Dogs Do Not Consent

Food, recipes, fashion, sport, education, exercise, sexuality, travel.
Post Reply
User avatar
Joe Guy
Posts: 13927
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 2:40 pm
Location: Redweird City, California

Dogs Do Not Consent

Post by Joe Guy »

Animal activist causes outrage after claiming it’s ‘cruel’ to have a guide dog

Wendy Turner-Webster believes working animals such as guide dogs ‘should give their consent’ before being put to work for humans.

Appearing on Tuesday’s Good Morning Britain, Wendy explained why she thinks it’s immoral for people to use animals to help them in their daily lives.

She said she was "uncomfortable with the idea that we use animals”, adding that she had particular issue with the “welfare” of guide dogs.

Wendy believes a quarter of guide dogs do not become guide dogs and end up in animal shelters or at charities, and older dogs that retire are left with nowhere to go as their owners can not look after them.

She added that technology should be used to replace guide dogs, and other working hounds like sniffer and police dogs.

Presenter Piers Morgan saw red, and immediately began unpicking her argument.

He raged: "Have you trained your dog?

"But did you get your dog's consent to sit? To obey your human orders?

"Do you ride horses? Have you ever ridden horses? Did you get your horse's consent to rise in the forest?

“You charged along on top of it without its consent?"

Wendy added that she was a responsible rider - but Piers wasn’t having it.

"You, Wendy, know better about the animal,” he said. "Because you're a saintly figure, when it comes to your animal ownership, we should all relax?"

People at home were flabbergasted by the debate, with many guide dog users taking to Twitter to defend their precious pooches.

One wrote: “Such nonsense about it being unethical. Anyone who knows dogs understands they won't do what they don't want to do. No one punishes a guide dog for not wanting to work.”
source

My cat laughed after he read this article.

User avatar
Econoline
Posts: 9555
Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2010 6:25 pm
Location: DeKalb, Illinois...out amidst the corn, soybeans, and Republicans

Re: Dogs Do Not Consent

Post by Econoline »

For some reason I immediately thought this poem, written and recited by the inimitable Les Barker:

People who are wrong are just as sure they're right as people who are right. The only difference is, they're wrong.
God @The Tweet of God

Burning Petard
Posts: 4050
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2016 5:35 pm
Location: Near Bear, Delaware

Re: Dogs Do Not Consent

Post by Burning Petard »

She said she was "uncomfortable with the idea that we use animals”,

I am very uncomfortable around people who believe the universe owes them a life without discomfort. And very discomforted by the idea that other people must act to remove AN IDEA that is making them uncomfortable.

(See Lewis Carroll's essay on Zeno's paradox)

snailgate.

User avatar
Long Run
Posts: 6717
Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2010 2:47 pm

Re: Dogs Do Not Consent

Post by Long Run »

Joe Guy wrote:
Wendy believes a quarter of guide dogs do not become guide dogs and end up in animal shelters or at charities, and older dogs that retire are left with nowhere to go as their owners can not look after them.
This is a protest in search of a cause, and a crowd of one. But if they are going to do a story, they should check some facts. She "believes" a quarter do not become guide dogs is wrong -- a much higher number do not make it into service for blind people. Never fear, though, these are highly prized comfort animals and pets so they do not end up at shelters or "charities". And the older dogs are not left with nowhere to go, because, again, they are awesome dogs so people are happy to adopt them. I guess she could try to make the argument that having these great dogs available for adoption means other dogs don't get adopted but they are a drop in the bucket compared to the overall number of dogs without homes.

Big RR
Posts: 14050
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 9:47 pm

Re: Dogs Do Not Consent

Post by Big RR »

From the Seeing eye
When a Seeing Eye puppy or dog is unable to complete guide dog training, we call them “career change” dogs because they often go on to other types of careers including law enforcement, search and rescue, and just as important: loving pet!

We always offer career change dogs for adoption to the volunteer who raised it as a puppy. If the puppy raiser does not adopt the dog, it becomes available to other homes. If the dog has potential to work in law enforcement or some other kind of service, those organizations are given priority in selecting dogs. Dogs not selected for service work will become available to the public for adoption.

