my personal peeve isn't even a political one. Its the words "forever home" which animal people learned some years ago must be said when talking about getting an animal and has absolutely no meaning any longer, as they will still absolutely give up those animals in a first years just the same. But they need to say the power word to stave off criticism and emotionally enhance their sentence.
I think the concept of "forever home" is at least somewhat useful for those involved in pet fostering and animal rescue.
I know some people involved in fostering and the whole system is very haphazard and dominated by very flawed girl bosses.
My experience is that a lot of these organizations are hooked on the adrenaline rush of seizing big cohorts of dogs (a lot on native reservations, more ludicrously, bringing planeloads of Chihuahuas from Mexico) but become negligent and lose interest in maintenance & adoption once the savior complex is over.
For the volunteers who foster these truck & planeloads of abandoned dogs who get shipped in overnight, it's really important to establish boundaries because the actual mucky mucks at the top of these charities immediately forget about the mutts they already have in limbo once you open up your home to them temporarily.
I think the concept of "forever home" is at least somewhat useful for those involved in pet fostering and animal rescue.
The point isn't that the word has a meaning or concept. Its that people say the word devoid of that meaning because it makes them seem more virtuous, smarter, or just to emotionally manipulate.
90% of the people who say "forever home" will still return the pet if they need to move, or it hurts someone, or every other generic and normal reason people give up pets to begin with. You know, the exact thing that "forever" is meant to say you won't do. Its not like pets have legally binding contracts that you sign saying "forever" so its purely performative.
Most people who say "forever home" are only doing it because they know they will get criticized if they don't because of the issues you outlined. So they say the words to ward that off, and nothing else.
Words like "democracy" and "fascism" and "incel" also have meanings, useful definitions, and valid applications. But in the same vein, they become completely meaningless the majority of the time used because people just throw them in uselessly.
what's funny is I've never even heard that term before, and the one and only time I had to give up an animal for adoption (couldn't afford to deal with a health issue he had), it just about broke my heart in two.
I think the concept of "forever home" is at least somewhat useful for those involved in pet fostering and animal rescue.
I know some people involved in fostering and the whole system is very haphazard and dominated by very flawed girl bosses.
My experience is that a lot of these organizations are hooked on the adrenaline rush of seizing big cohorts of dogs (a lot on native reservations, more ludicrously, bringing planeloads of Chihuahuas from Mexico) but become negligent and lose interest in maintenance & adoption once the savior complex is over.
For the volunteers who foster these truck & planeloads of abandoned dogs who get shipped in overnight, it's really important to establish boundaries because the actual mucky mucks at the top of these charities immediately forget about the mutts they already have in limbo once you open up your home to them temporarily.
The point isn't that the word has a meaning or concept. Its that people say the word devoid of that meaning because it makes them seem more virtuous, smarter, or just to emotionally manipulate.
90% of the people who say "forever home" will still return the pet if they need to move, or it hurts someone, or every other generic and normal reason people give up pets to begin with. You know, the exact thing that "forever" is meant to say you won't do. Its not like pets have legally binding contracts that you sign saying "forever" so its purely performative.
Most people who say "forever home" are only doing it because they know they will get criticized if they don't because of the issues you outlined. So they say the words to ward that off, and nothing else.
Words like "democracy" and "fascism" and "incel" also have meanings, useful definitions, and valid applications. But in the same vein, they become completely meaningless the majority of the time used because people just throw them in uselessly.
what's funny is I've never even heard that term before, and the one and only time I had to give up an animal for adoption (couldn't afford to deal with a health issue he had), it just about broke my heart in two.