text:
The Calculus of Cats and Dogs
Published on - June 4th, 2010 (by J.D. Roth)
The other day, I made a passing comment in my article about judging (or not judging) others. I mentioned that although my friend Michael is in dire financial straits, he's still making life decisions based around the fact that his family has two dogs. (They're renting a larger, more expensive home than they otherwise would, for example.) "What about getting rid of the dogs?" I asked.
This suggestion struck a nerve with a lot of people. Many GRS readers argued that giving up pets during financial crisis is irresponsible. Tiffany's response was typical:
Sorry, but dogs are like kids, you can't just get rid of them in hard times. Certainly, you shouldn't take on dogs when you're not financially able to (and similarly, you should do your utmost to not have kids when you can't support them). If you've already got dogs when the financial hard times hit, well then too bad, they're still your responsibility. You can't get rid of the kids, can't get rid of the dogs. No real pet owner would want to, either.
Let me quell some concerns: I own four cats, and if Kris would let me, I'd own a dozen more. Plus a couple of dogs. And some birds (I really want a parrot). And some fish. I'm an animal person, and am often amazed that I still eat meat. (That cognitive dissonance is a topic for another time.)
I'm about as pro-animal as you can get. (Except that I'm not vegetarian — yet.) In general, I actually agree with those who scolded me. Pets are not furniture. They're not possessions to be disposed of carelessly. They're thinking, emotional beings, and ought to be treated with consideration and respect.
As many of you know, one of my pet projects (ha!) is an ongoing documentation of animal intelligence; I read everything I can find on the subject. (My friends are always sending me stories about amazing animals because they know I love them.) At the same time I started Get Rich Slowly, I started an animal intelligence blog, though that site has long since faded to nothing.
People are passionate about pets
Despite my deep respect and admiration for animals, I don't think this issue is as crystal clear as many GRS readers make it out to be. This debate is interesting, and for a variety of reasons.
- First, it shows that different people value different things. If my family were in a rocky financial situation, the pets wouldn't be the first to go, but they'd certainly be on the list of options.
- Second, when talking about spending on pets, we get to explore questions like "How much is too much?" When do you stop spending on pets? Do your pets take priority over your children? Over your home? Over your self? Again, different people have different answers.
- Third, this clearly demonstrates one of my mantras: Money is more about mind than it is about math. Everyday, all of us make financial decisions based on factors other than the numbers. Numbers are important, but they're far from the only factor.
Last fall at MSN Money, my pal Donna Freedman — who will share her reader story here on Sunday, by the way — wrote about the financial implications of pet ownership:
When people say "I'd never give up my pet," they're usually speaking from a position of privilege. Sure, they may feel broke right now, but they're still in a place where they can say what they would "never" do. If you were ever truly destitute, you'd know better than to make that kind of claim.
Or maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you lived in your sedan with four cats or out in a culvert with a husky-shepherd mix. Maybe all of you survived. But most of us aren't cut out to take that kind of risk — and frankly, we shouldn't. It's too dangerous. A human life is worth more than the chance to nurture a corgi or a ferret for a few more years. Besides, Fido deserves better than car camping and eating old Wonder bread from the food bank.
As you might expect, her article received a lot of comments — over 1200 responses, in fact — many of which were nasty. But, you know what? I think Donna is right, and agreeing with her doesn't make me a heartless bastard.
My best friend
I've had my cat Toto since she was a kitten. (In fact, I've known and loved her since the day she was born, 01 May 1994.) Aside from Kris, Toto is my best friend. When I'm home, she's usually by my side, helping me write about personal finance. But Toto is getting old. Her body is failing, and it breaks my heart. She's often in pain. The vet isn't sure exactly what's wrong with her, so we keep trying different things. With each vet visit, my costs mount. So far, I'm okay with that. I've maybe spent a thousand dollars in the past few months, and it's bought me more time to cuddle with my cat.
But where do I draw the line? How much do I spend to keep Toto alive? (Especially when her quality of life is beginning to deteriorate?) Do I tap the money I have saved for our trip to France and Italy just to buy her a few more weeks? What if I were still in debt? How much would I spend then?
The calculus of pets is complex; there are no easy answers.
Bonus video: My two cats, Toto and Max, demonstrate "how to be bad".
A vet's voice
As I was finishing this article, my vet phoned. She was calling to give me Toto's latest lab results: Her kidneys are beginning to fail and she may have thyroid problems (still waiting on a last set of tests).
After we finished talking about Toto, I told Dr. McDaneld about the discussion at Get Rich Slowly. It turns out she volunteers with the Humane Society to provide veterinary care in low-income areas throughout the country. She shared her thoughts about folks who find themselves unable to afford their pets.
"I don't like to see pets neglected just because their owners are in financial distress, but it happens," she told me. "When somebody's not financially able to care for their pets — even the bare minimum — then that pet really is best off in another situation."
But Dr. McDaneld also noted that for some, pets really are members of the family. Sometimes, an animal can be a person's closest companion. "People's relationships with their pets can run a wide gamut," she said. "Some people would lose their house and health before they'd give up their pets."
Fortunately, there are programs to help pet owners in need. "There are a lot of groups out there trying to help people who want to be responsible pet owners but are in financial trouble," Dr. McDaneld said. She gave me three examples in the Portland area:
- The PAW Team (Portland Animal Welfare Team) provides free vet care to the pets of people who are homeless or in extreme poverty.
- FIDO (Friends Involved in Dog Outreach) offers a number of programs to assist dog owners, including Animeals (meals-on-wheels for cats and dogs) and a Dog Food Bank (for dog owners in financial need).
- Cat Adoption Team, which provides a cat food bank.
There are sure to be similar programs in most major cities. The bottom line: If my friend Michael gets into a situation where he can't afford to keep his dogs, there are organizations that can help.
Pets aren't people
That said, animals aren't people. Somewhere — and where, I do not know — there's a line between what you do for your children and what you do for Fido or Fluffy. I believe that it's this line that bothered so many people in Wednesday's article; I was suggesting that Michael give up his dogs much earlier than some readers would consider such an option.
So, where is this line for you? How long do you keep a pet, even when you can't really afford it? Do you sacrifice your family's well-being for that of the animal? How do you prioritize when you have to make a sacrifice? Is it ever better to give up an animal than to fail at other obligations?
This article is about Ask the Readers, Choices, Relationships
JD: This sentence couldn't be more wrong, and it's part of the problem with both of your posts: "I mentioned that although my friend Michael is in dire financial straits, he's still making life decisions based around the fact that his family has two dogs."
Michael is not really making financial decisions around his dogs. It's an excuse. It's a crutch. It's like saying he's making financial decisions around his child's "need" for technology, when he just wants to buy her Apple gadgets and avoid a possible tantrum. Michael got a fancier house than he needed because that's what he wanted to do. His family is used to living as they want, regardless of finances. They are used to having luxuries, regardless of financial practicality. They are used to thinking short-term. They don't want to change their ways.
The dogs would have been just as happy in the $500 place. It would have been temporary. Animals don't care (much). Millions of people have animals in very small spaces in urban centers, and they make adjustments that allow them to care ethically for their animals. My friend has a big dog in a her studio apartment. She takes it on a couple of walks and a run daily.
Michael could have found a way to keep the dogs even if he and his family were living out of a van. Don't use the dogs as a scape goat for Michael's endless, stupid financial decisions. The dogs just want love and good care – they don't care that they are living in a $1300 place.
People choose to acquire animals. Once that choice is made, they should do everything within reason to ensure that the animal has a high-quality life. If I ever had to give up my animals (which I would never do; I'd be homeless with them first, and I'm not saying that out of naivete), I'd at least find them a good home. Don't take your animals to shelters, people! The vast majority of all animals that go to shelters are killed. Some shelters, especially those in the South and in poor areas, have kill rates of over 93%.
A lot of my choices have been dictated by my need to provide for my pets. I've made several cross-country moves with cats and dogs. I've bought houses when I might have been better served by renting until I knew the area because I couldn't find a rental that would take pets. 3 years ago I had to live in a 1977 travel trailer parked in the driveway of a friend for 2 months and it was not fun. I was in between selling one house and moving to another. Once in 2005 I paid around $1400 to diagnose and try to save one of my furry family. Yes, the costs of pets adds up and I give mine better food than most people do. Regular vet care is a necessity not a luxury.
The need to provide for the animals has actually been one of the driving forces in getting financially healthy. The lower your credit score, the less likely you are to be able to borrow, and the less you have in savings, the more vulnerable you are. Having money will dictate your choices on what care you can afford. If you lose your income you might be faced with having to give up your family.
I don't buy expensive clothes, have only been to Spain and that was to visit a friend, I don't collect anything, I don't have expensive hobbies anymore, I use the library a lot. My car is over 10 years old. I still have a mortgage but I bought far less house and even when I loved I went to a house in the country with less amenities and lower value. I live much more frugally than any of my friends.
If I lost it all I am not sure exactly at what point I would face giving up my furry family members. I would try to place my animals well but in case people don't realize it there are still upwards of 3 million pets killed in this country ever single year in shelters/pounds/animal control facilities, because there are simply too many of them. Actually, this is a hot-button for me and so I am not going to be as logical as I would like, as I volunteer at my local humane society. People who don't regard their pets as having worth dump them into their backyards and ignore them. Then when the going gets tough they bring them to us and dump them. Those animals don't trust people and don't know how to coexist with other animals. It is hard to see perfectly nice animals treated as poorly as we have seen. And as hard as we try there are still animals euthanized because there are too many of them and they don't do well in the stress of living in close quarters with other animals.
