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So you are thinking of adding a dog or cat to your family. You wander into the local pet store and there is an adorable fluff ball all ready for you to play with and love. Impulse tells you to take out your credit card and buy it. But is this really the right thing to do? Cats and dogs; Shelters around the world are full of them yet breeders, pet stores and people with intact animals continue to add to the over-population of pets. Why? Sadly, it most often comes down to money. If you or someone you know is thinking of getting a pet, the place to go is rescue or your local shelter. Pet stores often sell animals to increase their profit. There is no other reason. If the motivation was simply to display animals and engage the public in meaningful conversation about the enjoyment, benefits, responsibilities of being a pet guardian to a particular species, they would fill their cages with rescued animals. They would work with rescues and shelters to find great homes and use their presence to help fund organizations that are working to improve the lives of discarded, unwanted animals. They would still profit from supplies and would certainly be a retail destination for those of us that respect pet retailers that don’t profit from the misery of dogs and cats. Here are just a few reasons to consider adopting a pet over buying from a store. Kitten and Puppy mills. Most pet stores unfortunately get their kittens and puppies from puppy mills. These are factory style breeding facilities that produce animals in high volume. The reality is that the breeding animals and their young off-spring are kept in filthy, neglectful conditions. The off-spring often has health and socialization problems (if they survive). They are sold on to the pet stores often for as little as $100 - $200 and resold for $700, $800 or more. Don’t be fooled by the fact that they are “unpapered” purebreds and make sure you have a ton of extra money in your back pocket for the vet bills that often follow. “No these are not puppy mill…these are from a local breeder” If rescue had a dollar for every time a store told a potential buyer this line…fundraising would NOT be an issue. The puppy mill/kitten mill business model is everywhere but often on a much smaller scale. Backyard breeders use the same strategies as their much larger, commercial cousins and sell their kittens and puppies on to the pet stores. The off-spring is not any healthier generally and above all, they are still adding to the over-population of pets. Save a life, and discover the best friend you’ll ever have. It’s sad but true – space is limited in animal shelters and if that sweet little creature doesn’t get adopted within a certain amount of time, in many cases it will have to be euthanized. There are some no-kill shelters, but they are in the minority at this stage although thankfully growing. People who adopt often say that they feel the animal knows that it has been saved and they often describe them as “the best” pet ever. Kennel club or cat breeding papers are not a guarantee of health. Purebred papers from the regulatory body for breeders of cats and dogs guarantee only the purity the breed – nothing more. There is a science to breeding and if it not properly understood and practiced hereditary health problems can occur. If you are looking for a breed certified pet, look beyond the anonymity of the pet store or the internet and research and visit reputable breeders in person. You need to know about the animal’s parentage and see their living conditions. These days there are rescue organizations for nearly every breed, so you can combine purebred ownership with rescue. Keep your money in your bank. Why would you spend more of your hard earned money buying a pet from a pet store when you can adopt for much less and help to stop the suffering of animals? What you pay to the shelter generally includes spay/neuter services, vaccination and de-worming. You’ll also get some great guidance and advice for the care of your pet and some wonderful karma to add to your karma bank! You can find purebreds at a shelter. Yes really! If you are set on a particular breed you should still consider rescue and animal shelters. You will be surprised how many times purebreds find their way into these organizations. Good karma. Let’s face it, when it comes to loyalty animals do appear to be much more evolved than many humans. Through my activities supporting rescue I have been involved in many re-homing of cats and dogs. There are many, many stories of how rescues have improved the lives of those that have saved them. Somehow they seem to know and unlike humans…they never forget. Socialization. A pet store animal has probably never been in a house before, whereas a rescue or shelter animal most likely has. Nowadays, rescues and shelters screen and monitor the behavior of the animals in their care. Their concern is to know as much about the animal as possible so that the adoption is a great match for both the guardian and the pet. They are generally very honest with you about the animal’s personality and needs. When the only goal is profit, this is not a value added service you can expect from a pet store. Rescue and shelter animals are generally litter box trained/house trained. They know how to live with us humans. Most shelter animals have been left behind because of a cross-country move, a new baby, or expense. They’ll certainly be happy to have a new home. Don’t support animal over-population. The world is full of domestic animals that need a home. Pet shops and kitten/puppy mills support over-breeding of these animals for profit nut you don’t have to. If we all stop buying these animals the stores will stop stocking them and the mills will stop breeding. WE have the power to make this change and improve the lives of animals. The ripple effect is that more animals will be taken from shelters and rescue and less will be euthanized. It’s estimated that approximately 6 to 8 million pets are euthanized every year! Rescue a spayed or neutered pet instead and give it the loving home it deserves. WRITTEN BY: Marlene Watson WEBSITE: http://www.marlenewatsonart.com COPYRIGHT: Worldwide - Marlene Watson ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Marlene Watson is an accomplished artist and a long time supporter of animal rescue. She uses her artwork to support the efforts of animal rescue through her "Art for Heartsake - rescue fundraising program".
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animals, adoption, rescue, shelter, puppy mills, kitten mills, dogs, cats, karma, euthanasia,
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