Adopt and Do Not Buy a Pet Animal
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Christmas is around the corner and it’s a time to gift loved ones
to show them your love and how much they mean to you. The choices are plenty to
pick from when the gift makers make it so confusing and difficult for you with endless choices. The trick is always knowing the person better and what their
likes and dislikes are. However, there is one thing that most people go wrong
with is choosing a pet animal to gift someone. Of course, people who sell
cute little puppies and kittens will not make it easier for you with those
beautiful photos of the little ones placed in baskets like cute buns or
chocolates. If you are one of them thinking of gifting a puppy or a kitten to
someone who loves animals, be it your girlfriend, boyfriend, son, daughter, mom, dad,
sister, brother, friend, etc., please stop and think again. Because animals are
not supposed to be given as gifts as they are not an item but a living soul who
breathes, eats, and feels just like us.
Over the years, there were a lot of campaigns raised to spread awareness about not buying a pet instead to adopt. However, people at large are still either unaware of the way the animal sale works or choose to ignore it. The breeding industry has gotten so worse that, breeders stoop to such low levels that they torture the mother dogs and do not care what happens to them. Since the demand for puppies and kittens of different breeds is ever high, the breeders are striving to make money. Be it a homebred or a breeding mill, mating a dog to get pregnant, making her give birth, and then selling her babies for profit is never right. Do not fall for the belief that a dog or a cat should give birth at least once to be healthy because they don’t have to.
Puppy or Kitten mills
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The breeders consider this as a business and so they hire a huge place
where they keep multiple female breed dogs or cats. These female dogs or cats
are mated, to give birth and their babies are sold to you when you ask for a
cute puppy or kitten. No, you will not see this place as the person you would
meet is someone who looks like a nice family person and who would have a cute
little one happily running around in his house, which will make you believe
that your pup will be healthy. The fact is, most of these mills are the dirtiest
place, and the animals are kept in the worst conditions. They may have never
seen the daylight, might have never stepped out of their cages, might have not
got a proper meal, no proper clean water to drink, and would have never seen a
vet in their life. Many of them would be suffering in pain, might be bleeding
from the torture they endure from the ill-handling of these breeders. But that
is not what you would see, because then obviously no one likes to have a puppy
or a kitten from such a place, would you? Yet, every time you want to buy a
tiny little puppy or kitten of a foreign breed dog or a cat, this is what you
would be supporting. You will be the reason for the pain of an innocent animal
who was a pup or a kitten once and wanted to live a life just like any other
that you want to gift to someone you love. To be honest, many of these mother
dogs or cats will be still a puppy or kittens because breeders mate them the
minute they reach their heat cycles.
Do not blindly
believe the lies that you hear. Some of such lies that are often said,
1. “The puppies are from a female dog of a home environment and are well cared for and loved”. Do you go and check the mother dog and in what condition she is? Most do not, and you would never know.
2. “The mom is checked by a vet regularly and is a healthy dog or a cat”. Again, do you check the medical records of the mom dog or a cat?
3. “A particular breed of dog is suitable for you based on your lifestyle”. True that you have to consider if having a dog or a cat is suitable to your lifestyle, however going on the words of someone who tells you which dog you should buy is just meaningless because having a pet of any kind is a responsibility that one must be prepared for many years to come, which is something a breeder would not worry about as long as you pay the amount and take the puppy or kitten and secondly, its not just your lifestyle but also the dog's nature and environment in which he or she is suitable to grow.
The lies are never-ending
especially when you ask for a puppy or a kitten of a breed dog or a cat.
Pets are not gifts
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Animals are not a gift item to be gifted even when someone loves
animals. Because loving an animal from photos that you see on the internet is
entirely different from caring for one and actually being responsible for the
care it involves. That cute little puppy or kitten you want to gift will live
for at least about 15 years. Is the person who you want to gift, will be ready
to commit to the care the pet needs? Is the person old enough to understand all
the hygiene and medical necessities a pet requires? Will the person have time
and resources to take care of the pet? These are some of the questions you
should be asking yourself before you decide to gift a pet to anyone. Because
animals are once brought into a home and when surrounded by a house full of
people, they too develop attachment. When the person to whom you want to gift, cannot
handle a pet after a certain number of days/months and decides to give him or
her back it gets extremely difficult for the pet to adjust to a new home. For
some, it can actually be a traumatizing experience and may face behavioral
issues, which is not a mistake of the pet but yours and the person to whom you
gifted. Also, once a puppy or a kitten has grown a little older, finding a new
home is not easier because other adopters also want a tiny little one to adopt
just like you did.
Parents often make
this mistake when their child desires a pet. Your child is too young to take
care of a pet, He or she may play with and do some small stuff in helping.