I admire and commend the homeless people I see travelling or panhandling with their pets because they are far stronger and better human beings in my mind than the people who drive away from the animal shelter in their over-priced new model cars to their houses they can't afford. I would fight tooth and nail to keep my animals.
I currently have 3 dogs, no cats, and one of the dogs was supposed to be a foster dog that turned out to be too shy to adopt to just anyone. They are an inspiration to keep getting more money into savings.
It always restores my faith in mankind whenever people defend dogs and cats on their behalf, such as many commenters have here, and yet I understand the pecking order of animals in dire financial straits too.
I can't help but recall the choice that an elderly man made on behalf of his 3 miniature dachshunds. He was walking them in a park on leashes and we struck up a conversation about how endearing that breed was. He agreed with me and told me that he recently was divorced and that he told his ex that she could keep the house if he could keep the dogs! She agreed, and so he bought a trailer and said that he was a happy camper. Clearly he was. He had a smile from ear to ear and was absolutely beaming of his good fortune to get full custody of the dogs!
I'm only sharing our story, because we've put a lot of thought into this at our house. Unlike many commenters, we've had pets before and during kids. We don't have any pets now, because we can barely keep up with ourselves and the kids.
We had cats before kids, and our cats were our "kids." One of the reasons (no, NOT the only reason) we bought a house when we did was to accommodate our cats. In fact, when the younger cat had sudden kidney failure, we invested a lot of money at the emergency vet, only to have her immediately die.
Then, we actually had kids. Given the demands of our our average, normal, healthy kids, the cat was definitely not an actual child. We simply didn't have the quiet time in our lives to enjoy her as much, and our financial resources and goals dramatically changed. We decided that financial security of our family was more important than very expensive medical treatments for pets. We went into every vet appointment with an idea of what we were willing to invest in our pets' health.
In the end, the remaining cat became very ill, and we weren't willing to spend a lot of money to keep her alive and suffering. We were sad, but had her put down.
And now, we're not willing to invest our affections, energy, or money in a pet.
When the kids are older, I think DH and I will want a pet or two again, and be willing to invest what it takes to keep them happy and healthy. I don't see that being for several more years, though!
Over the last year I had to move 4 times for various reasons. The hardest part was finding a place that allowed cats that was very cheap and within my budget. My cat amazingly dealt with the moving pretty well, though I had to miss out on renting a few nice and cheap places since they were not pet friendly. For a while I had a friend look after my cat while I stayed with other friends.
While moving around a lot, a major option I had to consider was giving him up. He was my cuddly friend that was with me for years and was like my own child, but I also had to figure out what was best for both of us. Fortunately, I never had to give him up and he is probably lounging at the top of the stairs, while I'm at work, being a cute giant ball of fuzz.
I agree with this article. There are options, but when the situation isn't best for you or the pet (especially the pet) then you need to make the hard decisions.
95% of people I know who say their pets are like kids don't have kids, and the rest are very vulnerable (elderly, sick, etc). My cat was my baby until I became a parent for real.
My cat is 20 now and has outlasted about a half dozen other pets (most due to death). She has been my companion since I was seven. I have paid plenty of pet deposits and vet bills in that time. She has been going through kidney failure for six years. She has bad arthritis and sleeps most of the time. I can't give her most meds due to her kidneys.
My German Shepherd is four and he has already cost more than my cat in his life because he rushes in where others fear to tread and I think he feels no pain. He has hurt himself pretty severely and the hardest part of treating him is getting him to stop playing ("Titan, no more fetch! There's blood all over the deck and I'm pretty sure it's yours.") We have spent more than one night in the E-vet office waiting for him to be stitched up.
This leads me to my vet philosophy. I will pay what it takes to stitch up wounds. Chronic health problems, however, will likely result in euthanasia. This is due to expense as well as comfort of the animal (getting repeated treatments/medication) and myself (giving repeated treatments/medication). I might feel differently if I lived in a world where animals weren't euthanized simply because there are too many souls and not enough homes, but I don't and doubt I ever will simply because of how quickly they can reproduce. Why would I spend thousands of dollars treating feline leukemia when I can instead rescue another cat and donate the money to provide care to how many cats for how long? Is my current cat's life worth more because it happens to hold my affection? Most people aren't paying for the care of the cat because it is their responsibility, but because THEY want the cat to live longer.
And for those of you that think pets and people have a moral equivalent: Many people choose to die rather than undergo treatments. My grandmother accepted death rather than undergo invasive surgery. I think in health cases we need to think of animals as more like the elderly than kids. Our animals will likely die before us, that's the nature of the system. So even if there WERE a moral equivalent I would do more for my kid than my pet. I would also do more for my kid than my parent or grandparent, and any and all of them would expect that and make the same choices. I would also do more for a young animal than an older animal. Resources are limited. It's always a balance.
Regarding if/when I would give up my pets if I hit the financial skids, I would do what I could to find new homes for my dogs when I was on the verge of losing my home. If I couldn't find homes, I would turn them over to the humane society when it became a matter of survival (having food and shelter) for myself and my family.
And you know what? If I didn't have food and shelter for my daughter I would rehome her as well. With family and friends if possible, with the state as a last resort. Just until I got my feet back under me and could provide basic necessities of life. The separation is traumatic, but so is homelessness and not knowing if there will be food at the next meal. We offered to take a family member's kids last year. She's a user and a loser, taking drugs while nursing, and exposing her little ones to all sorts of bad things. She refused because SHE would miss THEM (we convinced her to stop nursing and we left the issue to the authorities).
And I think that's what it comes down to with a lot of pet owners as well as parents. They wrap their need in noble words, but it's not about responsible pet ownership or parenting, but about meeting their own needs to be depended on and loved.
As much as I love my cats, there is no way I would jeopardize my family's financial future for them. If our circumstances deteriorated to the point where we could no longer support them it would be in their best interests to find them new homes. Both were rescues, and they have already lived far longer, healthier, happier lives with us than they would have as feral cats. We have limits on what we're willing to spend on vets and treatments, and they include palliative care in the event of severe illness but nothing major or radical. They cats, and they are not going to live for ever.
And I agree with others that say Michael was not making financial decisions with the dogs in mind. Like everything else, they were an excuse to continue putting off dealing with his financial problems.
Pets are like children in one way – you have to consider the decision in advance and prepare for all outcomes. Part and parcel of my cat decision is "do I have several alternate homes where people will take him in should I be temporarily or permanently unable to take care of him, for whatever reason."
Mind you, part of the outrage at the original post (mine, at least!) was the language choice. For a lot of irresponsible pet owners, "get rid of" doesn't mean finding a new caring home for the pet – it means either putting them down at the vet's, throwing them out of a moving car, or in extreme cases killing the pet with their own hands. It's important to make this distinction and make clear which course of action you're recommending.
Does your municipality not require vaccinations, or do you not count that? I take my pets in on a regular basis for that reason. When I had no money I took my cat to shot clinics instead, but even then they did a cursory exam of ears, eyes, etc. When my cat was ~15 the vet told me not to bother anymore because her risk was so low, but I was faithful before that if only to cover my own butt legally.
There have been times in the past where I was out of groceries for a few days because I spent the last of the grocery money on cat food. (I had two cats that I adopted when I was 19).
But now I have a child, and he comes before the cats.
The other issue for me is the balance of suffering for the animal. When elderly people in my family have gotten sick enough that they refused care, they were allowed hospice care -just painkillers and help with bathing/bathroom/movement. That's what we did with our elderly cat, except when he got to the point he couldn't breathe and seemed afraid all the time, I had the option of euthanasia.
With younger animals it's a lot harder decision. We did spend $1700 on bladder surgery for a young cat – I don't think I would, on my own, I kept thinking "I could donate this to Partners in Health and provide health care for poor children" but my partner really wanted to. The vet we'd been going to wanted $4000 for the surgery,but I shopped around and found a much cheaper vet.
Incidentally, I just plain like the cheaper vet a lot more. (I prefer country vets, their attitude is a lot more pragmatic generally. But the hour drive isn't worth it to me anymore.)
The expensive vet seemed to always be implying that we were bad people because we had cost concerns about veterinary care – not only was it irritating to feel judged by the vets, but it made me distrust their advice because I always felt like they were upselling me.
Like many people on this site, my wife and I were rather financially stressed after having purchased our first home. One of the reasons I wanted a home in the first place was to have the freedom to adopt and care for a dog. Like many decisions, you convince yourself what you're doing is best or at least okay, so who knows if I made the "right" decision. However, the decision to adopt a dog was based in part knowing how the dog would affect our already tight finances. Rather than just looking at the basic food costs and the possibility of an emergency we couldn't afford, we also looked at the dog as a way to change our habits. Instead of having 2 $20/month memberships to gyms, we committed to walk, jog, or otherwise play with the dog everyday, which seemed to make up for the $40 in food he would consume -on a side note, I wonder if I could get my grocery bill down to $40 per month. Since my wife and I are away during the day, wanting/needing to spend time with the dog at night would give us gentle incentive to not go out to dinner on weeknights (something we did too often and spent too much money on). Owning a dog does not help us completely cut out every "unnecessary" expense, but it has certainly changed our priorities and altered several bad spending habits.
RE animal intelligence, this article blew me away and I thought you might like it:
@ Shara #61, Lulu is indoors only, and hasn't had his license renewed since his first year. I live in a >1M urban area, and if animal control really wants to check in on him, well, I hope they have a warrant to enter my house!¹ lol. He's not exposed to any other animals than myself, so I'm not too worried about tics, fleas, worms, or rabies. He's 12 and has never had a booster shot, so I'm not about to start now.
