Some regions (California I believe) calls them Pet Guardians instead
of owners.

Owners comes into play since pets are considered property.

Have you ever seen someone electrocuted by a live power line?
Next time there is a storm that knocks down power lines look
for a live wire to see what it can do.

Escpecially if it is a hight voltage transmission line.

"Helping is perfectly fine. Helping to save an animal while putting
the
rescuers in a position of danger is not. You seem to want to put
animals on
the same level as humans. That's your choice, but the law and most
people
would disagree with your choice."

I'm sure most people would, however, I believe the perceived 'danger'
could have been minimized with the proper planning.

"You stated previously that a cat should be
allowed to go out when it wants and not be kept inside. One of the
responsibilities of being a pet owner is doing what you can to prevent
your
animal from getting hurt."

Yes I have, and I still stand by my statements. I still let my pets
out, even though I have lost one of my cats in the past to traffic. I
only let my pets out when I'm reasonably sure they won't get attacked
either by people or wild animals. I guess I should of clarified this in
my other statements. I have found that this instills a level of trust
in your pets. If you don't show your pets love, respect and trust; they
may develop a distrust in you and may be less likely to come back when
let out.

Furthermore, I have always had a pet peeve with the term 'pet
ownership'. You don't 'own' your pets, you are taking on the
responsibility of being their 'guardian'. You don't 'own' your pets
anymore than you would 'own' your children. 'Ownership' implies that
your pets are merely property, or inanimate objects like your TV or DVD
player.

"It's one of the advantages of having a more
developed intellect. How exactly do you think the phrase "curiosity
killed
the cat" originated? Cats get into trouble when there's not enough
control
around to protect them."

Animals are a lot smarter than most people give them credit for. They
feel all of the same emotions we (people) do. They feel pain, love and
fear, they just don't express them the same way humans do. Hell, even
cows, pigs, chickens and turkeys are just as smart and inquisitive as
cats and dogs. The term "curiosity killed the cat" is equally
applicable to people. I'm sure you have read innumerable stories of
people killing themselves over incredibly stupid things.

"The salvage yard was fenced in and two guard dogs were patrolling
the ground
inside. What's more, several power lines were in the area. "There was
no way
of getting to the animal," Selkurt said. "You can't just go climb up
into
the tree, in the winter and in the snow, risking people's life and
limbs."

Just another excuse, you don't go climbing trees without the proper
gear. What the hell was animal control doing, apparently nothing.
Secondly, 'power lines' don't seem to be much of an obstacle for tree
trimming crews; they are contracted by power company to trim branches
away form medium and high voltage power lines. There was all kinds of
awareness over this issue; and all the so called officials bungled it
up and made excuses for everything. It severely undermines my
confidence in our officials to do anything right.

Sorry to ramble, but sh.t like this just gets under my skin. And when
officials make excuses why they shouldn't do something; just shows the
should of never got the job in the first place.

<n7uqa91@gmail.com> wrote in message

Helping is perfectly fine. Helping to save an animal while putting the
rescuers in a position of danger is not. You seem to want to put animals on
the same level as humans. That's your choice, but the law and most people
would disagree with your choice. You stated previously that a cat should be
allowed to go out when it wants and not be kept inside. One of the
responsibilities of being a pet owner is doing what you can to prevent your
animal from getting hurt. It's one of the advantages of having a more
developed intellect. How exactly do you think the phrase "curiosity killed
the cat" originated? Cats get into trouble when there's not enough control
around to protect them.

As one of the articles you quoted stated:
The salvage yard was fenced in and two guard dogs were patrolling the ground
inside. What's more, several power lines were in the area. "There was no way
of getting to the animal," Selkurt said. "You can't just go climb up into
the tree, in the winter and in the snow, risking people's life and limbs."

You want to blame emergency services for the death of the cat. I'd say that
the responsibility in this case lies with the owner of the junkyard dogs and
liberal minded people who allow others to own dangerous animals.

Well, this incident actually happened. It was posted years ago and I
have been unable to find the reference to it. Weather you believe it or
not is irrelevant. My point is that animals are sentient beings not
things. Just because they (animals) get in over their heads from time
to time doesn't excuse emergency services from NOT doing something in a
timely manner. Not acting will reflect very poorly on them, their
mission is to help; no matter what the species.

<n7uqa91@gmail.com> wrote in message

Do you actually expect anyone to believe that story? If there were dogs in
the yard, then why weren't they locked up so the cat might come down? And if
you're trying to say that the junk yard was too large or something to
collect the dogs, then why would emergency personnel come into such a yard
and possibly be attacked by the dogs?

If you're going to make up some story to support your opinion, then try to
make a little effort in making the story believable.

"They ask what the emergency is. If you say cat in tree they won't
respond to the call.  If they come and it is a cat in a tree they
will leave and do nothing and you'll get a a hefty citation from
the municipality.  The bottom line: your cat will still be in the
tree."

You should remind them that your tax dollars PAY THEIR SALIARIES! This
bullshit notion that the health and welfare of a treed animal is
beneath them is, well, bullshit! If one of my cats had been stuck in a
tree emergency services better get their a.ses out to the scene when
they don't have more pressing things to do. I don't expect an immediate
response, just a timely one to help an innocent animal. Stuff like this
scores 'atta boy' points with the media. This also brings awareness
that animals are not inanimate things, but living beings.

I remember a story where a cat had been treed for days in freezing
weather. The cat was unable to get down because he was stuck in a tree
in a junk yard with dogs running loose in the yard. Pleas went out to
help this poor cat but it was bungled by the incompetent emergency
services and animal control people. This cat eventually succumbed to
the elements, fell out of the tree and was mauled by the dogs.

I remember sending a extremely exploitive laden e-mail criticizing them
for this unnecessary precedent level setting display of incompetence;
but of course, never got a reply.

On Wed, 22 Mar 2006 23:45:44 GMT, "Matthew AKA NMR \( NO MORE RETAIL
\)" <10 points a troll @linethetrollsup.com> wrote:

You're wrong. Around here in the US the fire department doesn't do
cats stuck in trees.  I don't set the rules, I just live in the.

They ask what the emergency is. If you say cat in tree they won't
respond to the call.  If they come and it is a cat in a treee they
will leave and do nothing and you'll get a a hefty citation from
the municipality.  The bottom line: your cat will still be in the
tree.

Your fire department may do cat rescues ours doesn't.

Wrong Fire department are required to respond to any call of any importance
such as a cat stuck in a tree but a higher priority call  will reroute them
but they are required to respond within a reasonable amount of time.   But
they can send a bill to the respondee if it is a non emergency depending on
the are they are located in

Bear in mind in some communities the fire department
does not repond to calls about a cat  in a tree.

Besides they also have higher priorities.....
like fires, auto accidents, etc.

Even so, it took them *8 days* to get there..?

Ivor

The fire department was there.   My understanding is the cat fell from
the tree before it could be reached.  

You do realize that in recent years local fire departments have been
cut to the bone even though  they are the first line of service in the
war agaisnt terrorism?

Would have been nice if the local fire department got involved and helped the
poor thing; no food for 8 days?  Sounds mean to let it stay up there.

...and wonders what all the fuss is about.

http://www.local6.com/news/8163767/detail.html