I haven't read this whole thread, but this is a subject very important to me. If you are living on the public dollar(Krona, in my case), you cannot afford luxury. As Bay said, whine all you want but if you're hurting for money, then something has to be done about it and that something cannot be the forcing of other people to pay for you or give you emotional support, especially when you are still leaking money for something not necessary to your survival-people can argue the definition of that all they want, but it's already been defined by nature-shelter, food...etc. Pets, entertainment, vacations...etc these are not among the list of essentials. When you live on public dollar, you live cheap as hell. When you support yourself, you live like a king if you want.
It's one thing if you are hard up for dough and you are upset that you personally have to make some sacrifices...totally different if you are hard up for dough and make a plea for emotional or economic support for others when you are still living in a matter that isn't economically sustainable given your income/situation.
Basically, what you've said here is correct. If one is living off others, as one does when they receive public assistance, they should stick to the necessities in life. Unfortunately, many folks appear to think they are entitled to more than that, which is really annoying to me as a hardworking taxpayer. However, when it comes to keeping a pet, such as a dog, this isn't always a "luxury." As I mentioned, there are those who have helper dogs, for example.
In the U.S., if you are legally blind, you probably qualify for SSD (Social Security Disability). This doesn't mean you have to apply for it or that you couldn't be otherwise employed. However, some people who are blind have seeing eye dogs to help them through daily life. Sometimes these helper dogs are provided through some manner of public assistance. While a seeing eye dog no doubt betters a sightless person's existence, it isn't a luxury.
When a person receives public assistance in the form of, say, food stamps, these do not pay for anything but food and definitely not for pet food. I've seen homeless folks who beg at freeway on and off ramps with their pet dog sitting beside them. If one chooses to give them money, it is a gift or a donation if you will. Once you give someone something, it is theirs to use as they will. Therefore, if they spend it on dog or cat food for their pet, you really have nothing to say about this. Your option was not to give them money in the first place.
Beggars are sometimes crafty folks. I've seen sorry looking fathers and sometimes mothers standing by the roadside and holding cardboard signs stating they are homeless, cold and hungry while their children sit beside them. You see people feeling sorry for them and handing them money out their car windows. I don't. I am a suspicious person. I tend to think there is more to the "story" then they are letting on. I do feel bad for the kids though.
If my grown children fell on hard times, I would help them out until they got back on their feet. There is no way I'd let my daughter or son stand by the roadside with my grandchildren begging for handouts. In my opinion, this is what families should do. However, it sometimes seems like no one, not even ones own family is willing to make a sacrifice....I digress though.
As a reference, I have had a dog and sometimes a couple of dogs my entire life. When I was a kid, they helped teach me responsibility since they are completely dependant on their owners for survival, love and compassion. Both as a kid and as an adult, they have brought me enormous comfort and pleasure. Fortunately, I have always been in a financial position to take proper care of my pets. My son and his family have a cat. My daughter and her family have a dog, who is presently living with my wife and me. This is because, my son-in-law is stationed at Fort Bliss in TX and the vet advised against them moving him there for health reasons.