¹ funny story, a friend of mine has 3 cats and was adopting his 2nd dog from the pound. his girlfriend filled out the paperwork, and there were 4 spaces for existing pets. she filled in all of the blanks. whoops, adopting this dog would put you over the limit of "4 pets per household." i still tease her about it to this day (4 years later). TMI, and just because there are spaces to write all of your pets' names in doesn't mean that you have to fill up all of the empty lines.
My pets are my family. Period. They were the only companionship I had for about 3 years of grad school, they are the only company I have on Easter/Thanksgiving/Christmas, and during a really rotten stretch last year they were often the only reason I got out of bed because I had to take care of them. Yes they can be brats or disgusting or destructive and sometimes they make me nuts. But they are my family.
I chose to have surgery on a guinea pig, even though it meant sacrifices in my budget (he lived another year). I choose to take my cats to the vet yearly and to figure out how to make emergency trips work financially after I take them. I know they aren't people but they deserve the best care I can give them, especially since 2 of them were abused before I got them. I chose to adopt them, it is my responsibility to care for them for the rest of their lives.
Several people have pointed out I could probably afford driving lessons/a car if I didn't have 3 cats. I'd rather take public transit forever than give up my cats.
Beth @ 48: What a petty attitude! Perhaps we should ban people on benefits from going to the movies, owning a mobile, buying books and paying for their child's piano lessons too, while we're at it? All of these things are clearly a luxury on taxpayer's expense!
I would think of it in another way: a person depending on welfare benefits is in a real danger of dropping out of employment and social life entirely. Having a dog gives immense health and social benefits: it forces people to go out and exercise, provides social contacts and essentially makes them feel needed. Such therapy would be much more expensive if provided via our public healthcare system or social services.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the amount of benefit money per person is not increased because they have a pet. Essentially, these people make do with less for thrmselves to support a pet. I for one would not want to start telling people what to do with the money they are legally entitled to – that would be extreme nanny statism.
Thanks for addressing this. Like at least one other reader, your wording in Wednesday's article bugged me a little, but I knew the place you were coming from, and your overall advice (and subsequent realizations regarding judging or not) were sound. Rehoming (either temporarily or permanently) a pet would definitely fall into the "desperate times call for desperate measures" category, but those times do happen.
I'm very sorry to hear about Toto.
Hi JD:
So sorry about Toto. I know, firsthand, how hard it is. Some people "have" pets, others love them to the point of craziness. I fall into the latter group. My pets mean everything to me. I have four dogs and two kitties, and a son. Yes, he is woefully outnumbered here by our 4-legged babies. No matter how much I love and NEED my pets, of course, my son always comes first. If it was a choice between being homeless and being petless, the hard choice would be to be petless. However, I would work twice as hard and eat PB&J everday to keep my pets, while feeding my son healthy foods. If I didn't have my son, I would probably live homeless just to keep my pets, but I couldn't put my son in that situation, for ANY reason. Having children in the equation definitely changes your priorities, no matter how deeply you love your pets. And I do truly love love love my pets, and spoil them rotten while denying myself luxuries I might be able to afford, if it weren't for my pets. A trade I feel is well-worth it.
Päivi, please allow me to make a few edits to what you said.
Having a dog can gives immense health and social benefits: it can forces people to go out and exercise, can provides social contacts and essentially makes them feel needed. Such therapy can would be much more expensive if provided via our public healthcare system or social services.
So, where is this line for you? My line is when the costs of our pets start effecting our actual living expenses. I will spend/have spent a few thousand on my dogs for a removeable tumor, teeth extractions/cleanings, and allergy issues. I wouldn't pay for treatments that might not work though. If my 12 year old dachshund-mutt gets cancer, I'll pay for meds to keep her feeling good as long as possible, but I won't spend thousands on a treatment that may not work.
How long do you keep a pet, even when you can't really afford it? We wouldn't have gotten our dogs if we couldn't afford them. We even waited until our emergency fund was at least 3 months and included pet expenses.
Do you sacrifice your family's well-being for that of the animal? No.
How do you prioritize when you have to make a sacrifice? Our dogs are prioritized right after the basics – shelter, food, utilities, cars (we live in a Houston suburb and there is no bus to our jobs), internet (I'm a blogger and that's how we would job hunt anyway), then the dogs. We'd give up all other entertainment and extras before we'd give up the dogs.
Is it ever better to give up an animal than to fail at other obligations? I'd give up my dogs before living on the streets (my in-laws could take them for a while)…I can't believe Steve's mom (#8 above) did that to her kid. My heart goes out to Steve.
People have to relize that pets are animals, yes animals. When we decide to get a pet we are making a decision dedicate our rescources to let beast live better then the majority of fellow man. and more selfishly just thinke of how much the average parent spends on a pet and that could go to a childs education.
Some times Pets can be a great asset.
-Cat's catch mice(most other types of mouse traps are much cheaper).
-Some Dog's protect family & personal property.
-you can teach some animals to perform very small chores my old dog would go get the sews paper from the end of my 200 ft drive way and my current dog gets me a beer out of the fridge then closes the door.
-an animal can be a great companion(this is a hard thhing to put a value on)
Pets can be liabilities to
-Emergancy vet bills can really add up.
-dogs can be fairly destructive chewing things up, damaging land scaping.
-increase in home owners insurance
- animals bring in bugs and diesas such as ticks flees (last night my pregnat wife )
-if you want to go away you have to find someone to care for a pet
-neighbor issues
-Pet odors can really hurt the resale value of a home.
- and many more
I am a guilty pet owner, My dog is a great friend and gives me a lot of companionship I really care for for my dog but I do believe that my resources probally could have been better spent.
-If you are thinking about getting a pet watch "Marly and Me" and add up all of the added cost the family went through and ask yourself can you afford this , would your rescourse be better used somplace else and are you prepared to make this commitment.
75Emotional subject.
"If you've already got dogs when the financial hard times hit, well then too bad, they're still your responsibility. You can't get rid of the kids, can't get rid of the dogs. "
A generation ago, my husband was adopted at birth. His birth parents were financially troubled, young, some what dysfunctional, and they did not believe in abortion. Of their eight children over fifteen years, they gave up three babies to be adopted at birth. They were not evil people; they just seemed unable to care for all their babies, and I am blessed that my husband lived and was cared for by good people. I am not slamming anyone, as we dearly love our pets, and I still grieve more for some of my deceased pets than I do for some people that have passed through my life. We have been privileged and honored to care for our pets, but we also recognize that good homes may be found for people and pets when societal, religious, financial, or personal reasons happen in a life that make it impossible to be good, responsible parents of kids or pets. It was not a frivolous reason for letting go of someone, nor was it easy (emotional, legal and state reviews, financial, family and church criticism) and I try not to judge. Some people have to make difficult decisions at some points in their lives, and try to be responsible in whatever action they make – keeping or adopting.
I think it's an interesting subject.
I was one of the vocal people on that article, but I'd like to point out that what really got to me was that your friends had bought 3 iPhones and an iPod, was planning on getting a new car, etc.
In a situation like that, doing all of that and yet getting rid of pets for "financial reasons" just wouldn't sit with me. As for renting a bigger place, I don't think having dog would be his only reason for that. While I don't know him and could be very wrong, the article in question led me to believe that he cares a lot about his comfort.
Anyway, all of that and, as pointed out, your unfortunate choice of words, led me to make my comment. It is simply not something I would suggest to someone in his situation (and I do realise that you didn't suggest it to him, either).
I wrote a testimony about my case of over-saving a little while back. I would skip meals to save, I didn't buy anything but the basic needs, and so on. But my cat? I still bought her the good food, the one I trusted wouldn't be unhealthy for her. I was lucky enough that she was perfectly healthy, but if she had shown the first sign of not being so, I would have brought her to the vet.
I think it's the dependency thing. I could inflict things on myself – and, to some extent, my husband – because we're responsible adults who could sacrifice things for long-term reasons, and knew why we were doing it. If I had made my cat go through this, in my mind it would have just been abuse.
There is also the kind of cat she is. I have been gone for weekends before, and people who took care of her – my husband, my in-laws – told me she would just lie on something that smelled like me (my bed, my clothes) and stay there all day, not eat, not do anything. I don't trust in her survival if she was away from me, so yes, in her case, I would keep her if I was homeless.
I think it has a lot to do with the fact I rescued her as she was still a kitten who would normally still be breastfeeding. From her point of view, I am probably the closest thing she has to a mother. And she is just that dependent. Cats tend to be territorial, they get attached to the place they live in, but the vet told me that basically, I am her territory. She didn't care at all when she moved from France to Canada, but if she's away from me, she'll suffer from it.
This being said, we now have a second cat, who found us in October. He had two hernias, and was a stray. We took him in, he is the most affectionate cat I have even known. I love him just as much, but in his case, I could see how having a different owner who could take proper care of him would be more humane than having him stay with us. He loves us too, but not in the same way.
So I think it also depends from one animal to the next.
As for keeping animals alive, it really depends on the whole context, but I think in many cases, for the pet's sake it's not worth it. Might as well let them go when their life is still worth living. I think at some point, keeping them alive becomes selfish more than selfless, if I'm making sense. Of course it depends on their condition too.
I don't have children, so I can only try and guess, but the way I see it, I would try and act the way I would if the pets were a child. That is, if I had one child, I'd try and think of how I would act if I had two children. Obviously, I wouldn't neglect one for the other. If I had two, I'd wonder how I'd act if I had three, etc.
In that case, all pets would be grouped as "one child" rather than each count as one. The point wouldn't be to consider them human, because they're not, it would be to remind myself that it's not necessarily a choice between the two, since if the pets were a child I definitely wouldn't consider neglecting one child in favour of another one.
