pet adoption and animal cruelty
TRANSCRIPT
Pereira 1
Luciana Medina Pereira
Dr. Doss
English Composition 102
December 15, 2013
Wikipedia Page: Pet Adoption and Animal Cruelty
Introduction
Pet adoption usually refers to the process of
taking guardianship of and responsibility for a pet
that a previous owner has abandoned or released to
a shelter or rescue organization (The free
dictionary.com). It is an easy and cheap method to 1
obtain an animal that needs somebody to take care
of it. Pet adoption should be encouraged by animal
protection organizations and government because is
the best way to avoid the increasing of the Euthanasia and also stop Puppy Mills` business.
Table of Contents
1. Background information on the topic. 2
1.1 The Adoption Process. 2
1.2 What is Euthanasia? Why is that used? 2
1.3 What is a puppy and kitten mill? 3
3. Conclusion 5
4. Summation 6
5. Works Cited 7
1 Source: The Free Dictionary.com. 2013
Pereira 2
1. Background information on the topic
1.1 The Adoption Process
The process for adopting a pet includes making a visit to a shelter or animal rescue in
to see the animals available for adoption. After choosing the animal, a form must to be filling
up with all personal information (name, address, age, etc.). The future adopter also must to
give more specific information, like marriage status, if he has children or not, if he has another
animal, how many hours work per day, why does he wants a pet, etc. Finishing all this
process, the shelter or animal rescue will analyze the chances of this future adopter be a
good owner for the animal or not, giving him/her a final answer.
1.2 What is Euthanasia? Why is that used?
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain
and suffering (The free dictionary.com). It is usually a practice used in animals to avoid 2
overpopulation as well as do not letting an animal suffer pain.
A good point of pet adoption is that it helps with the decrease of the euthanasia. Even
though, the euthanasia is a painless way to put the animals to sleep or die, it is still unfair and
cruel. Animals available for adoption had already a sad past and deserve love and a new
family to take care of them until they die for natural causes. Also, the euthanasia should be
used just for extreme cases, as when an animal is very sick and suffering, having no more to
do for saving it.
Until 20072008, the number of adoptions had increased, making the euthanasia
decrease. For example, The Preston County Animal Shelter in West Virginia took in 2,494
animals in 2007 and adopted out 1,294. Moreover, in December 2007, 103 animals were
brought to the shelter and 13 were euthanized, which represents a low rate (Plum). 3
2 Source: The Free Dictionary.com. 2013 3 Source: Plum, Kathy. Dominion Post, The (Morgantown, WV). 2008
Pereira 3
Unfortunately, some shelters and animal rescues are facing a bad reality. Instead of
adopting animals, people are dropping them off because
they are not able to take care of their pets. "It's ridiculous
how so many people have animals they don't want to
take care of," shelter volunteer Ricky Collins said as he
placed the seven blackandwhite puppies in a kennel
with three others,” points out Adams (Adams). 4
Another study made with the AntiCruelty Society’s
(ACS) animal shelter in Chicago shows that after 2007
occurred a decrease of pet`s adoption mainly because
an unfavorable economic environment (Weng, and Lynette A. Hart). 5
1.3 What is a Puppy Mill?
Puppy Mill is an establishment that breeds puppies for sale, typically on an intensive
basis and in conditions regarded as inhumane (Oxford dictionaries.com). 6
Because of misunderstanding or the lack of information, many people nowadays give
preference to buy their pets in Pet Shops than adopting one that was abandoned. People
think that buying a pet in a Pet Store is more reliable or credible. People also thinks that the
pets have a pedigree, or are in better shape, and healthier. However, Pet Shops feed the
business of Puppy and Kitten Mills.
In January, 2008, a case in the famous neighborhood of Hollywood showed how Pet
Shops work with the Puppy Mills. A famous Pet Shop called Cat`s Meow was denounced by
its employees because the puppies sold there were bought in Puppy Mills and customers had
4 Source: Adams, Mason. Roanoke Times, The (VA) (2006). 5 Source: Weng, and Lynette A. Hart. Journal Of Applied Animal Welfare Science 15.1 (2012): 80-90. 6 Source: Oxford Dictionaries.com. Oxford University Press. 2013
Pereira 4
no idea about it. “Paris Hilton bought a puppy there. Britney Spears, Demi Moore, Denise
Richards and Clint Black shopped there too,” says Dood. After this denounce the Humane
Society of America started an investigation for 3 months and discovered that the Pet Shop
was making business with 28 Puppy Mills
where they got puppies for $400 and then
sold them for up to $2.400. After this
investigation the Cat`s Meow was shut down
for 24 hours because its license was
outdated; however, it is not a crime to buy
puppies or kittens from Puppy Mills so the
Pet Shop soon came back to business. At
least, after the investigation all Los Angeles`s Pet Shops were obligated to put in the cages
where the puppies come from (Dodd). But is good to remember that who is going to buy a 7
pet also has to be conscious and ask about the past of the animal of interest, avoiding
problems in the future and and combating animal cruelty.
The Puppy Mills act with cruelty in many ways, making the puppies and kittens sick.
First, the animals are forced to reproduce, do not respecting nature as well as a space of time
between one gestation and another, which impacts in how health will be the puppies and
kittens. This shows that it is a business focused only in making money. More puppies they
have, more money they make once that Pet Shops most sold product are the newborn
animals.
