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I've got a concern right now. The young girl that has been staying with me is not caring for her pets properly. She is going to live somewhere else soon and will have even more pets on her hands. She brought a rabbit and hamster here and I have had to buy them food and bedding, check their water and food supplies...she doesn't seem to think about them until they are already hungry and unwatered for days. When she leaves she will have a rabbit, hamster and two cats.

I considered taking them to the SPCA because she has been gone for two days now and left them with bare bowls. If not for me they would be on their fourth day with no food. I could keep them here but it will likely be a fight when she finally moves out. Is it worth the fight or should I let them go?

koan wrote: I've got a concern right now. The young girl that has been staying with me is not caring for her pets properly. She is going to live somewhere else soon and will have even more pets on her hands. She brought a rabbit and hamster here and I have had to buy them food and bedding, check their water and food supplies...she doesn't seem to think about them until they are already hungry and unwatered for days. When she leaves she will have a rabbit, hamster and two cats.



I considered taking them to the SPCA because she has been gone for two days now and left them with bare bowls. If not for me they would be on their fourth day with no food. I could keep them here but it will likely be a fight when she finally moves out. Is it worth the fight or should I let them go?
Pretty inconsiderate of her to expect you to feed and care for her pets unless you agreed to do so. Take them to the SPCA.

My daughter was upset with the SPCA idea. She would rather keep them. But then it seems like I'm 'stealing' the girl's pets.

If you can't talk to the girl and make her see reason, and also feel that you just can't take them off her hands, alert your SPCA to keep an eye on her. I can't speak for how they work in Canada, but here in Michigan, when they know an owner is potentially neglectful, they make frequent visits to check on the animals welfare. Talk to them first and see what they say! (BTW, way to go, Koan, being on the lookout like that!)

Best case? You talk to her before she leaves and offer to keep them yourself, if you're willing. She may just want someone to take them off her hands,

Have you spoken to her about it?

I leave my dog sometimes, without talking to my housemates to tell them I am staying out, this I only do because we have all spoken and it is like he is no longer just my dog, he is everyones so we all take care of him.

Only one problem this leaves, none of us know if the other has fed him, so he sometimes get's an extra feed, yet strangly never goes without.

I told her at the beginning that she was not to bring any animals here that she could not take care of. Problem is, she knows I won't let them starve. There was a flood today. I reminded her to feed the animals while she was here (I bought the food for them) but she left without doing it. It is nice to know that the SPCA would watch the house. That would take care of the cats as well. I don't think she will agree to leave them. She takes their presence as a sign that she is caring. If they die she would grieve them but get more pets to maintain the illusion. She is not all there. I still don't know if and when she plans to take them. I do feel like keeping them would be seen as theft. Except for after today when she returned and I told her three times that she shouldn't be leaving the pets without attention. She buried the hamster cage in soggy boxes. I still have to go down and dig it out. I will bring it upstairs tonight.

Finale to the story. I confronted the girl about her poor care of the animals. Her mother was with her and promised to make sure the pets were taken care of so there was nothing I could do. Her mother doesn't live with her and only goes over about every two weeks. The mom having promised to watch over the animals and not having given me reason to doubt her I had to let them go.

I hope they are okay.

my fingers are crossed for them.....

would be nice if a way could be found for them to be check on.... not sure how all that SPCA stuff works though??

Been feeling a little guilty myself lately. My cat ate my daughter's hamster then the cat got chased up a telephone pole by a dog. On the other hand I sat there two hours trying to coax her down. Of course she didn't do the impossible until I took a warm up break inside. She is a much more loving and humble cat now.