If the choice was slightly different, that is, if for instance I wanted a child but had a pet I knew wouldn't be compatible (either that the child would be bad for the pet or the pet for the child), I wouldn't have a child. I would take care of the being that is already there. Possibly consider delaying my plans until the pets are dead, but not in a "I'm waiting for you to die" way, if I'm making sense. It just wouldn't make sense for me to "get rid" of an existing being who trusts me in favour of an hypothetical being who doesn't even exist yet.
I have two cats that I adore. The last one we took in as a stray and spent $1300 getting her rotten teeth pulled out, tests to confirm she didn't have any communicable diseases she could pass on to our other cat and so forth. Not to mention the fact that she has a missing paw.
I did have pet insurance on our other cat but became paranoid reading about pet insurance companies not honoring their end of the deal. Instead I setup a savings account for my two cats for future pet bills and their annual check ups.
That being said, I don't believe I would be willing to drain all of my savings in vet bills if one or both of the cats become sick. I did have a previous cat that I had to put to sleep because the treatments for kidney failure were not guaranteed nor would they provide a better quality of life. I was not earning much in those days and the vet bills would have been around $5,000 for just the initial treatment.
I do think if I had an unending supply of money then I would absolutely try everything it takes to get them better. That comes with the privilege of wealth to afford these vet treatments that *might* work.
Basically what I am saying is you won't really know what to do once that hard decision is placed in front of you. You have to weigh what is ultimately best for your pet and yourself.
Hi JD
The original post struck such a cord because the suggestion that your friend get rid of the dogs seemed to be a quick financial fix – your friend isn't homeless or struggling to feed himself or his family.
Sue may be right to a point. If you are in dire straits, the best option for your pet may be to relinquish it, and sure people draw their lines in different places, but if ditching a pet is one of the first things you consider to cut costs, I question your ethics and your right to have a life in your care.
I work with an animal rescue agency here in Australia, and we can maybe take 10% of the domestic pets in our area that need to be rehomed. The other 90% are euthanised because too many people are lazy/selfish/greedy/don't care/whatever. It's disgraceful.
A few years ago I adopted a pair of kittens with the intent that they'd help control the mice in my mountain home, and also keep each other company while I was at work. I have a conservation ethic and told my housemate that I didn't want them going outside where they would kill local wildlife and take food away from native predators. I've witnessed a pair of cats that could each kill 3-5 small animals every day- mice, voles, rabbits, birds, snakes etc. Songbirds are declining around the world and domesticated cats are right next to habitat destruction as a cause.
My housemate didn't share my ethic. The first cat disappeared after being let out and was likely eaten by a coyote or cougar (at least we fed the local wildlife… maybe I'm wrong about my ethic?).
My housemate again let the other cat out. We found her late on a Saturday night, wounded but alive. She'd clearly been attacked and had bite wounds on both sides of her abdomen. It was easy to imagine her in a coyote's mouth, based on the pattern.
I admired her tenacity fighting off something so much larger and took her to the vet (she seemed to be in shock though not bleeding too badly). We started with X-rays, then exploratory surgery and then the real operation to repair torn intestines and a punctured kidney. Before it was over I was in $1700.
I realized I couldn't prevent this from happening again and ended up moving (extreme but it was time to find less expensive housing anyway).
I sometimes call her my golden cat. I've been in some rough spots where I didn't have much will to live, and I can say she helped me through them and has repaid the favor well.
If I had outdoor pets, I'd definitely have insurance for them. I probably would be wise to get it anyway for her, just in case she ever escapes.
moogie: Indeed, but I notice you didn't address the real issue of my post: having a pet does not affect the amount of welfare people are entitled to, and it doesn't even affect whether they are entitled to benefits or not. Benefits, if I'm not mistaken, are means-tested in the US: therefore a person who is entitled to them would be entitled to them whether they have a pet or not.
Unless we're dealing with idealistic (and unattainable) stuff like "I wish they'd spend their benefits on education and hearty gruel", I don't see how an umployed person having a cat or a dog is a waste of taxpayer's money as Beth seems to suggest. As a matter of fact, it rather seems to suggest that benefits in general are a waste of taxpayer's money.
jac, #75, you said:
I still grieve more for some of my deceased pets than I do for some people that have passed through my life.
Do pets deserve equal (or more) respect than humans? If you really think so, then maybe you should take that up with your city/county/state legislators, and if you ever get it to the SCOTUS, then I'll buy you a beer.
Sure, some pets are wonderful and some people are scumbag assholes, but even the worst scumbag asshole murdering rapist on death row is afforded more societal benefits than a pet. It's wrong, I know, but that's just the way it will be until you change the law.
Dr. Gurney outside of Evergreen Colorado. A bit of a mad scientist but brilliant. Invented his own "serums" that made my friends lame cat like a kitten again. He is also dirt cheap because he wants to help animals. The cost of a plane ticket and rental car would get you many more weeks if not years with your cat.
My pets were my kids who I couldn't imagine giving up. Then…I became a Mom to real kids, the kind with two legs. That caused my priorities to shift in a big way. Now, if I ever found myself in dire financial straits, my four legged kids would go to a different home long before I put my children through any kind of homelessness. Also, there is no way I would sacrifice my kids' college fund, my retirement fund, or even my children's healthy, organic food budget to pay for excessive vet bills for an animal. We budget to feed our pets well, pay for yearly shots, worming, etc.. But a $9,000 dollar vet bill? Not going to happen. Sorry.
Päivi #81, you're correct in the issue of governmentally-supplied assistance, an issue which i explicitly avoided.
i don't care to look it up right now, but i am positive that some percentage of state and federal monies are being misused to support pets beyond the intended support of the human whose name is on the benefit check. this is an untenable argument for me to make.
i have to retreat to my statement #47, deciding to let go of a pet can be a financial issue, or an emotional issue. good luck trying to balance the two (as comments here seem to indicate, it's a polarizing issue), but would add that even having a pet should be considered long before having to make a decision about letting go of a pet.
i apologize for being a jerk.
Interesting post. My family has always had pets, and my brothers and I always considered our dog as an extra sibling. No questions asked. At the same time, our current dog has had a series of extremely expensive health problems requiring medication, surgery, and restricted diets. My parents sat down with us and made it clear that there was a cost-benefit analysis to be made here – if our puppy was not responding well, and if things kept getting more expensive, the humane option would be to put her to sleep instead of simply pour money into her. So far, we've been lucky in that we can afford the treatments and that she's responding well.
I myself own a horse. Fellow horse-owners and I often joke that there is no way to be financially responsible and own a horse. Take every problem and expense you've ever had with a cat or dog, and multiply it by at least ten. So I count every single penny. Every dollar I've ever transferred to a savings account has been accomplished through blood, sweat, or tears – frequently all three. I routinely write checks totalling thousands of dollars without a qualm for him, and agonize over spending $1 on a meal for myself. I have friends who basically want nothing to do with me because I can't afford to go out drinking with them; I've had other acquaintances who have lectured me angrily about my poor choices, though it's none of their business. As above, it's really a cost-benefit analysis. I feel, quite deeply, that I would have no reason to get out of bed in the morning if I didn't own my horse. He is my best friend, the love of my life, and my #1 financial rule is that he gets whatever he needs, no matter what. He's not exactly marketable; were I to give him up, he'd go to slaughter sooner or later. That's unacceptable. So I structure my life – and my finances – in a way that most people would never want to bear. That's my decision.
I know this will upset some people, but I don't believe human life is any more important than animal life. I think that we tend to value the lives and welfare of our own species over that of other species because we find it easiest to relate to other humans. Human intelligence is often brought up in discussions like this; but in all honesty, our ways of measuring intelligence are just arbitrary.
I'd still choose the life of my children over my pets (though I'd try and protect both!), but I understand that I would make this decision based on my individual preferences rather than some unwritten universal law. We only have our own experiences and feelings to guide us; do what feels right.
JD Wrote:
I'm an animal person, and am often amazed that I still eat meat. (That cognitive dissonance is a topic for another time.)
Actually, that statement shows a level of sophistication ahead of most people in our culture.
Especially since you like to make your own food, converting over should be easy. Each month, just pick one (more) day to be meatless.
The nutrition is actually easy, if you can get pointed to a good source and bypass the BS out there.
I'd like to suggest this BRIEF page in that regard:
I agree that the people who say they would NEVER give up a pet are speaking for a position of privilege. Most of us would never dream of giving up our kids, but after my grandmother died, my mom's five brothers were sent to an orphanage because her father simply couldn't care for all the kids. Once her dad got on his feet again, the boys came back, but it was a hard choice. It was also the most loving thing he could do.
Why would a person do less than the most loving thing for a pet? I saw a homeless man on the street in the winter with a dog so thin it's ribs poked out and it was shaking violently. There was NO REASON for that dog to be suffering like that. I understand the homeless person wanted a companion, but the dog had no choice in this matter.
I like my dogs better than I like most people – most of the time, they're better "people" than people are. They are more loving, more joyful, more adaptable and forgiving than humans generally. They are also completely helpless and dependent, even more so than children, who have many more advocates and safety nets than animals do. Yes they cost money, but everything costs money and some things add more value than others. (Isn't that why people have kids?) Not to mention there is more to life than money; I don't imagine Scrooge would have pets but I don't aspire to be Scrooge myself.
