wild!!!!
It is as they were meant to be!
Great advice DeDe!
Bella and DiDi
Thanks Bella & DiDi! -DeDe
They even used to sell wild cats in shops! Remember the story of Christian the lion who was bought from Harrods? That was a happy ending, but …..!
I know. it’s ridiculous!
Yeah, I don’t see what the big deal is with “feral” cats. You never really know what kind of personality your cat will have no matter what “kind” of cat you get. My uncle actually has a lynx. Puddy is pretty cool. But Puddy is also double fenced and properly cared for. Also if you own an animal like that you have to always be prepared for it to possibly turn.
My theory is that people don’t want feral cats because they already have an idea(l) of what they want their “pet” to be, and it usually does not involve high-independence animals
yeah… it’s not about the animals, it’s about themselves.
I don’t get it… what’s the point of owning a lynx? Bragging rights?
Well, he actually has quite a few “exotic-er” animals. I never asked him why, per se, but he has had buffulo, he has peacocks and hens, a miniature horse. He just got alpacas. He is a falconer as well, so he has hawks and owls and what not. He opens his place up if people want to bring their kids to tour the farm. He also has a homing dove business for Weddings and stuff. Animals are just his “thing”.
I think such ownership should be illegal.
Is owning an exotic animal a status symbol to boost a person’s own self esteem or to get attention? Animals are not accessories!
DeDe your last line is so wise!
What gets me is people that refuse to have their pets spay/neutered. I hear the argument that it is too expensive or it will “break the animals spirit”. People can be stupid!
Wes lives in the middle of nowhere. Peoples comes here for holidays and they thinks deers is like Bambi and Bears is not dangerous and the geese and ducks here is like the geese and ducks in city parks. Then they gets their knickers in a twist when the deer kick them, the bears rip apart their coolers and the geese bites them and chases them! Then they wants them deaded, Yet theys won’t takes care of ferals.
Peoples!
It can seem like yous is working in a vacuum, but yous know, peoples has to be told something at least 5 times before they realizes they has heard it! Keeps up the good work yous guys!
Kisses
Nellie
Yep, that’s a human for ya.
They keep calling him “pud-dy (like Muddy) in this video. His name is Puddy (poody) like Putty-tat!
OMD, I so agree with you about humans not to be trusted, and the insanity of the ones who think they can live with wild animals. AND the insanity of people thinking little kittens born outside constitutes wild animals. Sigh…It’s a crazy world. Good thing there are dogs in it!
One of the things that disgust me is when private individuals take wild animals because they claim to LOVE nature (oh the irony), then fence them in (the better to show them off to their friends). ‘For bragging rights’ is so apt, Rumpy.
There is no useful purpose, is there?
Here, here! If you want a cat, take in a feral kitty!
Smart kittens. They will need those skills and cautiousness to survive.
Who, me? You seriously think I was trying to start a fight? I was just expressing my opinion. It wasn’t an attack on you or anyone. Just how I feel.
Wow. I really don’t have time or patience for this.
As a Christian, I believe that everything belongs to God–and we humans are just tolerated on this planet by the wiser mamalians, okay?
I quit trying to own everything I like back in 1993 when I had a midlife crisis and wound up in San Diego. Now everything I like is at the San Diego Zoo…. lol