hi all just a quick rant.how rude are some people about pets i was broken in to on tuesday and because of this my dogs got out and went missing for two days and they were found miles away how ever i am really upset at the way people have suggested that i should not have taken 5 hours off from work  ( from the time i recieved a phone call telling me what had happened) because "it is only dogs and they will come back when they are hungry" is it just me that find this insensitive? i tried explaining that my dogs do not go out unless on a lead and that they were probably frightened after our door being kicked but i dont think they cared either way!! i just find this really rude x x

Do not take any time off if your dog dies either..........just a dog!

How awful for you. After a shock like that I think you would probably need a couple of days off work to get over the trauma. Hope your dogs are now safe and well and that your ok. (((hugs)))

Hayley

Its horrible I know.

When I was in school my dog died and my mother called the school said I wouldnt be in etc. And they told her that if I didnt attend Id be suspended! All because 'its just a dog, not like its a relative.'

People just dont care.

Im glad you found your dogs.

When I was at school (longer ago than I care to admit......) my dog died when I was 13 - and my parents sent me to school - to this day I don't know why - I couldn't concentrate, I was in tears most of the day :(  The only good part was, the boy I'd fancied for ages was concerned about me and sat on the bench in the playground with me, understanding completely........... :)

When my families dog died 8 years ago, I did keep my son off school, and they were fine about it.  And I'd do the same again.

Yes, it is incredibly insensitive and lacks total understanding.

Just because it's only a dog, a budgie, a pet mouse or someone's long distant second cousin, it's totally irrelevant; it's the emotional investment that a person has placed in their relationship with that animal/human that's important, not society's perception of how that person SHOULD feel.

Some people have a relationship with a pet that's the equivalent to how others feel about their children.  In fact, some people have a closer relationship with an animal than another human being. 

It's the emotional attachment that should be considered, not what place that animal or human should sit in terms of emotive investment as determined by others.  

Glad everything's okay now.

Couldn't have put it better Spender!  So glad your dogs are safely home Charlene - it must have been an absolute nightmare at the time.

Best wishes, Teri :)

Come back when they're hungry - are these people living in the 1950's or something? How would they feel if a relative died and you said to them "It's just your granny - she was 85 so it's not like you weren't expecting it". It's about the same stupidity level and nobody in their right mind (even if they didn't have a dog... or a granny) should say that kind of thing to somebody's face.

I'm glad your dogs came home safe and sound. Even if the dogs were okay and at home, I think you'd have needed more than 5 hours off work to sort things out after a burglary! I'm so sorry that there are so many insensitive morons about.

How insensitive! I was really lucky in my job then cos when I had time off last January, two weeks, then again in May - 3 whole days - the school I worked in couldn't have been nicer or more understanding. In fact knowing how much I felt about her, the staff even sent a 'get well' card! And even though she spent one of the weeks at the vets they still let me have time off cos they knew I visited her every day and wouldn't have been able to concentrate.  I think its awful when people say 'its only a dog' - obviously they are not pet owners, or if they are then I feel sorry for their pets.

Dee

thank god you found them, if i was burgled my worst fear would be them stealing the dog. when i lost my last pet i learnt only to talk to people who i knew would understand, otherwize the uncaring comments just make it worse as it seems to devalue what you had with your pet.

So glad you got your dogs back safe and sound.  We too were burgled recently and the fact that my dog was unharmed (don't know if they hurt her while in the house) was THE MOST comforting thought.

People who comment on what others SHOULD be feeling are very insensitive.  Also, I remember having a day off secondary school (many years ago) when my budgie died!

Utterly insensitive, I would have something to say to anyone who said stuff like that to me!! Thank goodness your dogs were safe and sound in the end. I remember being upset when my hamster died as a child, so I'll be a complete wreck when the dogs start going. :-(

I have been very fortunate with one of the places I worked. I took a week off work when I lost an 8mth old pup and have taken days off work when one has gone missing. They never questioned it. Only good part about working for them!!
Becky

my work contract says i can only take time of for bereavement if immediate family die, not friends or pets, well, when the time comes...tough, I'll be good for nothing anyway.