That said, I would not have adopted them if I couldn't afford them; that's no more responsible than giving up a dog cuz he's not a cute puppy anymore. Now my job is to remain in a position to afford them, whatever comes. There is probably a limit to how much I would spend on them, but it's closely linked to quality of life. Why buy them a miserable few weeks? Why subject them to unpleasant treatments and tests they can never understand? (In a similar vein, why spend $$$ on cutesy accessories they won't appreciate?) The same could be considered by a pet owner in dire financial straits; when the pet's quality of life begins to deteriorate, you look for other solutions. There are better and worse other solutions; abandonment equals death, even at a shelter most of the time, while it is possible to rehome an animal into a decent situation. Personally I would have to be in pretty bad shape. My dogs were shelter dogs, and they've already been traumatized enough; the situation would have to be pretty awful before I'd consider doing that to them again.
I agree that dogs are not children. That's why I have dogs.
Päivi @69, I actually think Beth is right on! And her point does and should expand to other luxury items. That's the problem with transfer payments. Responsible taxpayers have money taken from them and given to others with few or no strings attached. Then, that money can be used on luxury items (pets, piano lessons, movies, etc.). If you buy into the idea of the social safety net, transfer payments should be used ONLY for necessities such as food, shelter, basic clothing, etc.
Everyone of us has limits. I'm an animal lover, PETA supporter, and a vegetarian … but I gave up 2 cats last year. I adopted them 5 years ago and, despite being healthy, neutered and extremely well cared-for (their litter boxes were kept very clean), the cats continually sprayed the walls and floor. I tried every single suggestion I could find to train them but nothing worked. It broke my heart to give them up, but it broke my wallet to replace the drywall, floors and carpeting. The decision was very difficult but I know I did the right thing.
Amanda (#86), you simply are prioritizing your horse much higher than most people prioritize their pets (mine are below the basics plus internet). As long as that prioritization is a conscious decision and you're not neglecting children or anything, more power to you! I can't believe anyone would chide you for it…if you're ever in Houston, come on over for a movie night and I'll provide the girly drinks!
My cat just cost us $3000+ and took me from being able to spend a leisurely few months looking for a job while getting used to my new city to having to find a bridge job immediately. We had to compromise our apartment hunting due to practically no one in this area allowing pets. Without her, we could have gotten a much nicer apartment for much cheaper. I wouldn't have it any other way.
The only time I would rehome my cat would be if it was in her best interest, and even then, she would go to one of my sisters who have the same pet philosophy that I do. High quality food, yearly vet visits, etc.
""I don't like to see pets neglected just because their owners are in financial distress, but it happens," she told me. "When somebody's not financially able to care for their pets — even the bare minimum — then that pet really is best off in another situation."" –
I think what was missing from the first post and this statement is the reality that there isn't always a "no-kill" solution available. I ran a rescue/TNR group for 5 years where I got direct calls from the public about rehoming their animals and the lack of options and the alarming euthanasia rate in our city was – and is – a horrible reality that plays out in many other locales.
I think there needs to be a comment/mention of the fact that sometimes you're not going to have that perfect "better home" option — you'll either be on the wait-list for a "no-kill" rescue (and finding a responsible one is a whole OTHER topic – some of the smaller ones are, frankly, just hoarders where the animals waste away). Sometimes you're just going to be between a rock and a hard place and the animal might have to go to an open-admissions shelter and risk euthanasia. That's just something that's crappy to not mention. YES, definitely try otherwise. But I've seen that trying not pan out many many times and horrible guilt associated with that.
I do think that anyone who says they NEVER will give up their pets is in denial about reality/circumstance and are speaking from either privilege or naivete — never say never. I hope to hell I am never put in that position because it would emotionally break me — but, as I mentioned in my earlier comment, having my pets have actually encouraged me to become more fiscally responsible. I have a savings account for their vetting that I contribute $180/mo into, they're part of my trust draft and I've already established someone with house keys who can be their primary adoption agent and they even know about my managed feral cat colony. Guilt over no savings/credit for my cats' emergency vetting, if needed, was one of my driving forces in getting my financial house in order.
Re vetting – I also don't believe in heroic measure propped up against quality of life. I DO believe in diagnostic vetting, pain management medications and a SEDATED AND HUMANE EUTHANASIA as a final service to your pet if the decision needs to be made. I have gone through that process with many rescued cats who were just too far along to bring back without thousands of dollars of care and even so with a poor prognosis (probably people's pets who were dumped outside and quickly deteriorated – I live near a cemetery where people "thoughtfully" dump their pets to "live out their lives" – really responsible).
I would definitely keep my pets over any real estate or personal items (tv, laptop, etc.).
@Tod – RE: Wow, we have certainly fallen far from the common sense tree. Dogs & Cats as kids, ummm no they are a luxury, not a need (except for the blind, etc). — I don't really consider saving cats from the street a "luxury" as they're already there and will likely die on the streets or be put to sleep if no one takes them. I do consider consciously having human kids a luxury though!
@ Ely #90 "I agree that dogs are not children. That's why I have dogs." Right on, my brother (or sister)! This is why I have cats!!
Re: pet healthcare, because the rest of the discussion is far too wide-ranging to cover everything, just my personal experience.
Ten years ago my cat, then about eight years old, began to have health troubles – primarily digestive, with some unpleasant, unhygienic consequences. I took him to the vet multiple times and they could only tell me it was an "idiopathic" condition (meaning, no one knew what was causing it). He had no parasites, he had no allergies, he had no traceable metabolic problems; he just couldn't always hold his … you know.
BUT he didn't appear to be in pain: wasn't crying, was still playing, was affectionate, wasn't losing weight.
After about six months though, his condition started to go downhill a little. He got quieter, less playful, started having trouble jumping up. More vet visits: still inconclusive.
Then, right before we were to go out of town for a week, I found him one morning with one pupil hugely, and unevenly, dilated. I knew this was a sign of a stroke, so instead of taking him to the boarding facility I took him to the vet. They determined he had a detached retina.
While we were out of town, the cat went to an opthalmologist, underwent a battery of tests, and I was told that he very likely had a brain tumor. I spent the rest of our trip knowing that I was probably going to have to euthanize him. It was awful.
Got home and after a week apart could really see just how sick and miserable he was. He was still happy to see us, but – and especially after the fact, looking at photos – he was just sick and hurting, and there was nothing we could do to fix it. So we took him to the vet, he was given the injection, and we held him till he died, peacefully.
Now, I know some people who would have spent countless dollars going through surgeries or whatever, trying to squeeze another few months of life. But would that have been a kindness? I believe not. It would not have cured him, only made his remaining time MORE painful and MORE miserable.
So yes. There are limits. And I trust that if I'm ever similarly in need, someone will be humane enough to pull the plug.
I just wanted to say that, in general, I agree with keeping animals despite economic hardships. I adopted my (now 4 year old) bull mastiff puppy from craigslist when I was in college. I had just gotten out of an emotionally abusive relationship and didn't have a place to live. I needed her so that I would have a reason to wake up every day, so that I could have someone in my life who would not judge me, and so I could find value in myself.
My decision to get a dog was the best decision I have ever made. I have lived in houses with her, apartments and more recently a 30 foot travel trailer. So technically, we are homeless. YEs, I will give up the luxury of a private bathroom, a dishwasher, space for hobbies and decent plumbing in order to remain united with a dog who has loved me without judgement for four years.
I have received offers of several hundred dollars(equating to 2 months rent) to purchase her. Although it is tempting, I can't just sell my dog. I would rather live off of rice and beans than not have the money to take her to the vet when she is due for her checkup. She's the best anti-depression pill that money can buy. I can relate to people who consider their pet a 'need' rather than a luxury item.
BTW, I recently graduated from the University of Oregon with no student loan or credit card debt. It's just difficult to find a job right now so we're P'oH.
@69) Pavii, I know a person on welfare that has pets and actually the opposite is true. They prefer to stay home and care for their pets vs go outside and be with other human beings. And yes, I have an issue paying for someone's pet when I choose not to take on that expense myself.
I'm amazed that no one has brought up the crazy cat lady from the simpsons. Some pet people are just socially awkward. The unconditional love they get from pets is just way easier than the work it takes to develop a relationship with a judgemental, opinionated human being.
I think ultimately this is an impossible question to answer in advance. You can have some preconceived notion of how much you imagine you would spend, or if you would put your pet in better hands if you had what you felt was no other option, but in my experience those scenario-based daydreams become pretty flexible in the intensity of a bad situation.
In my case, our exceptionally healthy, spry young dog was very suddenly ill – we discovered that she had a tumor on her heart that was shortening her life by the hour. _Before_ this, in my mind I always thought that I would limit the money I would spend to save a pet to something like $1000 for emergencies (seems low in retrospect). In this case, as our dog was dying quickly, and my wife was completely distraught, sitting on the floor with her, hugging her and talking softly to her to sooth her, I didn't think twice about signing that credit application that conveniently appeared at the vet's office to try to save our dog (for a lot more than $1000 I might add). The vet made it very clear that we were in "heroic" territory, meaning that in all likelihood the procedure would not work, but in those moments, all of my preconceived ideas of how I would act in this situation were thrown out the window when I looked into my dog's eyes.
In the end, the procedure didn't work; and we were saddled with a hefty credit bill (which we paid off in 6 months before the interest kicked in).
But I learned that as much as I thought I knew about my limits with pets, they all vanished under the strain of losing her.
Thank you J.D. for standing by your statement! At the beginning of the post it seemed as if you were gonna back down to these overly sensitive pet people. I understand the bond that owners share with their pets, but when it comes down to survival ANIMALS ARE NOT HUMAN! It would be more irresponsible for you to keep a pet you can't take care of. Thanks J.D.


