Responsibility

A few days ago, I was talking to a friend who's going to college in Illinois. What she told me was shocking. Apparently, adopting a pet has become very popular among some Korean students at her school, so people started to bring pets into their lives without being prepared. My friend was concerned by a puppy that one of her acquaintance has bought from a pet shop in Chicago. When the break started, the person went back to Korea for summer and asked his/her other friend to feed him while he/she was gone. But since the puppy had no one to clean his bathroom, the house started to smell so bad that it became difficult for the friend to even enter to feed him. The puppy also had no one to check on his health, and no one to play with. It was obvious that the person bought the puppy because he/she was bored, and only saw him as a toy or a decoration that breathes and eats. It was upsetting. The puppy won't be starving, that's for sure. But he needs more than just food!

The poor puppy obviously is neglected. The owner should have found someone who can actually take care of the puppy, or a dog hotel. He/She didn't even consider taking him to Korea for this long break. So what will happen when he/she's done with school? The puppy will be thrown out on the street, or sold to someone, or sent to a shelter. The owner should have never brought him in the first place, if he/she didn't think he/she can take the responsibility until he dies. He deserves so much better. The puppy could have been adopted into a better home in which he has good food, family to play with, to take him for a walk, to provide him clean, comfortable environment. But because he was "bought" by an irresponsible student who just wanted to have a living toy, he is now stuck in a dirty house and no one to really take care of him.

I cannot respect people who don't have respect for animals. Bringing an animal is an important decision in one's life, but people often don't see the responsibilities that follow.

My friend said she didn't know what she could do. She was not talking of just the puppy, but of so many dogs and cats in similar situation on her campus. Truth is, it is impossible to rescue all of them and find new homes. Yet if one can do something to make some of their lives at least a bit better, I think that's a right way to go.