I think each and every points raised here about the lack of responsibility on the part of the owners are so true. In my previous home (Le Chateau), there are so many abandoned cats. Siamese, mixed Persians, you name it. And one owner even threw out his dog, a spitz, because it made his home stink. I had to call the SPCA to come and rescue it. It was a lovely dog, but I couldn't keep it as I was afraid it might not be safe for my cat who was only a kitten at that time while the dog is an adult. Each time the owner comes out for an evening walk, the dog would go up to him, and he will beat it away with a stick. Can you imagine the heartlessness of such people? It just breaks my heart to see the poor dog looking so confused and betrayed.

And there's no such thing as the animals being able to fend for themselves once they are older. I don't know about dogs, but cats are finicky eaters. Once they got used to cat food, they would not eat the food we eat. My cat does not eat any of the food I eat, he rejects it. The only thing he seemed to accept as edible are those steamed & buttered corn kernels in cups and peanut butter (he licks them up greedily). I can't imagine how he'll survive out in the wild.

My point is, it is unbelievably traumatic for the pets to be thrown out. They have feelings. How would a human child feel if his/her parents throw him/her out? That's what a pet feels, too. It can feel happy, playful, it can feel sad, angry, depressed, even frightened. If you spend a lot of time with your pets, you will see the myriad of feelings expressed in their face and eyes.