text:
WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Amir Khan poses on May 10, 2010 in New York City at the top of the Empire State Building while sightseeing in advance of his May 15, 2010 world title defense against former Super Lightweight World Champion Paulie Malignaggi at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City which will be televised live on HBO's Boxing After Dark..
previous article: Its Something About the Hair: Shannon Briggs Takes His Heavyweight Quest to the Norfolk Scope
next article: John Murray: Bring on the winner of Mitchell - Katsidis
If you detect any issues with the legality of this site, problems are always unintentional and will be corrected with notification.
The views and opinions of all writers expressed on eastsideboxing.com do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Management.
Copyright © 2001- 2012 East Side Boxing.com - Privacy Policy l Contact

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Microsoft Exchange
Microsoft Exchange 2010 and newly release Microsoft exchange server 2013 is a cost effective business class email solution that has all the messaging functionalities of Microsoft Exchange Server but with no administration burden! Communicate with Cloud based Exchange Server and get high levels of reliability and performance.
Why Microsoft Exchange
Microsoft Exchange messaging solutions have enhanced capabilities in comparison to other solutions with increased collaboration, mobility and a more secure environment, which is supported 24/7/365. With Microsoft Managed Exchange as the mail server and Microsoft Outlook as your client, you can do more than just send and receive emails – they can share calendars, folders and contacts too.
These features help in improving the productivity and efficiency of business. Microsoft Outlook can be accessed using desktop or laptop computers, Microsoft Outlook, web browsers using Outlook Web Access and mobiles using mail for Exchange. Which means, that you are always connected, no matter if you are in office, travelling or working from home. You are connected to the same Microsoft Exchange Server at all times. This ensures that your inbox stays synchronised, no matter which Outlook client you use.
When choosing managed exchange, you are assured about your email system being secured, backed up and available. The state of the art security, privacy, high reliability and performance plus outstanding administration and support, ensures you do not miss out on any important emails at any given point.
Server Consultancy offers cloud based Microsoft exchange Server support and solution which includes:
- Robust bandwidth
- Reducing the IT overhead of running on-site Exchange Server or Small Business Server.
- Built in redundancy for peak performance
- 100% network and application uptime
- Exchange Server, network and infrastructure security
- No need for expensive hardware installations and on-going maintenance.
- Every email is scanned for viruses and spam before it arrives in your inbox.
- Skilled, experienced and certified staff from Microsoft Certified partners.
The quality of service and Microsoft Exchange Server Support you receive from Server Consultancy will guarantee a reliable business email services , whilst offloading the administration burden of your messaging system. In addition to this, you get a messaging solution that is richer, more reliable and robust than the basic web mail.


text:
About this artwork:
57 views | Added Mar 14, 2012
Contact Artist
See all Artworks by baboune (71)
Order a custom work by baboune! Are you interested by a custom artwork from baboune ? To enquire about customizing an existing artwork, or create a completely new project based on your requirements, please contact the artist and provide all details about your project. Artist will be back to you within 48h.
Contact Artist
Follow baboune!


text:
See your red on these designs right now!
Enter your colors here, then click the icon below any design to preview it in your colors.
Recommended Just For You
Customer Raves & Reviews
I am in love with my invitations and matching favor tags, envelope labels, wine labels, etc.
Sweetly Sealed Square Pockets I am pleased by the quality of the products. When I received the materials, they looked EXACTLY how I had designed them online. Further, I LOVE that Magnet Street gives you a 'few extra' from production. I was able to have some items for my scrapbook without sacrificing sending out an invitation.
Vintage Spring Square Pockets I just received these beautiful invites. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!!!! The design and colors are perfect from what we chose off of the complimentary color chart that was sent to us with free samples. Between ordering and delivery everything only took about 1 week! I highly recommend this invite, its fun & classy all in one!


text:
- James DeWeaver
- Byron Bay Nsw
- Australia
Professional Contemporary Artist/Pastellist, James DeWeaver Pastels
This conversation is closed.
Are the "climate denial kingpins" and Republican's Texan Billionaire Koch brothers good for America's Political and environmental future!
The more i see and hear about these two, the greater the distain for them and their ability to manipulate the media,Politicians,as these two have never been elected to a public office of any kind, yet their able to play the Politicians because of their EXTReme wealth, and the general public!
Closing Statement from James DeWeaver
Well the concensus is obvious, these two as Krisztian so aptly put it "crackpots",Charles and David Koch are not good for the environment, actually very destructive and polluting, and their "corrupting" the American Political system in America with their "super-pacs".
Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.
Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.


text:
Can McDonalds' Shamrocking Hashtag Escape Bashtag Status? [VIDEO]
Have you heard of Shamrocking? It involves taking a photo of yourself doing an Irish jig while holding one of McDonald's new neon green Shamrock Shakes, and then tweeting the photo with the hashtag #Shamrocking. "The Irish jig has been an expression of joy since the 16th century, and thanks to the hot new viral trend of #Shamrocking, it's making a modern day comeback," says a sponsored post on Buzzfeed.


text:
Hi, I'm Jaden, a professional recipe developer, food columnist and food photographer specializing in fast, fresh and easy recipes for the home cook. Most of my recipes are modern Asian! About meFast, fresh & easy recipes for the home cook.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Beautiful, eco-friendly compostable Wasara disposable dinnerware
(via Swiss Miss)
Absolutely gorgeous pieces, love the fluid/curvy shapes
No way! Those are disposable? Wayyyy too pretty!
We just used them. WASARA is by far the most elegant disposable plate… however you'd hardly know that they should be thrown out.. they're just to nice. You can get them in bulk for parties here:
No Way! Those are "throw away" as in disposable?? Wow…we've come a long way since Dixie cups and Chinet


text:
The Indian Bank is one of the oldest banks established during the time of British Raj as a result of the Swadeshi movement. The Indian bank was first set up on 15th august, 1907. The bank was soon opened in other parts of the world and was then nationalized by the Indian government in the year 1969. The bank has been set up in different parts with about 1642 branches worldwide and 22,000 proud employees working with the Indian bank, till date. The bank offers services like money transfer, depositing money with a very good interest rate on the deposit, loan options, and other financial services. Recently, a large number of ATMs have been installed nationwide for quick money withdrawal.
Indian bank jobs are one of the best and the most prosperous jobs available for any deserving candidate ready to enter into this rat race of earning money in order to have a comfortable lifestyle for the future. Indian bank careers have job security even after retirement and thus a secured future. Indian Bank jobs also have very convenient working hours and the best career possible.
Indian Bank Recruitment Procedure
A candidate with a degree from any recognized university with a percentage of more than 50% is eligible for a job in the Indian Bank. The candidate can have a degree of any discipline. The Indian Bank Recruitment procedure starts with the submission of an application for the job of a clerk. The application fee varies for each section of individuals. It is usually Rs.50 for ST/SC candidates and Rs.200 for others including the OBC candidates. For those who are not able to submit a hard copy of the Indian Bank application form, can fill an online form for the Indian Bank Clerical job. The Indian Bank recruitment procedure will be made according to the merit list prepared after each candidate goes through a written test or an interview. There are many centres for the written test and are easily accessible.
The written test mainly consists of two papers:
a. Objective paper: This paper has four sections which mainly questions relating to logical reasoning, general awareness, quantitative aptitude and command on the English language.
b. Descriptive paper: This paper consists of five long answer questions based on the socio – economic conditions, out of which the candidate is required to answer four.
The candidate is required to pass in each of the four objective papers and depending on the ranking in the merit list and the availability of the number of Indian bank job vacancies, selected candidates are called for an interview, which is the last stage of the acquiring of the job. Following the written test is the interview that selected candidates from the merit list are required to attend. Depending on their performance in this interview, the Indian Bank branch will decide whether to hire the candidate or not.
Candidates who find themselves eligible for the advertised posts can also apply online for the post under the Indian Bank recruitment 2012. The candidate is required to have a valid e-mail id. Branch code and the branch transaction number should be filled correctly in the form and all the necessary details (starred) need to be filled in the form. After completion of the online application, there is an automatically generated registration number that the candidate receives and also a chosen password. The candidate should make sure that the password and the registration number is noted and carefully kept for future access. The candidate should bring a downloaded call letter and a recent passport size photograph to the written test venue along with the challan form during the Indian bank recruitment procedure.
Careers at Indian Bank and how is the recruitment done
The results of the written exam are usually published within a month of the written test. Appointment letters to the selected candidates is sent through speed post to the address specified in the submitted application. The candidate has to take note of the important dates of submission of the form and the written test/interview date. Indian Bank recruitment notification and the Indian Bank jobs are usually published in newspapers. Interested candidates have to keep a constant look out for these ads.
Indian bank career is the best option possible for those out of college ready to step into the fast moving world and earn a livelihood and set a standard of living for himself. The most important thing for every job seeker is to look out for these job advertisements in the newspaper from time to time and apply for the same. For those applying for these posts, wish you all success and all the very best for your future endeavors and projects. For more information on the Indian Bank recruitment 2012 and job vacancies please visit the official site www.indianbank.in.


text:
Tweet Parade (no.48 Nov-Dec 2012)
01/12/2012 | 1 Comment
A new weekend, .. a new roundup with last week's best tutorials and articles found on the interwebs. It's all about HTML, CSS, responsive web design, graphics, SEO, WordPress and more. A broad scale of topics, but never-the-less the underlying focus is on Design.
Also I see this as my personal bookmarks of great articles from the Community of the last period. These hand-picked articles and tutorials are categorized by their main topics. The best way to keep track of these tweets is simply to follow me on Twitter.
Webdesign Coding: CSS, HTML, Javascript, PhP, APIs, etc.
