Romney the Dog Abuser...

For all of those dog lovers who may be a bit right leaning, I'm curious as to how this news will impact their voting decisions.

When Mitt Romney strapped his Irish setter to the roof of his car in 1983 and drove all the way to Canada as the dog defecated in fear, he couldn't have guessed his decision would follow him for decades, enraging animal lovers and raising questions about his character and management style.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/05/mitt-romneys-dog-incident_n_1187114.html?ref=mostpopular

 

They would have locked Michael Vick up for that.

 

Dogs are my favourite thing in the world, and I've owned two Irish Setters, so they're close to my heart...HOWEVER...I wouldn't class this as animal abuse.

The dog was in a crate, the dog itself wasn't strapped to the car. I would call this a case of stupidity or bad judgement. The dog having diarrhoea could be completely unrelated to the travel (as there are many reasons for this occuring, not just fear).
Anyway, I don't want to sound like I approve, because I don't. Not at all, but I wouldn't consider it abuse.

I know nothing about american politics (and don't want to know), but no matter who this guy is I wouldn't take this one event and judge his whole character based on it. I'm sure there are other things he's done that people can judge him on. LOL

No, Michael Vick wouldn't have been locked up for that. Lets not make this about race/colour. He didn't actually harm the dog, whereas Vick DID.

 

It may not have been abuse, but as a dog lover and former owner, it wouldn't even occur to me to strap my dog to the roof of my car any more than I would strap my child to the roof of my car! I know pets travel somewhat like luggage on a plane, but on top of a car? i don't think so. *smh*

I don't like Romney anyway, so it wouldn't change the way I vote.

 

sorry but that's crazy

if the straps came loose for whatever reason, that carrier would have flipped off the car and hurt the dog.

that's gross negligence in my book...

how about putting a baby in a carrier and putting it on the roof with straps, since so many people are quick to say how much dogs are a part of the family.

 

I've never owned a pet and I think it's abusive, as do many other people. I don't know how far the road was in question, but anything more than a block or two seems abusive, IMO. Oh, and it doesn't change the way I vote either, though I remember that you commented you tended to lean a bit to the right?

 

damn made a similar post without reading this

it's funny how 'dog lovers' like to remark how special dogs are and such shit, while not giving them the same consideration they would with something else they love

 

It was only a 12 hour trip...

 

yeah really...meanwhile shit's flowing down the windshield

there are various forms of dog abuse, and i think that would qualify as one

you don't always have to lay a hand on an animal, or have them physically mauled to be abusive


stop trippin, Sin Mari

 

See, this is the thing. I'm a dog person...I am. And it would never occur to me to do this either, not in a billion years. And if I saw someone here do that, I'd tell them not to and what the dangers are. But not everyone who likes dogs thinks like that. People really do do stupid things, not realising how stupid they actually are. It's shocking what people do without realising what could go wrong or how it effects the pets.

All I'm saying is, that without knowing the full story (and since it happened nearly 30yrs ago, I doubt we'll ever know that), we can't just instantly classify it as abuse. Complete and utter stupidity, yes, but abuse...no, not in my opinion. People get too high and mighty about this shit. Especially when complete strangers are involved.
AND like I said...it happened nearly 30yrs ago. People's attitudes and awareness have changed (so have laws). We don't know, but he may think himself a moron for doing it too, and regret it like crazy. Who knows?

I'd classify this as endangerment, not abuse.

 

Well, I leaned way left last election, but yes, I am conservative for the most part. However, none of the GOP candidates impress me. Except Huntsman, what little I know about him.

 

12 hours??!!

I wouldn't do it and I have a dog. I would have put him in the kennel in the back of the car and put a tray or old blanket in the bottom and dealt with it. Or my mom had a sick dog and she got baby diapers and cut out a tail hole.

 

lolz, Romney is strapping his dog to a car for 12 hrs joy ride, bwahahahahaha that is some crazy shit I read in years.

 

Maybe it's why McCain thinks he is supporting Obama.

[YOUTUBE]0WEdrdoz8Z4&feature=player_[/YOUTUBE]

 

Precisely, that was exactly my point. Any reasonable person would do the same. If the family car was full, boarding seems the only reasonable thing to do, and again, that's coming from a non-animal person who's never had a pet.

 

It's not "all" that people object to about Romney, just what this thread happens to be about.
Two words. Bain Capital.

 

When you run for office your history gets dug up. The good the bad the ugly. Can you say Herman Cain??!!

 

Abuse may be a bit harsh, but utter disregard for his dog's safety and welfare - yep. I agree, stupidity and lack of empathy at its finest and I question his judgment in general - period!

I agree with you people's awareness and attitudes have changed, though in the 80's there was already a change a foot, so he really doesn't have much of an excuse.

For example: in the 60's & 70's, dogs lived outside, now most live inside. If inside, dogs slept on the floor, many now in our beds, or at our feet. Most ate PAL canned food, now there is organic/science/vitamin infused, etc, food. Back then you hardly fixed your dog - today, it's more common.

I remember as a little girl my God-sister's father taking a bunch of newborn kittens their cat just had and drowning them in the sink while I cried and pleaded for him not to. Today, I would call the cops.
And yet I'm told, today he adores animals and his cat is the most precious thing in his life. People DO, or can change when it comes to animals.

As for Romney, I would have to know his history with animals since then. I could never in my life tie my dog uptop my car in a crate...the wind alone...the fear of instability underfoot for the dog, the car sickness, the desire to want the dog with me - I mean, why couldn't he have stuffed the crate with his belongings and put the dog in the car?!?...I hope as you noted, he is full of regret.

 

Romney won NH, I think he is coasting to the nomination........

Wow, one of Las Vegas business man (a billionaire) just gave 5 mil to Newt superPAC. I think this superPAC is acheiving the opposite of what Campaign finance committee trying to do..... now you've got individuals out there donating gazillion $$$ indirectly to a campaign as long as they are not coordinating with that team, there is no limit to how much they can give. Now some rich guy by him/her self can influence outcome of election. I am sure there are lots of wink wink nod nod is going on.

Gotta love the power of money!!!!!

 

He plans to give 5 mill equally to every republican nominee. Newt was just the first.