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First Comes Fido or Fluffy, Then Comes Baby

August 27th, 2010

Hershey was given up due to the kids

People give up their pets for many different reasons, but one of the saddest, I think, is because the owners had a baby or family dynamics changed, adding stepchildren to the mix.

Our first rescue, Hershey, came to us indirectly because she didn’t get along well with the family’s children. The owners gave their then 5-year-old miniature Dacshund, which had been their baby before having their own children, to the grandparents, who then decided she didn’t “fit their lifestyle.”

They admitted to us that their grandchildren tormented Hershey without repercussion from the parents. They knew she needed a home void of kids, but threatened to take her to the municipal shelter anyway, where temperament testing would have labeled her as “unadoptable.” We did adopt her and she lived her remaining years happy and spoiled.

A new study in Indiana revealed that people’s feelings toward their pets do tend to change after they have children. Pets that were once doted upon and sometimes treated as children are replaced by the human ones.

Some pets are luckier than others, being shuffled off to the backyard or into the basement, instead of being relinquished to the municipal kill shelter (some people even still believe the myth that cats will smother babies in their cribs). This paper demonstrates that “lifestyle” changes, including having children, was one of the top 10 reasons people give up their once beloved 4-legged family members.

However, parents do not have to choose one over the other. While it is understandable priorities change when parents add human kids to their household, it is possible to include everyone and every dog and cat into the mix. Proper planning and pet socialization can help your pet accept the new baby from Day 1; and keeping your pet as part of the family will also teach your human children to love and respect animal life from Day 1.

Smoky, the German Shepherd that was part of my parent’s household before I was even born, remained a vital part of our family until she died at a ripe old age when I was a teenager. From the first day I came home from the hospital, she protected me by warning anyone – except my parents – away from my crib. Her presence in my life shaped how I view animals and taught me invaluable lessons about unconditional love, loyalty and respect for other living beings.

Next week, we’ll meet a family who successfully integrated baby and pets and learn about the rewards they’ve experienced.

Have you rescued a dog or cat given up because a family had a baby?

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Tags: babies and pets, First Comes Fido or Fluffy then comes baby, giving up pets due to the kids
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