Essential CSS Layouting Resources – Forgot how to properly tame the CSS layout beast, you say? Or didn't learn it in the first place? Worry not, since here's a list of a couple of the best and easiest layout techniques.
Use Tomorrow's Web Standards Today With CSS '@Supports' – Modernizr is great when you need it, but did you know that soon the browser itself will be able to give you the same information?
Changing Times For Web Developers – 6 Tips You Should Read To Survive – Think about crafting your web applications properly. Use commonsense to mix and match based on scenarios. Here we go with 6 Tips to be a responsible web developer, and to stay on top of what you do.
30 Amazing Resources for Sass Lovers – Despite the predictions of countless skeptics, Sass hasn't proved to be a fad at all, but rather a remarkably robust set of tools that genuinely improve CSS authoring.
An Introduction to the Command Line – The command line can be rather intimidating to some developers, particularly those coming from a design background who may be used to GUIs, but fear not, the command line is your friend.
To HTML5 or not to HTML5, that is the mobile question- Until HTML5 catches up to native apps in enabling users to play games and load social networks quickly, the latter will dominate those segments. Still, HTML5 is ahead ..
Colors in CSS – we have various ways to describe color with CSS. Some of them like keywords and hexadecimal has been there almost since the beginning of the web, while other like HSL or RGB came later.
30 Useful CSS Snippets for Developers – A great list of 30 CSS Snippets and I'm sure whether you are an experienced web designer or you just making your way in, they are all well worth checking out.
CSS3 Repeating Gradients [CSS3 Tips] – There are many CSS3 features that change the way we decorate a website, one of which is CSS3 Gradients. Now we are able to deliver these effects by only using CSS
CSS prefixes: it's not that simple – Too many developers use vendor prefixes in a way that harms website compatibility. The problem is multifaceted, and so there isn't really one group of people that are to blame, or one golden solution.
Exercise Better Web Typography With CSS Hyphens – I noticed something that only type-obsessed nerds probably notice: some really good-looking hyphenation. A quick right-click to "inspect element" revealed this gem:
-moz-hyphens: auto;.
5 APIs that will transform the Web in 2013 – Over the next year, there are a number of technologies coming down the pipeline that have the potential to radically transform how we use and develop for the Web.
CSS :target - The
:target pseudo selector provides styling capabilities for an element whose ID matches the window location's hash. Let's have a quick look at how the CSS target pseudo selector works!
How to get started with Sass – This article will walk you through the basics, and help you over the prep work required to get Sass set up, so you can use it in your own projects.
CSS3 Image Reflection [CSS3 Tips] – Properties that are currently not included in CSS3 official specifications that are worth to try out, one of which is the
box-reflect property that is initiated by Webkit. This property can reflect on the objects specified.
Usability, User Experience, Responsive Webdesign, Mobile, etc.
Solving design problems – Whether you're designing something new, or redesigning something, even following just one of these steps will help. The more steps you follow, the better the results.
Responsive Mobile Navigation Menu – Methods and Solutions – There are many solutions, such as select drop down menu, css drop down menu, toggle nav, block, footer anchor, sidebar nav and many more.
Responsive Column Layouts – Today I'm going to share a very simple CSS trick to create a responsive column layout using nth-of-type pseudo class. It doesn't require any first or last class and the number of columns can be adjusted base on the viewport.
26 Of The Best Mobile Website Resources On the Internet- According to ComScore, we're just over a year away from having more mobile web users than desktop ones, here are some key resources on mobile and your website to help you make the transition.
WordPress Mobile Solutions Compared – A pure responsive approach to building a website can be a very tempting proposition. After all, it promises to address both your desktop and mobile website needs in one go.
The 10 principles of mobile interface design- In order to keep pace with this rapidly changing landscape, designers and developers need to start thinking about mobile as a primary project goal; not something tacked onto a desktop-centric project as an afterthought.
Best Practices For Creative And Thoughtful User Interfaces – Thoughtfully designed UIs are often more likely to be highly recommended – even if they solve the same problem as their competitors.
Fluid Grids in Responsive Web Design Tutorial – It's your decision to choose between a fixed or fluid grid to design the layout. Throughout this tutorial we are going to focus on fluid grids and their importance in responsive design.
Why You Should Consider A Ligature Icon Font For Your Next Project – However, there are three fundamental disadvantages to icon fonts, two of which are also shared by image sprites
The ultimate "target retina screens" media query – In terms of CSS, to specifically target this group of devices, unfortunately there's no easy way to say "apply this set of rules to all devices where physical pixels are not equal to CSS pixels".
Responsive Typography in Web Design: Understanding and Using – RWD has different components. Another component is Responsive Typography, it is quite recently introduced, and is the one we will discuss in today's article.
Webdesign in Common, Web Typography, jQuery, Tools, etc.
Seal the Deal: 10 Tips for Writing the Ultimate Landing Page – So let's look at 10 key steps to writing and designing a landing page that will help get you the results you're looking for
How Are Web Designers Getting Affected By Cloud? – Large IT organizations have taken advantage of cloud hosting and software as a service (SaaS) features for several years now, but individual web designers are finally starting to pick up on the cloud computing trend.
Using Transparency in Web Design: Dos and Don'ts – Experimenting with transparencies is a great way to expand your design repertoire. Like many other effects, use this technique sparingly and test the design in multiple environments to ensure that it works and looks as you intended.
7 Great Tools to Help You Build Your Own HTML5 Forms – Forms can be one of the most complex aspects of your front-end development work. They're far more complicated than most of the items that you'll work with from both an HTML and CSS perspective.
10 Tips for Great Web Typography – Understanding the basics of type is the key to readability, flow and design harmony. Here are 10 quick tips that any designer can use on the way to creating outstanding web typography.
Design Improvements to Attract Visitors to Your Websites – Type and goal of website, potential users, and business policies behind it are only some of the essential factors that could affect the strategy.
Website Personalization: Tailoring Website For Magnetism – Personalization process is about offering 'tailor-made' environment to a visitor with dynamic content, which varies as per the needs, selection and user behavior.
Chrome Dev Tools: Networking and the Console – The Network panel gives us a view into the resources that are requested and downloaded over the network in real-time. Viewing network traffic isn't the most glamorous activity – especially if you're new to web development.
The Importance of Design Functionality & Conversion – It's difficult for designers to come to grips with the look of a website that's made strictly for optimizing conversion rates.
Your 12-Point Checklist for Mobile-Optimized Landing Pages – This post is going to tell you the best practices for optimizing your landing pages for mobile devices — it'll be a handy checklist to ensure you don't miss out on that on-the-go audience of yours.
Graphic Design, Brand Identity, Typography, Print Design, Icons, etc.
Adobe Illustrator tutorial: Create vintage type styles – In this tutorial, Melbourne-based type artist Bobby Haiqalsyah details how he creates vintage-style pieces through the interesting use of original reference materials, ..
Photoshop tutorial: Master lighting effects – Setting the overall mood of an image can be easy, thanks to simple, highly effective lighting effects in Photoshop.In this tutorial you'll learn various techniques used by the professionals, including brushes, layer adjustments and layer modes.
The Aesthetics of Reading [PDF] – Specifically in this paper we examine the benefits of good typography and find that good typography induces a good mood.
Effects of Typography on Reader Mood and Productivity – In their paper titled The Aesthetics of Reading, Kevin Larson and Rosalind Picard present their findings on the effects of typography on reader mood and cognitive performance.
Roundup: 21 Articles On How To Create a Good Logo And How To Avoid Disaster – Creating a logo is a hard thing to do because in a single image you need to include everything starting from that company's ideology and all the way to the consumer's psychology.
Your Brand is More Important Than You Think – The importance of establishing your brand in the era of Digital Darwinism cannot be overstated. Digital Darwinism occurs when technology and society evolve faster than one's ability to adapt
10 Beautiful and Free Slab Serif Fonts – Slab serif fonts, which have blocky shapes at the end of some (or all) characters, are versatile and can be used in many situations. This collection of free fonts includes a handful of excellent slab serifs for you to check out and download.
StyleManual – This is an absolutely incomplete, personal reference. When something is in question, I plan to document the opinions of multiple books, drawing my own conclusions and setting my own rules for style.
What makes a good logo designer?- The process of creating a logo, at least on a professional level, can easily become a long series of complex tasks that don't necessarily have anything to do with designing, and to be successful in doing that the designer needs to have a quite peculiar mix of skills.
Blogging, Social Media, Writing, Content Strategy, Email, etc.
How to Optimize Your Website for Social Media – So what can you do to ensure that your website or blog is receiving the right amount of attention from social media, i.e. how do you optimize your website for Social media?
Your Blog is Your Portfolio – Any blog can be turned into a portfolio blog with just a few additions. And these changes will only make your blog more attractive to your followers and the search engines.
What's Your Long-Term Blogging Strategy? – They key to building a successful blog that produces long-term income is planning, or strategy. Your blog is your business and no one sets up a business on a lark.
On New Inspiration Sources for Blogging- The issue of inspiration, fighting writer's block, getting ideas for new posts and articles, and generally being able to write new posts on a consistent basis is one of the main challenges of blogging.
Customising and Simplifying the WordPress Admin for Your Clients – When you're building a website for your client, sometimes there are parts of the WordPress admin that you don't need them to be able to access.
What's New in WordPress 3.5: The Developer's Perspective – The final version of WordPress 3.5 is coming closer – the first release candidate has already been presented to the public. It means that we should have our hands dirty with testing.
Registering Custom Post Types- Registering Custom Post Types is a breeze, really. You just need to set all the variables that are going to govern how your custom post type should function, and put that code in either a plugin, or your theme.
