What do you think of this?

What do you think of this?
I have alot of animals, 7 dogs, 4 cats, Guinea Pigs, reptiles, and a vast amount of others. I have acreage and the farm animals are there. We have a 2 car heated garage that we transformed into the "Animal Sanctuary". It has couches, area rugs, chairs, sofas, an old tv with vcr to play animal appropriate videos. The cat boxes are out there in a fenced perimeter from the dogs with a kitty door in the wall. The dogs stay in this room when I am gone and most of the day but we go out and socialize with them ALOT. I have a 1 year old and they have to be in that room now more than ever cause 2 of the dogs have issues with children but I wont give them up. I have a forever home for them. They are also a tightly bonded pack so I dont want to split them. They do get to come in the house daily and play. They have a huge fenced in yard, and most of the time are free to roam when we go to my parents farm. My question is:
Some friends of my finance came over the other night
and saw the room (it has a dutch door where the top is open to the house at all times so I can keep an eye on them. They were being quite rude and saying if I wanted a dog it should be in my home all the time, and not seperated, and why would I have a dog that doesnt like kids, then they went as far as saying if I wanted to keep them like that I should have left them in the shelter. Needless to say I was soooooo ticked off, but for my fiances sake I kept my tounge till they left. I work with fosters, and abused animals. All these pets were previous fosters except my 2 show corgi's. One of the dogs I even rescued from the streets of Casablanca, Morocco. Do you think I keep these dogs cruely? Is it not fair they are in there? I thought I was doing them good. Should I let them in my house more???? I have a outdoor shed for the small animals that is kept temperature controlled since the reptiles are there too, they turned there nose up at that!!! whats the problem? any comments?
Sorry Alli there isnt enough characters to finish out the story it was the only way I could get it on here.
GO BLUE I did it takes a while give it a second
to clarify, the room IS connected to the house, and to myself it IS part of my home. To me its no diffrent and better than crating a dog all day in a cramped crate. Me and my Fiance go out there and sit with the dogs, they have a dog door and are allow run of the yard, when my daughter is napping they have run of the house. We go on walks every night. Its not like they are not getting our attention. The cats have full run of the house. I do not work any longer (i was a shelter manager\investigator for 9 years) so I am home all day. The small animals get looked in on and played with 3 times a day. I dont think they are wanting for human contact but I could be wrong thats why I am asking
The 2 dogs that have problems, were here before my daughter came. They have been severely beaten and neglected. They are not aggressive towards her, but deathly AFRAID of her. When she was a tiny baby, if she cried they would litterally have panick attacks. Peekaboo my coonhound mix would go comatose and lay behind the couches, and Rain my Basett/Lab mix would potty all over the house. My daugher is 1, and she is GREAT with animals, we see to it, but The 2 still cant be around her with out these panick attacks. So I am not that worried about them attacking her. My Cane Corso/Pitt cross Siggy absolutely adores her like a baby of his own, and my Corgi's think she's there daughter. Blanca my Morrocan street dog loves the vaccum cleaner more than anything or anyone so no big deal, and Indiana is indiffrent shes a diva... so I dont worry about my daughters saftey I worry more of the dogs health and sanity


Answers:

