You Named Him WHAT????

I love seeing pets with unique and original names, and have tried to keep my own pets from having common names.  There's nothing wrong with frequently used names such as Buddy, Max, Bear, Precious, and so on, and I bet most pet owners don't realize how common some names are.  But those of us in the veterinary field see certain names happen again and again.  So it stands out to us when people pick uncommon names.  However, sometimes people go too far.

Recently I've been having a discussion with some colleagues about some of the very inappropriate names people give their pets, none of which I can fully repeat here since I try to keep this blog family-friendly.  But we're talking about names like Dam**t, Sh**head, Nig**r, B*tch, Dumba**, and so on.  People sometimes use curse words, derogatory racial names, crude slang for genitalia, and so on.  Frankly, it makes no sense to me, and usually indicates someone who is rude, crass, inconsiderate, and insensitive.  And these people appear to be highly amused by their own perceived cleverness.  "Hey, come here, Dam**t!" [snicker, snicker]  "Did you kids feed Sh**head yet?" [goofy grin] 

I think it's very sad that these people don't seem to realize how offensive these names are.  And I can't imagine their kids growing up in such a household where language and attitudes like this are normal and accepted.  Is it any wonder that our society is becoming increasingly morally degenerate?  It boggles the mind that there are people who find these things completely appropriate in public situations.  Over the years I've seen a few clients who have named their pets like this, and I can tell you that they're not people I would want to spend time with.  And I've also refused to call these pets by their names since I don't use language like that myself.