Using The Wp_Editor() Function On Theme Options – In this tutorial we are going to create a function that can be used to add a TinyMce textbox on your theme options page. A tinyMce textbox allows your users to easily create HTML in a textbox.
Parse RSS Feeds as Content in WordPress – What most people do not know, however, is that WordPress is also quite capable of pulling in RSS content from outside blogs and parsing it for display within one of its many template files.
How to Break a WordPress Install (And Fix It Again) – Sometimes it's tempting to change the Site URL to reflect a change in your domain name. It is important that you do not do this!
Understanding and Using Featured Images in WordPress – WordPress also lets you add a special kind of the image to the post called as a featured image. This featured image is not a part of the content but can be used in the various places in the theme to display the post.
How to Find a Backdoor in a Hacked WordPress Site and Fix It – Time and time again, we have helped users fix their hacked WordPress sites. Most of the time when they reach out to us, they have already cleaned up the site, and the hacker was able to get back in.
Custom Database Tables: Creating the Table – In this article we've looked at reasons why you should and shouldn't use custom tables, as well the details you'll need to consider and finally how to create a table.
Top 100 Resources for WordPress Tips, Tricks, and Tutorials – Thankfully, a lot of bloggers like to share the tips that they've picked up along the way. In no particular order, here are our top 100 resources for WordPress tips, tricks, and tutorials.
44 Ways to Hack the WordPress Media Library – Today we'll go over all kinds of different ways to enhance, hack, and extend the capabilities of the WordPress media library.
Search Engine Optimalization, Conversions, Analytics, etc.
10 Tips to Improve Conversion Rates – Your website may be at the top of Google's search rankings, but if you fail to convert your visitors, your SEO is effectively worthless. Conversion rate optimization is just as important as SEO.
47 Resources To Carry Your Link Building Through 2013- It is also clear that Google will continue to roll countless updates that will have some impact (big and small) on sites that aren't careful with their link building tactics.
Everything You Need To Know About Meta Description Tags – The Meta Description tag is a concise summary of page's content to describe the current web page. They are used by search engines for displaying little snippets of text ..
7 Sure Signs You're Due for Negative SEO – Negative SEO is relatively rare, but it's still essential to keep a close eye on your back link profile and ensure you've got nothing in common with a spammer
Creating a Mobile Strategy: Reach Your Audience On the Go – Become more accessible to your target audience and increase customer loyalty by being available whenever and wherever they want to access your site. Follow these steps to create a mobile strategy.
XML Sitemaps 101 – We all know how important XML sitemaps are in helping the search engines index our websites better, but it is quite surprising how many webmasters fail to implement it this simple, crucial component of site optimization.
CSS3 Image Gallery with Dynamic Caption Text – For this tutorial I want to show how we can build a standards-compliant HTML5/CSS3 image gallery with fading captions. We will be using CSS3 transitions to create the animated effects.
Flawless clickable drop-down navigation – In this tutorial I'll show you how to create a superb clickable drop-down navigation, using jQuery and of course complete with CSS fallbacks.
Animated 3D Flipping Menu with CSS – CSS animations aren't just for basic fades or sliding elements anymore — CSS animations are capable of much more. Today's we'll create a simple but awesome 3D flipping menu!
Calendario: A Flexible Calendar Plugin- Today we want to share a flexible calendar concept with you. Calendars can be a very tricky thing when it comes to their layout and responsiveness.
Build a Freaking Awesome Pure CSS Accordion- What we're going to build is a pure CSS horizontal accordion slider. You'll be able to insert as many slides as you want, each with unique content and each accessible via a click event, all without a lick of JavaScript.
Create a Glossy Photo Effect with CSS3 ~ In this tutorial I'm going to show you how to recreate this common effect of making a glossy image, by using some CSS3 gradients.
Single-Page Ajax Portfolio Update Panel with jQuery – In this tutorial I want to explain how we can build a simple portfolio update panel using jQuery. This will make it easier to embed a similar page widget into any portfolio layout.
Swap Your Page's Background Image on Navigation Hover – Today we're going to embark on just such a challenge. We'll build a basic home page that swaps out background images based on the link that you're hovering over in the navigation.
Freelance, Business and Workflow Related Stuff
Entrepreneurshit. The Blog Post on What It's Really Like – It's not for everybody and you shouldn't feel bad if you aren't one of those that chooses this life. You'll probably be healthier and wealthier.
Better understanding your client's business- In this post, I explain how you can better understand those organisations, before helping them make the changes necessary to ensure their site succeeds.
Finding Jobs as a Freelance Web Designer Or Other Freelance Specialist- Are you a freelance web designer looking for great opportunities? The thing to do is to figure out if you can do this online and find some great sites to use.
How to Determine if You Should Accept a Freelance Project – Unfortunately, making decisions on which projects to take is not always easy. In this post I'll cover a number of different factors that I feel should be considered.
F*cking Brilliant, a great Read or just magnificent Tips!
Building a Design-Driven Culture – Being design-driven means treating design as a partner (and a leader) in the product creation process. Look at your feature roadmap right now.
User-Centric Website Design – We design websites in order to make life easier for the end user. If our website looks good, but has certain annoying features that turn away visitors and potential customers, the project has failed.
Just Don't Make It Annoying – I find that whenever I'm designing a user interface, the one safe rule to follow is simply this: just don't make it annoying. This might sound banal, but there are often cases where blindly following ..
Design and Functionality: The Perfect Mix – While beautiful design is important for ecommerce sites, functionality has to be priority in this situation, because customers will quickly leave your site if it's confusing or inconvienient.
Understanding the Split Layout in Web Design – While this might sound a little silly and obvious in the beginning, this fundamental layout can be very effective. Our eyes tend to follow a zig-zag motion while skimming through a page.
Stop wasting your marketing dollars: Build your brand first – Many marketers and most entrepreneurs think about brand as something you do at the last minute. It's a name, logo or website that you create right before you launch. But this is backwards thinking that will end up costing you money in the long run.
– § -
I hope you have enjoyed these hand-picked great articles? Please let me know by sharing your opinion in the proper section. Did we miss a great article, please let us know .. To keep up to date with all the cool links, simply follow me @gonzodesign


text:
Productivity Power Tools for Visual Studio 2013
- Speakers: Murali Krishna Hosabettu Kamalesha
- 20,759 Views
- 6 Comments
Loading User Information from Channel 9
Something went wrong getting user information from Channel 9
Loading User Information from MSDN
Something went wrong getting user information from MSDN
Loading Visual Studio Achievements
Something went wrong getting the Visual Studio Achievements
Right click "Save as…"
With the release of Productivity Power Tools 2013 for Visual Studio 2013 come eleven new powerful features. Some of these features are brand new extensions, while others are improvements to functionality found in previous versions of Productivity Power Tools. In this video we'll introduce you to such new features as quick tasks, recently closed documents, peek help, HTML copy and others.
Oops, something didn't work.
Very good video and appreciate the Power Tools!
Excellent new tools! Thanks.
Very good video showing the new tools.
This is really amazing, I will be downloading Power Tools 2013 when I get home. Thanks
I'm using Visual Studio 2013 Ultimate with Productivity Power Tools for VS 2013.
But I don't have the seven'th option. (Show icons).
This is what I see
Very nice - how about bringing back macros?
Comments have been closed since this content was published more than 30 days ago, but if you'd like to continue the conversation,
please create a new thread in our Forums,
or Contact Us and let us know.


text:
Passing car causes head-on crash on SR-4, 2 die
The causing vehicle caught on fire and trapped two people. Both people died at the scene.
The causing vehicle caught on fire and trapped two people. Both people died at the scene.
Authorities are looking for the suspect who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in a Southeast Portland park on Monday.
The Clark County Medical Examiner ruled a Vancouver teen's death a homicide on Tuesday.
"The guy who thinks his personal policy is going to cover him is in big trouble," a state official said.
A Portland fire investigator arrested two 12-year-olds in connection with a fire at a play structure at a private school on Tuesday.
With the Scoggins Creek Fire approaching full containment, Washington County officials said they plan to re-open the park on Wednesday.
Joanne Krumberger came to Portland in May, in part to turn around the trend of veterans waiting weeks or months to get medical care or an ap…
After residents noticed a growing encampment at Lents Park, they banded together and even got the city involved but want more done.
Just as firefighters begin to get a good handle on the wildfires near Portland, the threat of mudslides and debris flows have become a conce…
No one stepped forward with an offer to buy the 88-year-old bridge that Multnomah County put up for sale in August and it will be demolished…
A woman accused of defrauding the state out of thousands of dollars in public assistance will be arraigned in Multnomah County Circuit Court…
A suspected gang member involved in a downtown shooting that injured four people will be arraigned Tuesday morning, police confirm.
September 23 is National Voter Registration Day, and students got a lesson about the importance of voting from Sen. Ron Wyden.
Miss America Kira Kazantsev said Tuesday that she was removed from her college sorority over a letter that made light of hazing, but she den…
Seattle residents who fail to separate food waste from trash will be fined.
A commercial power outage in the Rose Quarter area disrupted several MAX lines.
Neighborhood activists trying to stop residential demolitions and infill projects are running into bureaucratic obstacles — both at the city…
At least one person has been taken to an area hospital after an assault at a Cascade Locks motel, officials confirmed.
Washington State Liquor Control Board records show 35 different marijuana-infused food and beverages so far.
In a matter of days, the fate of Lake Oswego's Wizer Block may finally be decided.
A health advisory remains in effect to stay out of the Willamette River after tests indicated the blue-green algae in the body of water is t…
ODOT says they expect to reopen the southbound off-ramp and on-ramp that link Interstate 5 with North Marine Drive Tuesday morning.