Fur babies!

MayBee70

Why are people on this forum making fun of a term that might, just might, give someone that has lost a beloved pet a bit of comfort….and yes, you can can make fun of me for saying it, too….

Because it’s GN and that can happen. Don’t let it bother you.

But seriously, how can it bring any comfort when there’s no such thing as a rainbow bridge?
If people prefer to say that their friends and relatives have passed over that’s fine, and if people find comfort in saying the same thing for pets that’s fine too.Passed over implies another place or world where they may be waiting, but rainbow bridge?

I don’t see it as making fun, not at all.It’s just a discussion about phrases and why people use them.

It’s not my thing, but it doesn’t bother me if it brings comfort to others.

This has actually been quite useful, because I’d never heard of rainbow bridge , and in today’s climate if I’d heard it out of context, I would have thought it meant transing.

Many years ago, before people used the term rainbow bridge, a friend of mine lost the family pony. As they were driving home soon afterwards their little boy saw a rainbow and said to his mum and dad ‘that’s where ( I can’t remember the ponies name) is “. I never forgot it and I guess that’s why I find the term quite sweet. No one knew how or why he had that idea.

Quote Oreo Sat 19-Jul-25 22:56:48
The first time I heard a woman referring to her ‘fur baby’ I thought it was a euphemism for something completely different 🤭
As for the ridiculous rainbow bridge, where did that come from?
We don’t say that our nearest and dearest have crossed the rainbow bridge or I hope not anyway, so why say it about pets?

Because some choose to, why are you troubled ? d9 you feel. Better after mocking those who choose to speak of it ?

Just seen an advert on FB for an indoor soft play area for dogs
They really have been elevated to be your child

We have four of these dogs next door. They are either carried or go out in their push chair…. Sometimes in pink net skirts. And always referred to as ‘the babies’.

JamesandJon I give up don’t you want to be 🤮when you think of the little kids in the world starving

Oreo

But seriously, how can it bring any comfort when there’s no such thing as a rainbow bridge?
If people prefer to say that their friends and relatives have passed over that’s fine, and if people find comfort in saying the same thing for pets that’s fine too.Passed over implies another place or world where they may be waiting, but rainbow bridge?

So it's ok for people to find comfort in feeling that their dead relatives are now in heaven? Rainbow Bridge is the exact same thing - but for animals. I've no idea where the term originated - perhaps it just distinguishes the concept from human 'heaven'.
As I said earlier in the thread, I don't believe in heaven - but if I did, I'd want it to be like Rainbow Bridge. This thread has only confirmed why I like animals more than people.

I like animals too Viceversa that’s why I hate them being abused and put in clothes, sitting in prams, lugged around in busy shops, have shoes put on them ! taken out at inappropriate times (midday hot pavements) because they can’t be left alone,one, when they should be relaxing at home with a cool bowl of water I don’t like to see dogs in crates or having their tails docked or ears cut and I don’t want to sit next to someone’s else’s furbaby on an aeroplane . But none of that makes me an animal disliker it simply means they have a place and that place isn’t sitting on a chair in a cafe slurping out of a saucer (and that happened next to me) their place is on a lead (or off if allowed) going for good long walks at least twice a day, socialising with other dogs and then curling up at home after a good feed from a dog bowl
If people want to use twee euphsnisms like fur babies and rainbow bridge of course they re free to do so but we are also free to comment and allowed to express an opinion
Dogs and cat are animals not children
Dogs didn’t used to be allowed in shops, or eating places and they still shouldn’t

Don’t get me started on cat cafes

BlueBelle👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
My sentiments exactly.

Are all pets which are called Fur Babies put in cloths, taken out in prams , taken into cafes etc ?

Why mock how some cope with the grief of the death of a loved pet by speaking of Rainbow Bridge ? This thread is cruel

I don’t like the use of fur babies, my dog does get called some names, but that’s not one of them. However I think it’s harsh to criticise people for using a dog pram. Everybody I know who has used one does so because they love their elderly dogs with arthritic joints, and still want them to get out to smell the grass and see the trees in the park. They don’t do anybody else any harm, and make the dogs later years happier, so live and let live in my view.