Public Adoptions

The majority of dogs available for adoption are between 1.5 and four years old. The youngest have learned basic obedience and are housebroken. Some of the dogs have had some guide dog training. Dogs that have retired from careers as guides also are available and usually are 7 years or older. All adoptable dogs have been neutered or spayed, and have up-to-date vaccinations prior to being offered for adoption.

The waiting list for public adoption is one to four years, depending on the preferred age, gender and breed that an adopter prefers. The waiting period will vary, depending on the requirements of the adoptive family. Those willing to adopt a dog with a more serious health or temperament issue experience a much shorter waiting period.

In recognition of donors who have supported our mission with a recent gift of $25,000 or more, The Seeing Eye maintains a VIP list of qualified adopters with reduced wait times. For more information regarding our VIP adoption program, please contact Donor & Public Relations at 973-539-4425 or email donate@seeingeye.org.

The standard adoption fee is $1,000. The fee is reduced for senior dogs and dogs with more serious health or temperament issues. Adoptive families are responsible for meeting their dogs at our facility in Morristown, N.J., and transporting them home. We do not ship dogs.

If you wish to apply, please complete the Dog Adoption Application on-line along with a $25 (USD) non-refundable application fee. If preferred, you may mail-in the application fee along with a copy of your printed on-line form to:

The Seeing Eye
Dog Adoptions
P.O. Box 375
Morristown, NJ 07963

Once your application has been completely filled out and your application fee has been received, your name will be put on our waiting list. Please be aware that due to variation in the population of adoptable dogs, not all applications will be fulfilled. To keep your application active, you MUST call us every six months to renew your request for adoption. You will be contacted as soon as we have a dog available that fits your family's profile. If you have additional questions, please email the adoption office at dogadoptions@seeingeye.org or call (973) 539-4425, ext. 1844.
Particularly telling is the $1000 fee/donation for dog adoption (and the chance tio get one sooner for a $25,000 donation; people want these dogs, and are happy to support the Seeing Eye (which is entirely supported by donations). If you have an interest in end of year donations I urge you to consider them (they are part of my annual giving and have been for some time).

User avatar
Guinevere
Posts: 8989
Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2010 3:01 pm

Re: Dogs Do Not Consent

Post by Guinevere »

My sister had a "failed" Seeing Eye golden for 12 very happy years. He was a sweet but stubborn dog, who clearly didn't want to work for a living. Back in the day, the fee wasn't $1,000, but the wait list was multiple years long. Seeing how great their dog was, a bunch of their friends also applied for and got similar Seeing Eye failed dogs -- all of which lived long and happy lives.
“I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.” ~ Ruth Bader Ginsburg, paraphrasing Sarah Moore Grimké

User avatar
Long Run
Posts: 6717
Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2010 2:47 pm

Re: Dogs Do Not Consent

Post by Long Run »

A friend is a puppy raiser in the program and he takes on ad-hoc training tasks for older dogs. My favorite story is of a retired dog he was a foster for (pending its adoption) and he had to train the dog not to eat off the counter!

User avatar
dales
Posts: 10922
Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2010 5:13 am
Location: SF Bay Area - NORTH California - USA

Re: Dogs Do Not Consent

Post by dales »

My sister used to raise Guide Dogs for a 4-H project.

We kept a very sweet Golden Retriever who didn't make the grade (too shy) and enjoyed her company for years.

Your collective inability to acknowledge this obvious truth makes you all look like fools.


yrs,
rubato

wesw
Posts: 9645
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2014 1:24 am
Location: the eastern shore

Re: Dogs Do Not Consent

Post by wesw »

at this point in our evolution, our dogs and our god are the only creatures who love us.

sorry, my TV went up and I was bored.....

see you on the radio!!!!!

User avatar
RayThom
Posts: 8604
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2012 4:38 pm
Location: Longwood Gardens PA 19348

Dogs Do Not Consent

Post by RayThom »

wesw wrote:... sorry, my TV went up and I was bored...
I hope you get your TV working ASAP.
Image
“In a world whose absurdity appears to be so impenetrable, we simply must reach a greater degree of understanding among us, a greater sincerity.” 

rubato
Posts: 14213
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 10:14 pm

Re: Dogs Do Not Consent

Post by rubato »

"Animal activist" = Batshit crazy.


yrs,
rubato

Post Reply