TO RENT OR NOT TO RENT

 No Dogs Allowed

I was very impressed with this blog that a fellow follower on "Twitter" had on her blog that i asked to use it for mine and obviously she said yes so here it is. A great view from a fellow pet owner on this whole thing of wanting ownership of a pet while living under someone else roof......

I never thought it would be so hard to find a small, dog friendly apartment. But it is. And it is a HUGE rip-off.

I understand how pets can damage a property, but property owners have used this to exploit and take advantage of pet owners. Especially dog owners. Pet rent? Pet references? My dog is does not have a job, thus should not have additional rent tacked on. And as for references, I understand this is for safety and insurance, but who would you even call? My vet? The San Diego Police? I can assure you, my dog doesn’t have a criminal record.

DEPOSITS

Pet deposits are out of control. I thought they whole point of a security deposit was to cover all damage, why single out pet owners and make them pay more? You don’t make people with children pay more and they can do even more damage. You don’t charge extra for people who drink and I’ve known several people who love to punch holes in walls while intoxicated. I refuse to pay a deposit that is more or equal to what I paid for my dog in the first place. There is no way she can do $500+ in damage. She hasn’t even cost me that much in damage personally and she’s eaten A LOT of my things.

If you own a house made of socks, then I understand.

BREED

I have a hard enough time with my 30lbs French Bulldog mix; I can’t imagine what people go through with larger dogs.

Also with larger dogs come the breed restrictions. I know that insurance companies often set up these rules, identifying certain breeds that are known for biting. But that doesn’t mean EVERY Pitbull or German Shepherd or Rottweiler is going to attack anything that moves. It should be on a case-by-case basis. If the dog has completed training such as AKC Good Citizen, the restriction should be waived.

Oh and fun fact, little dogs like Chihuahuas are responsible for more bites but because they seem less threatening/are less likely to seriously injure a person, they don’t get reported. But they can still send you to get stitches like any other dog.

CATS

I don’t understand why property owners think cats do less damage. Cats go the bathroom INSIDE the house. Given, in a litter box, but that is not always the case. Have you been to a cat shelter? Cat pee is so much worse than dog pee. It literally stings your nose. Not to mention they puke hairballs all over the place and they shed just as much. They can tear up carpet with their claws even more than a dog can. Yes, dogs can chew things, but to charge upwards of $200 more for them or not even allow them at all is ridiculous.

PROPOSED SOLUTIONS

There are simple ways I believe property owners can make sure a pet is not going to destroy their place they are renting to you.

1) Have the owner provide a training certificate if they have one. Basic dog training not only covers sit and stay, but housebreaking and obedience. I have one for Olive. This shows that your new tenant has made the investment in training their dog and you’re most likely going to end up with a well-behaved animal.

2) Meet the dog. If a pet is going to live in your property, you should at least come in contact with it. Is it friendly? Does your tenant take care of their animal? All good things to know when entering into an agreement on pets. My last landlord allowed us to have 2 dogs, but upon meeting them, loved them so much he only charged us for one of them.

3) Set a reasonable deposit based on the property. Look into how much it would be to replace the carpet, how much it would be to clean the floors if need be etc and make your decision based on fact, not just an arbitrary amount. Then you can justify why you need an additional deposit.

4) Ask the right questions. Is your pet indoor or outdoor? Are they on flea medication? Are they housebroken?  How long do you leave them alone for? These will set your mind at ease and you can get a better sense of how it is going to work out with a pet owner.

5) Don’t be so quick to judge! Just because someone has a dog does not mean they are going to destroy things. There are plenty of responsible pet owners out there that will keep their living space immaculate. Again, treat every case individually like you would for tenants without pets. You could have an easier time finding good, responsible people to occupy your property.

TIPS TO HELP YOUR DOG STAY HOME ALONE!

Have you ever come home from a hard day's work to find your couch cushion destroyed? You're not alone. Many dogs experience "separation distress," or the inability to adapt to stress or conditions causing stress.

While this is a worrisome issue for dog owners, animal behaviorist Mary Burch and the American Kennel Club offer tips for leaving your dog at home alone:
.Start slowly. Leave your pup home alone for a very short time and see how he reacts. The biggest mistake dog owners make is leaving for an entire day of work for the dog's first time alone.

Systematic training. If your dog starts to act destructive, bark loudly or relieve himself as soon as you walk out the door, try training him in a systematic way. Decide on a phrase you'll use when telling your dog that you are leaving the house. Walk out and then immediately open the door and come back in. If your pooch gets excited and begins jumping on you, don't pet or reward him. Wait until he's calm, and then praise him.

Repeat your phrase for leaving the house, and this time when you walk out and close the door, wait a couple of seconds before returning. Add a few seconds each time.

A bored dog. Another tool is to provide toys so your pup does not get bored. Make sure that the toys you provide are not items that can be chewed up and cause choking or intestinal problems if accidentally ingested. There are also toys that you can put a treat such as peanut

butter in — these will keep your dog busy while they work on getting the reward from the toy.

Take care of physical needs. It is very important to take your dog out to relieve himself and provide clean, fresh water before you leave him alone for an extended period of time. Also, give your pup a chance to exercise. Taking your dog for a short walk or playing with him before you go to work will go a long way toward having a relaxed dog alone in the house. 

 

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Posted: 06/04/2010 12:00:00 AM PDT

Updated: 06/04/2010 01:08:50 PM PDT

THIS IS SAD, KITTENS FED TO PIT BULL

Source: ONE NewsTe Ahu Aaron Mankelow

• WATCH the video (1:46)

A Gisborne man has pleaded guilty to feeding five live kittens to his pit bull terrier.
 
Te Ahu Mankelow, 31, appeared in the Gisborne District Court on Monday on five charges of wilful ill treatment of an animal.

Mankelow gave no explanation as to why he fed five live kittens to his pet pit bull terrier, Pipi.

He hid from the media outside court, but there was no escaping the ONE News camera inside the courtroom.

"The defendant's dog attacked the kittens one by one, biting them and breaking their bones. At least one kitten was obliterated. When the kittens struggled away, the defendant picked them up and threw them back to his dog," prosecutor Vicki Thorpe told the court.

The SPCA says Mankelow was at a party at a house when his pit bull terrier smelt something in a box in a car parked in the driveway. When he looked he discovered kittens.

He then took them to a tree behind the house, gave them to his dog and encouraged it to eat them.

The vicious attack was videoed, but the SPCA is not releasing the gruesome footage until sentencing.

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Mankelow's sister, Vonita Mankelow, says her brother was just being "silly".

"He has definitely learnt his lesson of how serious the offence is that he done. But I don't think he should go to jail. It's just a silly thing he did that has really got out of control," she says.

The SPCA claims Te Ahu Mankelow had trained his pit bull terrier to kill. They have been forced to put it down because it was considered too dangerous.

Mankelow will be sentenced next month. Wilful ill treatment of an animal carries a maximum jail term of three years.

In another case, in the Pukekohe District Court, Judge Sharon McAuslan jailed David Hamuera Snook for two years and four months for tearing the head off a kitten in front of his former partner and children.

He was also banned from owning or exercising animals for five years and Judge McAusland described the killing as "callous, brutal and cruel".