I do none of those things, BlueBelle. My dog is a dog and is treated as one, but he is as much a part of our family as any other.
We only ever take him into cafes/restaurants etc if we are out and about in our motorhome (many sites specify that you cannot leave a dog alone in the vehicle) - and even then, we specifically look for places which are dog friendly. He lies quietly under the table and we have often been complimented on how well behaved he is. I would never take him into a shop.
I have a friend who has two Shih Tzus and she treats them like her babies - she dresses them up, takes them everywhere with her and sits them at the table in cafes and restaurants, feeding them off the tables. I hate that and it's people like that who give the rest of us a bad name.

This thread is cruel well it's certainly very unpleasant Annie.

Walking dogs when it's hot, tail docking and ear cutting is cruel. Dog crates; no. Our dogs love their crates and are quite happy to go in at bed time or when we're going out without them.

Dog prams enable dogs to be taken out when they wouldn't be able to do so otherwise and as we've been told on this thread, there can be a medical reason for a dog wearing shoes. As for everything else in your post BlueBelle, that's not what we would do with our dogs, but it's not abuse.

The results of abuse are what we see on adverts for the RSPCA; starvation, beatings and torture.

You are obvs an ideal dog owner ViceVersa but sadly nowadays so many aren’t.I love to see well behaved dogs , which of course means good owners who train them.

This discussion is neither cruel nor unpleasant and if older people can’t deal with differences of opinion it’s a poor do.

Quote Oreo Sun 20-Jul-25 08:30:47
This discussion is neither cruel nor unpleasant and if older people can’t deal with differences of opinion it’s a poor do.

Must difference of opinion include mocking , even mocking how someone speaks of grief when a much loved pet dies ?

Anniebach

Quote Oreo Sun 20-Jul-25 08:30:47
This discussion is neither cruel nor unpleasant and if older people can’t deal with differences of opinion it’s a poor do.

Must difference of opinion include mocking , even mocking how someone speaks of grief when a much loved pet dies ?

Yes indeed - can you imagine if someone starting mocking people on a bereavement thread about their loved ones going to heaven, for instance? As I said, I personally don't believe in heaven, but if it brings people comfort to think there is an afterlife and they will be reunited with loved ones there, then that has to be a good thing.

I'd love to think of being reunited with departed loved ones as well, of course, of seeing my dear, late pets once more. I can dream anyway.

Anniebach
Must difference of opinion include mocking , even mocking how someone speaks of grief when a much loved pet dies ?
Yes, evidently.
But you’ve been on GN long enough to know that people are derided for their use of words and phrases that give others comfort even when a human loved one has died.
I’ve seen posters criticise others who use lost, passed on, or gone to heaven when everyone knows they’ve just died!

Oreo

The first time I heard a woman referring to her ‘fur baby’ I thought it was a euphemism for something completely different 🤭
As for the ridiculous rainbow bridge, where did that come from?
We don’t say that our nearest and dearest have crossed the rainbow bridge or I hope not anyway, so why say it about pets?

Not unpleasant? I’m afraid I find the first line in that comment unpleasant and distasteful.

Exactly Bluebelle
One of their dogs is so fat it resembles a footstool with four skinny legs. …and the toys they have in the garden !!!!

There is an awful lot of ignorance about dogs on this thread. My dog has a basket full of toys. She loves them. My previous dog wasn't bothered. I remember a neighbour of mine that had the most well trained rescue Labrador [who sadly died recently] and as I passed their garden one day the washing line was full of Poppy's cuddly toys. There was no way that she was treated as a fur baby. But she still loved her toys. I reiterate some dogs are in prams because of mobility issues. And if they're seen walking wearing boots it's because they have a corn [very common in sighthounds] or an infection [a cut on a dogs pad takes a long time to heal and a nail bed infection has to be kept clean]. Crates are not cruel if used correctly. I disapprove of dogs sitting at tables in cafes and restaurants or the use of extension leads [although we do use ours on the beach so that our dog can have a good sniff so they, too, are ok if used sensibly]. There does need to be more more education for dog owners to make them more responsible but I also think that non dog owners need to be more understanding, too..