Alli S:  What?
2008-03-21 07:54:31
GoBlue:  I personally enjoy dogs in the house and don't think they should live outside. But i also don't live in a climate where dogs are able to live outside year round. It sounds like you have a nice outdoors set up for these dogs and they are well socialized and have access to medical treatment, etc. I think these dogs are MUCH happier having the little set up you provided for them than having to live in a shelter or be put down. You could try to help correct your 2 dogs issues with children so they could be part of the family more but other than that I think you are doing the right thing and the dogs are happy to have what they do. They may not live in a mansion and being spoiled rich dogs but they seem pretty loved and have a good life. I think its great you have rescued this many animals. If i had the space I'd do the same.
2008-03-21 07:55:10
Dogcrazy21:  no! there just rude! i wouldnt let it get to u! believe me i would get mad if they said that to me too! as long as ur giving them the food, water, and other things that they need, there fine! i have 4 dogs 3 cats and 30+ fish. all taken well cared for! our dogs have ALOT of acres (about 63 but only run on like 5, dont like to be far away from the house) to run and they visit our neighbors! our neighbors give them treats. everyone calls our house an animal house! our house is full of animal lovers! besides my sister. and all our pets were saved besides 1 cat and 1 dog.
2008-03-21 07:56:02
Craig G:  put more information into but if ur getting a dog get a staffordshire bulll terrier they are cute
2008-03-21 07:56:23
Honesty is the ONLY policy:  as long as you are giving them the proper attention that they need then they are fine. they had no right to criticize how you care for your animals. its YOUR house NOT THEIRS if they dont like it then they should ignore it. what they are doing and saying is very rude.
2008-03-21 07:56:52
Fesha D!:  That is very rude of them I think that is a perfect place for an animal
2008-03-21 07:57:14
Dylan:  What you have described is pretty much a small shelter, not a home for the dogs and cats anyway. Pet dogs and cats need to be trained and to spend time with humans as COMPANIONS.
However, it does sound like you provide adequate shelter and basic needs are met for each animal. Still, don't see much difference between what you are offering your animals and what a good shelter offers them. Sorry.
2008-03-21 08:00:34
merrylegs1994:  Don't listen to them! As long as you are taking care of them and they seem happy they are fine. Besides...if you wouldn't have rescued them, they would probably be really uncomfortable and maybe even dead. You saved their lives and you give them shelter, food , and love. There is nothing wrong with that!
2008-03-21 08:05:53
Shanna:  I see nothing wrong with how your dogs are kept. They have food, shelter, activities to keep them busy, company, socialization and they have an owner that loves them. How is that cruelty?
I have a 9 year old dog that despite 6 years of training with multiple trainers, socialization and everything else on the planet worth trying she is STILL highly dog aggressive. It got to the point to where my husband was badly bitten trying to break up a fight she had picked with my male and we decided we just couldn't deal with her doing that anymore. Rehoming her was not an option because of her age and aggression level so rather than put her to sleep we made her a kennel on our screened in porch and she lives out there where she is separated from all other dogs. Our lives are much better, the other dogs don't have to worry about being attacked and she is happier, probably because she isn't on edge anymore. She has a 10x10 HUGE kennel with toys, a comfy bed to sleep on and she gets walked and played with throughout the day, and luckily we live in a warm climate so she doesn't have to be out in the cold. How is that a bad life?
As long as you make enough time to go out and spend with your dogs, they don't care if they are indoors or in a garage. Shelter is shelter to them.
Don't worry about it, your dogs are fine.
2008-03-21 08:09:57
Kathleen?:  This is really sad. Like if you dont have friends that accept the fact that you LOVE your animals, then you have some pretty bad friends, I would tell them off. and If you get rid of your dogs, what could happen to some of them? like I have 2 pets a dog and a bird, and its hard to take care of 2 animals some times. but 7 dogs 4cats guinea pigs reptiles nd other animals, wow your Lucky.. you have a gift from god.. he gave you the gift to love animals. your an amazing person.
2008-03-21 08:11:50
hi!:  I personally think you are doing a great job of taking care of your pets because they can roam around freely with out getting in trouble if they chew on something like your pillow or shoe. So if you give them toys that are good, I recommend a Kong and fill it with the spray that is for it our even household peanut butter. As long as you care for them and love them you should be very happy!

ps: DON'T LISTEN TO WHAT OTHERS THINK OF YOU!!!!!!
2008-03-21 08:16:54
PRISILLA:  I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE DOGS THAT DON'T LIKE CHILDREN. I HAVE SEEN THE WORST...A DOG GOT TO A CHILD THAT EVERYONE SAID THAT IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN! WELL IT DID. WHAT IF, WHAT IF THOSE DOGS GOT TO HER AND DON'T TELL ME IT CANNOT HAPPEN. I LOVE DOGS BUT I LOVE MY CHILDREN MORE! MOST DOGS THAT DON'T LIKE CHILDREN ARE SCARED OF THEM, AND THEY WILL NOT HESITATE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. PLEASE I KNOW YOU LOVE YOUR DAUGHTER...DON'T YOU KEEP HER SAFE GET HOMES FOR THOSE TWO DOGS.I WOULD NEVER PUT MY CHILDREN IN THIS DANGER
2008-03-21 08:35:00
murphy:  It is difficult & a little unfair for people on here to judge others actions without really knowing or seeing the facts first hand. That goes for the type of people your fiancee's friends are & of course your explanation of the life your animals lead.

