Top Ten and a Rant

Time is out with its Top Ten Everything of 2009. My favorite is the Top Ten Under-reported Stories because I learned a few things. Here is the entire list, some of which is just... odd.

I spotted a sad story on Yahoo this morning: Pop culture main reason Calif has Chihuahua crisis

Chihuahuas make up 30 percent or more of the dog populations at many California shelters. And experts say pop culture is to blame, with fans immitating Chihuahua-toting celebrities like Paris Hilton and Miley Cyrus, then abandoning the dogs.

Pop culture and stupid, selfish people who think it's okay to take an animal in then just dump it off on someone else when it becomes inconvenient. This sort of stupidity just pisses me off. A member of the family pulled this stunt recently and my sister and I went ballistic on that person. Sadly neither of us can take in the animal in question so we're hunting for a home.

For the California Chihuahua problem there is something of a bright side:

"We never have enough supply for the huge consumer demand for small dogs," she said. One of Webb's biggest problems is a lack of money to fly the dogs to other states. Buchwald said she would be happy to help. "Nothing is outside the realm of possibility here. We have a supply-demand isssue," she said.

But it is no solution. Of course there is no solution for stupid, selfish, thought-less people. We just have to put up with them and correct their mistakes.

You can make donations of money or supplies at your local shelter. Petfinder.com (and other sites) can give you a list of shelters in your area. Please, people, don't adopt now - the holidays are the worst time to adopt pets - just go visit them, take some food and think about whether or not you can take on a new family member in the coming year.