RatPalace.com - Pet Rat Care and Discussion

Sun Jan 15, 2006 5:57 pm

About six months ago I met a woman who told me about her daughters mice. They had all died except one, Muffin, who was now very old. I said that Muffin would benefit greatly from having other female mice to live with but she said she didn't want her daughter to have more mice.

Then I suggested that Muffin come and live out her days at my place with some of my older females but the woman refused saying her daughter was so attached to the mouse.

Today I bumped into the woman again and asked how Muffin was, thinking she would say she had died. Muffin is still alive and still alone so I said it all again but now the woman said she was going to take Muffin to a vet and have her PTS and tell her daughter she died.

SO - she would rather kill the mouse than let it come live with mine, I offered to pick up Muffin, everything I could think of but no she wants to kill her.

Please keep a good thought for this little one that the woman may change her mind (I gave her my number just in case) and if anyone has any thoughts about what I could do or say to change her mind let me know. I think she is going to kill her this week.

Last edited by lauramouse on Thu Feb 02, 2006 9:02 am; edited 1 time in total

Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:20 pm

	lauramouse wrote:
	SO-she would rather kill the mouse than let it come live with mine, I offered to pick up Muffin, everything I could think of but no she wants to kill her.

????

That makes absolutely no sense to me. If she was planning to have Muffin PTS, why couldn't she let you take her?? Confused

I am

that she changes her mind and lets you take her in.

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Shanna
~ Serendipity Rodentry ~

Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:38 am

Maybe remind her is costs MONEY to have that done.. and it's free to give her to you.

Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:59 am

This might be sneaky but I wonder if you would contact the vet she uses and ask them to give you the mouse after she drops it off.
Also..what kind of vet would put a mouse to sleep just because the owner requests it? That seems unethical to kill an animal by request if they aren't sick.

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Rat Goddess and the Bruxysnugs
Mama Lucy Beledi Bellatrixy Tatinka Kreaver

View my rat cam here

Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:43 am

Unfortunately alot of animals are often taken to the vet to be pts because owners dont want them anymore.

Any good vet will refuse of course, but you have to remember that alot of vets might have the "its just a mouse" attitude > Sad

I sincerely hope that this obviously confused woman will reconsider what she is doing.

After all, one day she is (hopefully) going to be old herself and I'm sure she doesnt want to be treated like a piece of disposable merchandise

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<3 to my Fats and my Meeces

Mon Jan 16, 2006 4:04 pm

Have not heard from her, so it's not looking good.

Vets kill unwanted animals every day here, there are so many, just so many.....

Mice are dumped at shelters with increasing frequency as well, since Christmas I know of about 70 mice that have been brought in to one shelter, most of the females are pregnant. That's why I am so anti breeding of mice & rats, there are SO MANY killed everyday because no one wants them. It's so sad and it makes me angry, yet the breeders just keep churning them out.

Will get off my soap box now. Please keep Muffin in your thoughts and prayers everyone.

Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:36 pm

Poor Muffin. Sad

and

that she sees sense. I can't imagine why she would rather pay to dump her at a vet to be put down rather than give her free to a good home... Some people, however, are surprisingly stubborn and will cut off their nose to spite their face.

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Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:56 am

I've spoken with a few vets in Phoenix and Tempe who say that, yes, they absolutely will put unwanted animals to sleep. The rationale (and this isn't bad reasoning, I'd say) is that it's better the pet pass away surrounded by love than live for a few more traumatic weeks in a tiny shelter cage before being put down.

Granted, that applies more to cats and dogs, but I can see the logic behind it. Sadly, it really is more humane.

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-Ben
My rats: Squishy, Squee, and Nibbler
My dogs (at my mother's house): Lucy and Ricky
My cats (at my dad's house--in Florida!): Cleo (RIP) and Zima

Tue Jan 17, 2006 3:29 am

Sometimes, even though this is not legal so its not really talked about openly or they can get in a lot of trouble for it, if the person is not present when its time to put the animal to sleep, the vet or someone else might keep it or try to find a new home for the animal.

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<3 to my Fats and my Meeces

Tue Jan 17, 2006 4:36 am

I know the vet I use to use wouldn't put down an animal just because a person requested it.He told me he would refuse or if the pet was healthy and adoptable he would sometimes tell them he put the down, then try to find a home for them. Not sure if its ethical to lie like that as a health care provider but he saved a few animals like that. In fact I got a three legged beagle from him that someone had brought in (it wasn't their pet, they just found him in the road). He had a badly injured leg and I just happened to be in the office when the guy brought him in. We talked it over, he operated on the little guy and a few days later I got to take home a great pet, minus a leg. He lived a happy life and adapted just marvelously to his handicap.
I do understand the point about it might be the best choice if they think the pet will go to a shelter and be put down anyway but my thinking is just because something will happen doesn't mean YOU have to be the one to do it. I couldn't in good conciousness put an animal down just because it was convenient to the owner. Wouldn't they at least have a small chance of adoption at the humaine society?
There just aren't any good answers here. I hope so much that in my lifetime I will see a time when millions of animals aren't put to sleep because of overpopulation and because people lose interest.
*sigh* I wish I could help them all. Its so frustrating sometime. I do hope that Muffin is saved somehow.

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Rat Goddess and the Bruxysnugs
Mama Lucy Beledi Bellatrixy Tatinka Kreaver

View my rat cam here

Wed Jan 25, 2006 9:51 am

I would like to slap that woman. I do not understand why she can't give Muffin to you. There is no reason to kill her. If she REALLY doesn't want her daughter to have Muffin she can give her to you and tell her she died. That isn't nice of her but its better than having her pts. She would be better off living her old days out with other old women. Please keep us updated.

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Crystal...The Ratties..Cocoa & Splinter...The Doggies...Jack & Molly

Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:09 pm

Still no word on Muffin so I guess she is not coming here to live.

So many unwanted mice came here over Christmas, dumped at the shelter, that maybe it's for the best. There would always be room for Muffin here, but geez there are alot of mice out there needing a home....

Thu Feb 02, 2006 9:01 am

Saw the woman again today and she said she couldn't bring herself to kill Muffin, thank goodness! Her daughter wants to keep Muffin and she will not let her daughter have any more mice so looks like that's that, no friends for Muffin. I will never understand people.

Thanks for all your support and well wishes for this little one.

Thu Feb 02, 2006 11:47 am

well atleast she is ok. I hope her daughter is giving her plenty of attention though

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<3 to my Fats and my Meeces