Monday, October 13, 2008

Chimp and Tiger

These photos are just too sweet. I wonder what will happen as they grow older.

These pet shop owners apparently ask potential buyers to sign a contract before selling their huskies. While it's certainly better than no screening, wouldn't it be best if they just didn't sell huskies at all?

13 comments:

Singapore Community Cat said...

Yes I definitely agree they would genuinely have shown their concern for huskies by NOT selling them in this unsuitable climate.

Anonymous said...

No breeding cld mean the pet shop owners hope "buyers" do not breed similiar dogs for sale and cut into their profits.

ethantan said...

They really should stop selling or breeding animals and start helping find homes for the existing animals at SPCA and strays. If they are really genuinely concern about the welfare of huskies or any other animals, that is. Whenever there's commercialization and money involved, there's nothing genuine about it. They are just using animals like things for profits. They have love for the animals?? Give me a break!

ethantan said...

Awww the chimp and tiger cubs photos are just soo cute! But yeah I do wonder what happens when the cubs grow big. Hopefully they could still be lovable towards the chimp as they get bigger just like Christian the Lion was towards the 2 guys that raised him :)

ethantan said...

Oh yah Dawn, I wish the pet shops here helps unwanted animals here get adopted instead of breeding and selling newborn puppies and kittens like the pet shop you went to in States. Now that's a pet shop owner who is genuinely concern about the welfare of animals and not just the profit margin.

Anonymous said...

If pet stores are located far away (not at shopping areas), it could cut down on impulse buying and perhaps result in less abandonement of dogs/cats in SG.

Any pet store who makes money exclusively from selling pets-profit is their top priority. Pets (esp dogs/cats) are cutest when very young so the 'shelf-life" is very short. Pet store owners sell pets-in-stock asap.

Anyone who has done adoption of cats knows that suitable adopters are few. I wld think that applies to buyers of pets to some degree. Many fosters have met people who complained that fosters are not "genuine" (bec fosters refused their requests) and so these people (considered unsuitable) were "forced to buy" a cat. I do feel sorry for the cat bought as it does not have someone to say "no" on its behalf.

Do not buy pet food from shops that sell cats/dogs.

Dawn said...

Yes - you can be more 'responsible' but to really care for animals, you can't sell them. That's the bottom line. As Anonymous said, it might be a clever way of also cutting out competition.

Anonymous said...

I agree that selling animals is bad in itself, but one needs to look at the shops individually. I know of a shop that sells animals, but the owner also contribute generously to the welfare of homeless animals. I also know of one that doesn't sell animals, but does absolutely nothing for the community cats in its vicinity. And that includes sitting idly when the cats are rounded up by pest control. I am not sure which shop is worse.

Anonymous said...

Sorry i have to disagree with yskat. Pet shops that sell pets make money from sale of animals. The more pets are sold, more would be bred for sale. And we know that there are many abandoned pets in SG. Why not have unwanted pets (pedigree too) for adoption in pet stores instead? No money in that of course.

Whether a person contributes to welfare of animals is another issue. I may be wrong but i think tobacco & gambling companies are generous contributors to charities.

Dawn said...

I do agree that it's very hard - this isn't so much a black and white area. I know someone too as yskat does, who runs a shop that sells animals, and who is very involved in animal welfare work. I also know that this person tries hard to screen the people her cats go to. Unfortunately some of those cats have still landed up however in homes that weren't very good - and which I know would have upset her if she knew. A few went through the CWS adoption board. However, one wonders if it might have been better in that case to have not added to the homeless cat population.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Dawn that this isn't a simple black & white issue, and it is hard to argue *generally* if it is "good" or "bad" to sell animals - the specifics need to be looked into. What is more important is that pet shops and pet supplies manufacturers should be more involved in homeless animal-related work. Since most of these businesses make large chunks of their income from shelters and caregivers of community cats, they should "give back" a bit more.

Anonymous said...

It is difficult to force altruism on "businessmen".
Wealthy people with concern for animals, can start non-profit pet businesses providing affordable good quality food for caregivers and also provide their shops as adoption avenues.

Anonymous said...

Buy pet food from 'businessmen' who do not trade in cats/dogs. Simple as that.