I wasn't even allowed compassionate leave for my uncle's funeral come to think of it. Mind you, my boss is a dog lover. Hopefully I'll be working for myself by the time I lose any of my babies though! :-)

I'm really lucky where I work even though the other secretary that I work with doesn't like dogs.  She understands that if anything happens to my dogs I have to be there, I have no children, the dogs are mine :d

My boss is also great too luckily she loves dogs!

When I had the same situation Lana went missing for nearly 2 weeks and I lost over a stone in that short time!  I wasn't off work during that time but I used to go in a bit late or go home early to do the searches around the areas that she was spotted.

I can't believe how insenstive some people are!

when one of my rats died- marni, i couldnt do anything never mind work! my OH had to lie for me at work- its  the same whatever the loved one is! i wasnt even embarrassed i was bauling my eyes out at vets- sort of am now tho!

people are insensitive and more and more people these days are forgetting we are just human- quite simple beings and that our bond with our pets is/more strong nowadays. hope your dogs are okay now  xxx

thank you all for your kind words. my only reply to those brave enough to say it to me was i did what was right for me and leaving work to go and look for them was what i needed to do. its really annoying when i have been the one listening to some of there petty excuses as to why they can not come to work and believe me there have been some lol thanks again charlene x

I too would have been devasted :(
Glad to hear you got your furkids back :)

My cousin is like that, she never really had any animals when young - just fish... When Taz passed away (12yrs) she said it's only a dog I could of slapped her - even tho she loved Taz she said he was a dog not like my boston's that she thinks are ugly and not dogs because they are small :rolleyes: ... I said when you have looked after a pup from wee lil to that age, just having ones as a pet period they become a big part of your family kinda like kids... Then she said ya I guess but I have not had that so I dunno what ever She's sees nothing wrong with a dog living under the steps either, I told her you keep a dog outside they must have adequate shelter... I also told her I hope the h### you never get a dog or any animal if thats how ur going to treat it.... She knows if she ever does I would be riding her @$$ and I would call the humane society if I thought it was ill treated!

A couple of years ago a little boy was killed when he ran back into his burning house to retrieve his pet cat.  My friend was disgusted and upset that a mere and lowly cat was responsible for his death.  She felt it was terrible that the boy loved his pet that much.  Well, yes of course it was a terrible tragedy, but I could not get her around to my point view.  Why were his parents unaware of the depth of his attachment to his pet?  Why was the young child (8ish I think) able to run back in, wasn't someone holding on to him?  A child would run back into a burning house for any number of reasons; a parent or adult should have been with him.  But no, my friend blames the cat.

My friend's wonderful, neglected dog died of old age and I hope she never gets another.  I was more sad about it than she or any of her kids were.  She told me once that she would like her own three children to have the experience of having a kitten.  I seem to regularly find stray cats and kittens that I try to find homes for but no way am I ever going to let her have one of them.

Some people just do not appreciate animals of any kind and there is not much you can do about it.  As some of thse people are in positions of power (bosses) you have to protect yourself.  Lie, call in sick when you have to.  Heck, you have to do that sometimes even if it is your child who is ill.

How rude.
Glad to hear your dogs are ok and home. What a nightmare for you. Most people that make those sort of comments obviously aren't lucky enough or deserve to have an animal to love.
Not a dog, but one of my cats went missing for a few days. I was heartbroken. My boss was brilliant. Told me to take compassionate leave, to come in and use the photocopier to make up flyers then gave my friend the afternoon off to help me deliver them. Later that afternoon I got a phonecall regarding my leaflet and photo. Someone had seen him half a mile away. I went straight out and found him. Although he had been hit by a car, he recovered. Had I not been off to go out and find him, I don't think he would have survived as he was very timid except to me.
Apart from anything putting your dogs to one side. If anyone else had a call saying your front door had been smashed in, what would they do. Stay at work and hope that no-one else ransacked your house. If that was the case. Why don't we all leave our doors unlocked and open when we go to work. Put these idiots out your head. No brains i'm thinking.