Like you I have worked many years in rescue & we have owned many animals at any one time as well as rearing a family of four in a fairly average sized 3 bedroomed house in England. Fortunately at one time at least 2 rabbits, 2 cats, 6 dogs, 2 g/pigs happily interacted together & had freedom of my home with access indoors & outdoors at all times, even two cocktiels indoors where safe to fly free in the home & interact with all the other animals. Reptiles & other small animals were kept in appropriate housing in the same areas but always needed supervised freedom.

With this experience I have to say it is very time consuming to care for all the proper husbandry for many animals at one time & to provide quality individual attention to each one every day as well as run a family home. People with more than one child will know this itself takes a lot of juggling to provide the attention each one seeks, there are never enough hours in the day! This said I think we all know in our hearts whether we are doing our best & whether we are really meeting everyones needs, sometimes just loving an animal is not enough.

I hope if I had an animal that I loved dearly but deep down knew that it really needed/deserved more time than I could give it & someone else could love it & provide the individual care & attention it deserved I would sacrifice my own hurt & for selfless reasons let the animal go to a more suitable home. As an animal worker you must know sometimes an animal has to parted from somethings that it enjoys (like members of its pack) to be placed where it & they can live a much better, happier & enjoyable way of life more suited to everyone needs. We must all sometimes be honest with ourselves & accept we may not always able to offer what is best.

If you can honestly say in your heart you believe each of your animals is better off staying with you & you truely believe these 'friends' were just being too unrealistic & soft about the needs of animals then I see absolutely no reason why you should doubt yourself or your motives for keeping all of your animals the way that you do.

This is not a critisism of the way you keep your animals its just my dogs are part of my everyday home & are around us always if they want, I cannot imagine excluding any of them from the house. I dont actually even have a problem with dogs staying in rescue kennels looking for a new home if they are loved & cared for with a regular routine, & believe me when you work in rescue you want to take them all home...its just the ultimate happy end result for each of them & the biggest reward is to let them go to a loving new home where they will get lots of individual attention.

I have absolutely no doubt about your love for all your animals or that you keep them in proper conditions, only you can answer your question about what is the best life for each of your animals & if you are meeting each of their very individual needs. Dont take any notice of people who do not genuinely understand.

Best wishes x

PS: Sorry to add even more but I forgot to mention although all my dogs where/are great with children of all ages I would NEVER leave them alone with any child, it is a big mistake to trust any animal with even one single animal as they all have the potential to do unimaginable harm. I would never keep an animal that I knew definately posed a threat to my children or grandchildren. If possible I would do my best to find it the best possible responsible & knowledgable home where it could enjoy a full life with no need to encounter any children in its home.
2008-03-21 10:09:17
Cleoppa:  Sounds fine to me. The dogs are well fed, well exercised and well loved. They have other dogs for companionship. If you just had one dog out there I wouldn't think it was so hot, but with a pack of dogs, I think it's fine.

It's better than many dogs have. A dog chained up outside--without companionship, forgotten meals, little shelter. Or a dog "saved" by certain rescue groups that spends its life in a cage until it can find a home. I don't want to be critical of these groups, but that's hardly a happy life.

Don't beat yourself up over your set up. People will always be critical. Most people have moved towards the "animal rights crazies" side of the spectrum without even realizing it.
2008-03-21 13:15:46
tiff:  It sounds to me as though you have the situation under control with everyones needs well and truly catered for. And lets face it what would the alternative be for the dogs who have "issues"?! It sounds to me as though life is just grand for them.

Take no notice of the folk who criticised your situation it sounds to me as though they are the sort of people who think animals think like humans.

You know what you are doing and as your daughter grows and becomes more mobile and inquisitive just make sure she cant accidentally access the dogs who she shouldn't. But I think I'm maybe trying to teach grandma to suck eggs here aren't I!
2008-03-21 15:03:10
Chosen Answer
Terrier:  Unfortunately there's so much misinformation spread around that I'm pretty sure that whatever you do you'll be called "cruel" by somebody.

Can you give that many animals the care they need? That's the only consideration. I certainly couldn't look after that many animals properly. Look at yourself honestly. If you feel that your animals are cared for well enough then carry on as you are. If not, you have changes to make.

I see nothing INHERENTLY wrong with your set-up. Granted, I can't see it for myself, but from what you tell me I get the impression you've given this a lot of consideration and are doing an excellent job.
2008-03-22 03:16:53