Second, the mills keep thousands of animals in bad conditions, as in “cages caked
with feces and infested with rodents, puppies and breeding animals forced to sleep in freezing
7 Source: Dodd, Johnny. "Pet Shop Scandal!." People 69.2 (2008)
Pereira 5
cold, and malnourished animals”, says Sorentrue and Pat Beall (Sorentrue, and Pat Beall). 8
Also, bad food is given to them, which impacts in their healthy tremendously. An animal treat
with quality food will be stronger and its system will be capable to combat diseases. Once
more is proved that this is a very cruel business, administrated by unprepared people that
have no sense in how to take care of these animals or just do not care about them. The only
motivation in this business is money.
Third, any kind of vaccination is given to these animals that were just born, what is
extremely important. According to Corrigan, protecting puppies with vaccines is as important
as feed them with good food and behavior training (Corrigan). Moreover, the American Animal
Hospital Association`s Canine Task Force recommend to give many vaccines, as Core
Vaccines and NonCore Vaccines, to protect the newborn puppies in the first 6, 9, and 12
weeks (Corrigan). An newborn puppy that does not take it will be exposed to many diseases
and this will impact also in how much money its owner will spend in veterinarians.
The problem here is, when buying a puppy or a kitten in a Pet Store, the new owner
has in mind that he is buying a health pet. But, if this pet comes from a Puppy Mill it might be
sick. It can presents a cold, sniffles, worms, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. It can be a disease easily
solved or something more serious that has no treatment because is considered too severe.
According to Investor`s Business some cities in America as West Hollywood, CA,
Albuquerque, MI, South Lake Tahoe, CA are banned to sell dogs and cats in retail store.
Furthermore, cities in Florida and Missouri are also considering prohibiting this action. Puppy
and kitten mills were criticized by animal advocates once that this kind of business keeps the
animals in cruel conditions and they suggest people to adopt pets and not buy them.
Investor`s Business affirms, “About 2 mil4 mil dogs are born in U.S. puppy mills a year,
8 Source: Sorentrue, Jennifer, and Pat Beall. IRE Journal 36.2 (2013)
Pereira 6
according to the Humane Society” (Investor`s Business). 9
3. Conclusion
In conclusion, Pet Adoption is not just an easy way to have a pet, but more than that.
Adopting a pet helps to combat animal cruelty, the dark business of Puppy Mills, and the Pet
Shops that delude many customers every year selling sick animals. Understanding more
about this subject also can help in the combat of animal cruelty. Before buying a pet, ask as
much as you can to the seller. Information and documents of the pets, including vaccination
dates, must to be easily provided and hidden information can be a sign that something is
wrong. Furthermore, after buying a pet, the customer has the right to bring it to a veterinarian
to make sure of its pedigree and health, returning it if proved that the pet is not in good shape.
4. Summation
It is amazing how much we love our pets, whether cats, dogs, birds, or whatever they
are. Everybody says about dogs, "They are the best man`s friend". But are we their best
friends? People are selfish and act with prejudice. Instead of giving to an abandoned pet a
home, most of the people just think in how cute the puppy will be to show to their friends. And
that is why places as Cat`s Meow sells a lot of sick pets a month without any suspicion.
Because people just care about status and appearance. Let`s stop to think just about
ourselves and help more. Let`s Adopt and Save Lives! And do not forget that adoption is also
the best way to avoid the killing of thousands of animals by the Euthanasia`s method.
9 Source: Investor's Business Daily. 28 May 2010
Pereira 7
5. Works Cited
ASPCA Blog.“We fight for animals. Will you join the fight?.” ASPCA.org, n.d. Web. 10 Nov.
2013 <http://www.aspca.org/blog>.
Adams, Mason. "Shelter Problem More Than Pet Peeve: Adoption Specialist Sherry
Slaughter Says More Animals Are Being Dropped Off Than Adopted In Franklin County."
Roanoke Times, The (VA) (2006): Newspaper Source. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.
Corrigan, Lori. “What Kind of Shots Does My Puppy Need?” The Daily Puppy,n.d. Web. 12
Dez.
Dodd, Johnny. "Pet Shop Scandal!." People 69.2 (2008): 144. Academic Search Premier.
Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
Investor's Business, Daily. "More cities ban pet shop puppies." Investor’s Business Daily. 28
May 2010: A02. Business Source Elite. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
Plum, Kathy. "Preston Animal Shelter euthanasia rate hits low: 13 out of 103 animals put
down in December." Dominion Post, The (Morgantown, WV) 08 Jan. 2008: Newspaper
Source. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.
Sorentrue, Jennifer, and Pat Beall. "Brutal Beginnings." IRE Journal 36.2 (2013): 1820.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
Weng, HsinYi, and Lynette A. Hart. "Impact Of The Economic Recession On Companion
Animal Relinquishment, Adoption, And Euthanasia: A Chicago Animal Shelter's
Experience." Journal Of Applied Animal Welfare Science 15.1 (2012): 8090.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Nov. 2013
Wikipedia contributors. "Pet adoption." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The
Free Encyclopedia, 14 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.
Oxford Dictionaries. "Puppy Mill." Oxford University Press, n.d. Web. 07 December 2013.
Pereira 8
TheFreeDictionary.com. "Pet Adoption, Euthanasia, Puppy Mill." 2013. Farlex, Inc. 7 Dec.
2013