Apparently it's idiotic to save anything but a chyld

Recently in England it's been very cold, though not cold enough to snow, and one unfortunate event after another is happening on icy lakes.

Fire fighters were called to the scene of a man who had jumped into freezing water to save his beloved Spaniel dog. One of the firefighters is quoted to have said "It was a really idiotic thing to do, he could have paid for that with his life." And that's where I got really fucked off.

And yet if he had jumped into that same lake to save a chyld or teenager, he would've been called a hero. But because he risked his life to save a 'lowly' dog (who he loved dearly) he's been labelled a fool and an idiot.

ARRGGHHHHHHH!!!! *vent vent vent*

I think that it showed the man's true character that he was willing to risk his safety and even his life to save his dog. What an asshole that firefighter was to call that man an idiot and I hope that he has no pets "of his own". I hope that the dog was ok and that the fireman froze his baybee making gonads off.

As KK said, he showed his sterling character by jumping in to save his dog. Good for him, and feh on the naysayer.

It's really an individual thing- some folks here have expressed a little surprise at the lengths to which people will go to save their animals, and other will stop at nothing. I kept trying to say "enough' when my cat's heart condition was breaking the bank but I wanted him to have a good life as long as possible. So it's a highly personal choice.

I'd go to any length to save one of my pets - or any random animal, at that.

Can't say as I'd do the same for a kid.

Call me idiotic. (shrugsshoulders) I sleep very well at night.

If a kid and a dog were drowning in the lake, I'd save the dog.

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Catabat
If a kid and a dog were drowning in the lake, I'd save the dog.

I would too, but could you imagine the public outcry? You'd probably get sued for letting the kyd drown. I know that there was an incident a couple of years ago where the kyd was drowning and the woman on land (who wasn't related to the kyd) didn't jump in and save it, and she ended up being sued. Funnily enough, I don't think the duddie who wasn't paying any attention got in any trouble. He just assumed that the lady that was there would keep an eye on his kid - even though she never was asked/was asked and said no, I forget which. But he never got in trouble, and the lady did.

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"Not every ejaculation deserves a name" - George Carlin

Well, about 20 years ago my dad's cousin was shopping at The Galleria Mall in Birmingham, Al, and witnessed a toddler leaning over into the lighted fountain (under the safety railing) that was in the middle of the mall at that time. The friend with her said that she was VERY upset that no one seemed to be watching the little tyke as he practically lay on the ground, inching closer and closer to the no doubt over his head water, so she walked over to grab the little bastard's hand and go find his moomie, who was no where in sight. Just as she got nearly within his reach, the kyd fell over into the water and the whirlpool like waters were basically just dragging him around and under. When she couldn't reach him, she jumped into the fountain and pulled the tot to the ground and other than wailing, he was fine. However, as she was getting out, she stepped on an underwater electrical wire that had shorted out somehow and was electrocuted right there in the middle of the mall. She died because of a breeder not watching it's kyd, but of course the careless breeder was painted as a hysterical moomie who was "thankful to God" that her kyd had been saved. I am sure that the breeder got casseroles delivered for weeks to help her recover from such an ordeal.

Kim, this is why no matter what if you see a kid doing something stupid, you should bolt the other way- you cannot win this one, no matter what. Too many blameseekers make good samaritans miserable. What a horrific event.

Talk about a double standard.

Firemen are always saving pets. Hell, a cat gets "stuck" in a tree who do you call? The Fire Department. Flip over to Google and put in "fireman rescue kitty" on an image search. It's practically a cliche.

I'm not saying that these guys become firemen specifically to be heroes, to rescue cats, or to become heroes by rescuing cats. But you'll get lynched if you suggest it isn't heroic for a fireman to run into a burning building to save a cat. Even when running into burning buildings to save cats is his friggin job. It's like soldiers - their jobs are, by their very nature, heroic.


So why wouldn't it also be heroic - perhaps additionally so - for a non-fireman to rush into a dangerous situation to rescue an animal?

Jumping into freezing water... probably not a smart thing to do. I don't know all the details but I'd probably have looked for some other way to save the dog since it's really hard to get out of freezing water once you're in. But just because the action was perhaps ill-advised doesn't make it less heroic. Heroism is an action taken in spite of the obvious personal risk in an effort to save others from harm. There's no rule it has to also be smart because hell, sacrificing yourself for other is not really smart.

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LoveToLurk

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Catabat
If a kid and a dog were drowning in the lake, I'd save the dog.

I would too, but could you imagine the public outcry? You'd probably get sued for letting the kyd drown. I know that there was an incident a couple of years ago where the kyd was drowning and the woman on land (who wasn't related to the kyd) didn't jump in and save it, and she ended up being sued. Funnily enough, I don't think the duddie who wasn't paying any attention got in any trouble. He just assumed that the lady that was there would keep an eye on his kid - even though she never was asked/was asked and said no, I forget which. But he never got in trouble, and the lady did.

I hope that case was dismissed. She's not in relation to the kyd and she shouldn't be essentially expected to watch some duddie's crotchfruit.

Here's a similar story with a bad ending. The sick part of this story is the comments.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/plainsboro_woman_drowns_trying.html

Why's it okay for someone to save a child but not a pet? You're stupid if you jump in icy water to save a pet so aren't you still stupid to jump in that icy water to save a child? Is the water less icy or something if a child falls in?

/vent

- proud mom of 4 fur kids

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Nikki

I hope that case was dismissed. She's not in relation to the kyd and she shouldn't be essentially expected to watch some duddie's crotchfruit.

I wish I could remember, but I don't, and I've been looking on and off all day and I haven't been able to find it. You'd be suprised at the number of hits the search "woman sued in child's drowning" brings up.

No, I take that back, you probably wouldn't be suprised. I really wasn't, either.

But yeah, I hope she got off, too. I think the other ridiculous thing about the case was that the woman couldn't swim and she was still expected to go in after the brat, but I'm not entirely sure about that point.

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"Not every ejaculation deserves a name" - George Carlin

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LoveToLurk

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Nikki

I hope that case was dismissed. She's not in relation to the kyd and she shouldn't be essentially expected to watch some duddie's crotchfruit.

I wish I could remember, but I don't, and I've been looking on and off all day and I haven't been able to find it. You'd be suprised at the number of hits the search "woman sued in child's drowning" brings up.

No, I take that back, you probably wouldn't be suprised. I really wasn't, either.

But yeah, I hope she got off, too. I think the other ridiculous thing about the case was that the woman couldn't swim and she was still expected to go in after the brat, but I'm not entirely sure about that point.

If the woman drowned, she'd probably be called a hero or an idiot. But I don't know if I would actually risk it. I can swim, but those ponds, if they're not cold, they're filthy. And I don't want to ruin my nicer and/or more expensive things.