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[Instigator]

I have often been disgusted by how some animals look miserable in pet shops and knowing how the pet trade can be shady and devastating to some countries, I am not a fan of it.

We also have a lot of stray animals in this city and many people have an awful tendency to abandon their pets when they move, either letting them loose or just locking them up inside. Both are bad.

Heck, I remember as a kid, I would buy different animals in pet shops (frogs, turtles...), often not knowing how to take care of them. I just shouldn't have been able to buy them in the first place.

 

[DarienA]

Owning pets? Shit having KIDS should be harder...

 

[aoi tsuki]

Dammit, DarienA completely beat me to it.

 

[Instigator]

Separate issue, guys.

 

[Outcast2004]

I agree with Darien..

On the pets topic...
Pet shops as a whole really tear me up emotionally. I hate going past them. To see them in the small, dirty cages with no food or water and crammed 3 or 4 to cage in some cases. I have 4 cats with my wife and we love them dearly. It just kills me to know what happens when someone doesn't buy them.

I have such a soft spot when it comes to animals......

 

[ToxicAdam]

quit being such pussies.


Darien wins the thread, btw.

 

[Lil' Dice]

I think there should be a mandatory license required to own dogs and cats, especially dogs.
I wish you could get rid of kids as easily as dogs and cats though.....

 

[xsarien]

Pet shops are the sleaziest places on earth, right next to the last few remaining Roy Rogers restaurants in the country. It breaks my heart that by boycotting them, those animals continue to live in minimal conditions, but by buying from them, I encourage the shop or chain.

If you're looking for a pet, go adopt one. Your local SPCA should have a comprehensive list of shelters.

 

[Lil' Dice]

I'll get my dog from a private breeder as i don't know of a single pet shop in LA that sells Pit Bull puppies. Plus i get to check out the temperment of the parents.

 

[fennec fox]

I think owning ferrets should be harder, at least. They get thrown in the small-animal section with the hamsters and guinea pigs and people often assume you can treat 'em like that -- throw 'em in a cage all day, that is -- and they'll be happy. That attitude usually leads to abandonment when the ferret gets all depressed, then gets physically ill, and the resulting bill outclasses the original cost of the ferret.

The local ferret group I volunteer for received a call a while back from a family who found a ferret wandering outside in the Houston summer; they were concerned 'cos he wasn't eating. The guy had a chordoma (a tumor) on his tail that was the size of a nickel and was actually contorting the tail out of shape -- even worse, he was wearing a flea collar that was obviously put on him a very long time ago 'cos the hair around his neck was all gone.

Long story short, the ferret had surgery to remove the chordoma (i.e. he got his tail whacked off), and now he's recovering superbly. He'll probably be adopted out to one of the group members once he's ready. However, the surgery ate up group funds that could've gone towards educating the guy who bought, then abandoned the ferret in the first place. Soz.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

Pet shops are the sleaziest places on earth, right next to the last few remaining Roy Rogers restaurants in the country.

Roy Rogers restaurants?!? hahahaha.

I wish there was licensing involved, but then there is the obvious mistreatment of children as well. But...I don't have kids and I do dog rescue so, yes, I very much agree with your original point.

 

[fennec fox]

Oh, I missed the Roy Rogers slam! Hey, fuck you! As far as I'm concerned no trip to New Jersey is complete without a visit to one.

 

[xsarien]

Oh, I missed the Roy Rogers slam! Hey, fuck you! As far as I'm concerned no trip to New Jersey is complete without a visit to one.

I mock because I love. I think there are all of two of them within the NYC limits, and I haven't seen one since I moved to SF, but I'll admit that they make a mighty-fine cheeseburger.

Their fried chicken is also pretty good.

 

[Bregor]

Pet shops are the worst possible place to buy a puppy. Nearly all of the puppies there have been provided by 'puppy mill' breeders that breed very irresponsibly, greatly increasing the chance of health or temperament problems.

And owners need to understand that any dog needs love, attention, and training. That puppy that looks so cute when young will not be that adorable forever, and if not taught how to behave itself will develop behavior problems which will eventually push it even further from the hearts of the family.

The number one killer of dogs in the US is being unwanted. Unwanted dogs eventually end up in the pound, where the vast majority are euthanized. Unexpected liters of puppies that the owner cannot give away, dogs that no longer are as appealing as the cute puppies they began, and dogs that are never taught how to behave themselves are all at great risk.

Prospective dog owners need to understand that with that cute puppy comes a great responsibility - not just to the basics of feeding, grooming, and health care (and always keeping them on a leash outside, one of my pet peeves), but to properly develop the behavior and temperament of the dog through training and lots of love and attention. But the reward if you do so is truly great - a loving, understanding companion that will stick with you as long as they live.

 

[Instigator]

Pet shops are the worst possible place to buy a puppy. Nearly all of the puppies there have been provided by 'puppy mill' breeders that breed very irresponsibly, greatly increasing the chance of health or temperament problems.

And owners need to understand that any dog needs love, attention, and training. That puppy that looks so cute when young will not be that adorable forever, and if not taught how to behave itself will develop behavior problems which will eventually push it even further from the hearts of the family.

The number one killer of dogs in the US is being unwanted. Unwanted dogs eventually end up in the pound, where the vast majority are euthanized. Unexpected liters of puppies that the owner cannot give away, dogs that no longer are as appealing as the cute puppies they began, and dogs that are never taught how to behave themselves are all at great risk.

Prospective dog owners need to understand that with that cute puppy comes a great responsibility - not just to the basics of feeding, grooming, and health care (and always keeping them on a leash outside, one of my pet peeves), but to properly develop the behavior and temperament of the dog through training and lots of love and attention. But the reward if you do so is truly great - a loving, understanding companion that will stick with you as long as they live.

Preach it, brother Bregor.