It depends on the dog. Likely, the dog would spend the entire time shivering. Unless it's a husky, in which case it would be fine. My dogs would probably be okay with the cold (they're cold-weather breeds), but they wouldn't eat or drink if I suddenly disappeared for 2 days. They'd definitely suffer. I wouldn't put them through that. Other breeds are a different story. But we're not talking about wild animals who are used to being on their own. We're talking about pets who are used to living with people. It's cruel to put your dog through that. |
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If the house is warm enough to be safe for a dog, then it's warm enough to be safe for a human. It's safe for everyone. It's simply a matter of it's more comfortable to have power (hot showers, hot food, TV, wifi, electric lighting) and if that comfort is only available to humans, so be it. The animals will be fine. They've survived for centuries. There are still plenty of dogs in this country who live outside in dog houses--hunting hounds, particularly. |
You can never leave your dog alone? |
There's a key difference - the humans are WITH the dogs. So if the dog shows signs of suffering or not handling it well, the human can take action. Again, we're talking about LEAVING DOGS ALONE in possibly difficult conditions. The issue isn't staying with the dogs in cold temps. It is ABANDONING THE DOGS in conditions that YOU DON'T WANT TO ENDURE YOURSELF. That is where the ethical issue comes into play. |
No, this is where your mental illness is showing. I sleep on a $4k mattress. Would it be unethical for me to have a cheaper bed for my dog because I'm not willing to endure sleeping on a dog bed? You're batsh1t crazy, lady. BATSH!T CRAZY! |
OMG you're nuts. It's not "ABANDONING" if you plan to check on them and keep them fed, watered, and sheltered. Good grief. You're like a bad caricature of the crazy dog person. |
Wait, are you saying that you can never leave your dog alone? Do you take your dog to work with you? Can you not feed your dog a can of food and go out to a nice restaurant that doesn't allow dogs, or is that unethical? |
Not for extended periods of time and especially if you don't know if you can immediately get to them (like in a blizzard). Most humane people are in agreement that it is cruel to leave a dog alone for EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME, like over 12 hours. Especially a could of days. Most people wouldn't leave their dogs alone in a house for 2 days in normal conditions. That's why they arrange for care when they go away. No one is saying you can't leave your dog alone for a reasonable amount of time. But packing up your stuff to go stay with someone else for more than a day in a situation where you don't know how cold your house could get because power and heat are out is ridiculous. Either you stay there with your dog (so you know if it gets too bad) or you make arrangements for the dog. That's what responsible pet owners do. If you are not prepared to do that, fine. Don't get a pet if you are not going to take responsibility for its well being. It's a living thing. Not a toy. Not a doll. A living thing. You people are ridiculously cruel. I don't get the nastiness. Why are people sooooo offended that someone wouldn't want to abandon their dog? Guess what? My dog wouldn't leave me -- even to save his own life. People could learn a little from that kind of loyalty. You people are just mean. Don't pat yourself on your back for offering a place to stay if you're going to be nasty when the person says, "No, I have to make sure my dog is okay." |
I explained that. There's a difference between leaving your dog alone in a temperature-controlled environment to go to work for 10 hours or to go to a restaurant and leaving your dog alone in a situation where there is no heat in the house, temps are dropping, and you can't reasonably assume that you can get to the dog to check on it because it's snowmaggedon. I don't care if you all call me crazy. You are being intentionally obtuse, and you know it. |
+1 One of my dogs gets separation anxiety if we are gone for more than 5-6 hours. Even if they could handle the cold, I wouldn't want them to go through that anxiety (and potentially destroy the house). Not to mention they freak out during storms. And this is going to be a big one. Also, how can you be sure you can come back regularly if the storm is so bad. |
My pets are part of my family. If we lose power, we're going to have a fire in our fireplace. I'll also fashion clothes for my dogs out of old blankets. They don't like to wear clothes, but i need to keep them warm. |
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JFC, how about I make the decisions that are right for my family and you do the same for yours. Some dogs would be fine being left at home with blankets and food, some wouldn't. Some people would be fine leaving their pets at home, some wouldn't. Some people are allergic to pets or just dislike them, some aren't/don't. Some people would welcome pets, some wouldn't.
I won't judge you for not wanting my dogs in your home. How about you don't judge me for not leaving them. They're wusses that get scared of frogs making noises when we camp and think roughing it is sleeping in their beds on the floor instead of in bed with us. I'm just as big a cotton candy ass as they are, in the immortal words of Jed Bartlett, and would spend the whole time worrying about them. You do you, I'll do me, everyone just MYOB. |
NP, seriously what is your problem? What is it off your back if people wouldn't want to leave their dogs alone in the cold? You seem to be arguing that the RIGHT choice is to abandon them. That is nuts and seriously you are the one who sounds unhinged. |
How will they get to your house? Your post is hypothetical. You can't leave dogs alone. If you lose power and can get to the dog people house, would you go? If you invite them and they come who knows if you will lose power after they arrive? Are you in a large building with a generator? If people came to my house with cats I'd be a mess-my eyes even have swollen shut. Would they stay in their car? |
+100000000 |