However, a pet is like having another child. She or he needs similar care and
love that you would give to your human child. Are you, as a parent, ready for
this commitment? Adopt a pet only if you answer yes, or else please do not
bring home a pet.
Disadvantages of buying a dog or cat
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A dog is a dog, whichever breed the dog is, but the sad part is the way
the pup was born. I am not against any breed of dog or cat in particular, but
the breeders who have zero ideas about the breed, its nature, genes, and
behavior. Some of the many disadvantages in buying a pup or a kitten are, 1. Illegal breeders separate the pups and kittens before a minimum of eight weeks, which is the wrong age to separate them. This causes behavior and health issues in the little ones. A mother teaches her young ones all the necessary skills and feeds them. The milk from the mother makes the babies stronger which gives them the immunity to fight diseases as they grow and stay healthier. When you buy them at less than eight weeks of age and put them on a kibble diet, your pup or kitten is on a clock to develop serious health problems. No matter what food you give, it does not equal the mother’s milk, care, and love. Breeders separate the babies too early because they do not want to spend money on solid foods. 2. Puppies and kittens play and learn to socialize with their siblings and other older dogs or cats around them including humans. When you buy from a breeder, especially ask for a single one thinking your budget doesn’t allow for a pair, trust me you are going to spend a lot of money on this pet you are getting home. The little ones that are separated too early from their mother and siblings are bound to develop health problems that will take longer to show up and then for you to identify the root cause. It’s a road of trying to correct your mistakes if you are someone who wants to do the best for your pet, but what we see often is abandoned pets for a simple health problem that can be treated. 3. Each breed is suitable for a certain climate, for example, a husky is better suited for a colder climate. Buying an animal as a status symbol to show your richness is cruel and injustice to that animal as its survival will be difficult. 4. Most do not research about the breed and their necessities of food and their environment to let them grow the right way. This again causes health and behavioral issues. 5. The genes are passed on to the little ones from the mom dog that are in a bad condition causing genetic disorders which are often seen in breed dogs and cats. The first place most look to have a pet animal is a pet store, which is the wrong place to start with. Many think that buying a purebred foreign animal is the right pet. But the Indian native dogs are the best ones, suitable to our native climate. They adjust faster, are equally lovable, and intelligent as any other breed. |
Advantages of adopting a pet
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1. When you adopt, the rescuer or the pet parent would be careful in doing right by the puppy or kitten and would make sure they are at the right age to be adopted.
2. The little ones would have got timely vaccinations, and medical treatments as they have grown up, including the parent dog or cat, which ensures their better immunity.
3. By adopting, you would save the lives of two animals and not just one. The pet you would adopt, and giving the space for another rescue.
4. You will find great friends with like-minded people and with an added advantage of a beautiful support system. When buying from a breeder, the minute you pay the money and bring home your pet, any further conversation with him or her is a dead end. Adoption will open doors for a lifetime of new bonds.
5. Adopting a pet costs you way less than buying. It's inexpensive.
6. When you chose to adopt, you are choosing against animal cruelty and that is the greatest deed.
7. Rescue pets are adorable in showing love and trust me, they will win over your heart in no time. Give it a shot and tell me if I'm right or not.
8. Adopting an adult has its own benefits. Since the dog or cat is already grown up, their personality is known and may not have major changes in the behavior. Of course, it might take some time to adjust to a new place, but with time and patience, they will open up soon. They aren’t humans to take too long to adjust.
9. The Indian breed is one of the best to have as a pet. Since they have tolerance best suited for the Indian climate and are less likely to have health issues that are commonly seen in the foreign breeds. Adopting an Indian breed dog or cat will also reduce the demand for other foreign breeds which will reduce the torture to the poor souls kept caged for breeding purposes. Indian breeds are equally intelligent and loving.
If you are someone who believes in second chances and has knowledge about the kind of care any particular breed needs, please reach out to adoption centers and give a chance at life for a rescued breed dog or a cat provided you understand their needs well and have the patience and time to give the care they deserve. Remember, a rescued animal is not broken, but failed by heartless humans. The day we all stop asking for little puppies, the demand for them goes low, and breeders have to stop as well.
How to adopt?
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Always reach out to
your local shelter and find out about the available pets for adoption. Research, talk to known people, and find
out all the details you can. The Internet can be of great help here. Facebook
and Instagram have pet adoption groups as well where Individual rescuers post
for the adoption of their rescues. Join the groups, check out and connect.
Always do your due diligence. A responsible pet rescuer/foster and adopter will
be the one who would not hesitate to fill adoption forms and get them signed.
Kindly be patient in answering all the necessary questions as an adopter that
are asked by the rescuer or a team member of the shelter because for a rescuer,
handing over the pet to you and finding the right home to their lovely rescues
is a responsibility they carry for a lifetime.
My request to everyone wanting a pet is to
please adopt and don't buy!
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