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What do you think of my OH opinion? Please don't shout but discuss x

i-love-bunnies

Warren Scout
I am all for rescue centres and think they do a great job. As some of you know I was refused a hamster because the rescue deemed me unsuitable due to already owning lots of animals. My OH couldn't understand why I was upset and asked why I didn't just buy one from a pet shop.
I explained I wanted to take one from a rescue centre because it was unwanted and so the rescue had another space available. I said pet shops sell animals to anyone and don't know if it's going to a good home or not.
He answered that surely then it would be better for me to buy a hamster from a pet shop before it went to someone on impulse who wouldn't look after it properly.
His argument was

1. The animal could go to anyone.
2. The pet shop enclosures are too small.
3. Cheaper and quicker than the time it takes to adopt.
4. Animals in rescue centres are safe and looked after.

What do you think? I can see what he means and his opinion is putting the animal first.
PLEASE NO FIGHTING LOL X
 
Buying any animal from a retail outlet supports an industry that causes untold suffering to thousands of animals. You may 'help' the one animal you buy, but what about the one the shop brings in to replace him/her ? What about the one after that and the one after that ? Unless you are intending to buy them all you are not helping Animal Welfare by buying from a retail outlet. You are supporting an industry which puts profit before Animal Welfare.
 
Personally, I think it's about morals and the bigger picture. Morals vary person to person but his theory does not take into account the bigger picture, just dealing with one animal.

Looking at those points

1. The animal could go to anyone. Yes, but by taking one it doesn't take into account all those others that are going to anyone. you can't 'save' them all. What about those who come in the fill the space of the animal you have taken.
2. The pet shop enclosures are too small. True, but buying a hamster is not the way to encourage them to increase their accommodation size.
3. Cheaper and quicker than the time it takes to adopt. Is it cheaper? Yes, quicker, because they don't give a damn about the animals, whereas the rescue is looking to do what is in the best interests of the animals in their care. That is not true of a pet shop; they are wanting the highest possible turnover for more money.
4. Animals in rescue centres are safe and looked after. What about those not able to get into the rescue because it's full? They are never safe. They are always vulnerable and always very much in need.

I think, personally, an 'argument' of this nature is very short sighted. If someone wants to buy from a pet shop, then that is their choice and that's fine, but using those reasons to justify why it's ok doesn't quite fit because they are not proper, backed up reasons. If someone needs to justify why they have done something, or are doing something, like this, then it implies they are not entirely comfortable with it. In my eyes.
 
I think it just comes down to the fact that while you might go into a petshop and buy an animal and give it the best home in the world, the next person may buy the next hamster on impulse, and not give it the best care. As you have gone into the shop and bought a hamster, space is made for the next hamster who might not get such a great home.

Of course not everyone who buys from a petshop is an evil animal abuser, we need to remember that, but a rescue will only rehome to a suitable home, so NO animal will go to a sub-standard home. In a petshop, who knows how many animals do go to those less than ideal homes.

I bought my first bunny as an adult from a petshop, because I didn't know about rescues at the time. Now I have learned more about the situation with so many unwanted pets, I couldn't contribute to that by buying any more animals from a petshop.

This topic has been discussed a lot, and is quite an emotive one, just to warn you.
 
Buying any animal from a retail outlet supports an industry that causes untold suffering to thousands of animals. You may 'help' the one animal you buy, but what about the one the shop brings in to replace him/her ? What about the one after that and the one after that ? Unless you are intending to buy them all you are not helping Animal Welfare by buying from a retail outlet. You are supporting an industry which puts profit before Animal Welfare.

This :thumb:
 
His point is you will never stop the industry just by not buying one or 20 rabbits, hamsters or guinea pigs. So every one saved is a good thing surely. If the pets in the shops aren`t bought then they will suffer untold misery, whereas, every one taken out of the shop has to be a good thing as long as they are cared for.
P.S
The hamster in question was an adopted one not a for sale one so it was returned by a customer who didn't want it
 
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His point is you will never stop the industry just by not buying one or 20 rabbits, hamsters or guinea pigs. So every one saved is a good thing surely. If the pets in the shops aren`t bought then they will suffer untold misery, whereas, every one taken out of the shop has to be a good thing as long as they are cared for.

If you can't stop the industry, how come you don't see kittens or puppies sold in shops like before, or even birds, nowadays.

Ihe industry can be stopped, it's just never going to happen instantly.

As I said before, because I did understand your explanation the first time, that he is looking at one individual animal, not the bigger picture. I think the argument is flawed.

But, again as I said, if someone wants to buy from a pet shop, that is their choice and fine, using those reasons to justify it shows it doesn't really sit comfortably with the person doing so. I think people can only be true to themselves and their beliefs.


ETA-

You added this

i-love-bunnies said:
The hamster in question was an adopted one not a for sale one so it was returned by a customer who didn't want it

That is different, in my eyes, than buying off the shop floor. I still stand by the no need to justify what you're doing or finding 'arguments' for doing it. If you were comfortable doing it, you wouldn't have made this thread.
 
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His point is you will never stop the industry just by not buying one or 20 rabbits, hamsters or guinea pigs. So every one saved is a good thing surely. If the pets in the shops aren`t bought then they will suffer untold misery, whereas, every one taken out of the shop has to be a good thing as long as they are cared for.

Nope, it is supporting the perpetuation of an immoral industry.

People will buy from Petshops, but it is not and will never be 'rescuing'. It is what it is- buying an animal the person wants with no regard for the implication for the 'bigger picture'

Why did P@H stop selling birds ? Because people stopped buying them.

It's not rocket science, no demand= no need to supply.
 
If you can't stop the industry, how come you don't see kittens or puppies sold in shops like before, or even birds, nowadays.

Ihe industry can be stopped, it's just never going to happen instantly.

As I said before, because I did understand your explanation the first time, that he is looking at one individual animal, not the bigger picture. I think the argument is flawed.

But, again as I said, if someone wants to buy from a pet shop, that is their choice and fine, using those reasons to justify it shows it doesn't really sit comfortably with the person doing so. I think people can only be true to themselves and their beliefs.


Nope, it is supporting the perpetuation of an immoral industry.

People will buy from Petshops, but it is not and will never be 'rescuing'. It is what it is- buying an animal the person wants with no regard for the implication for the 'bigger picture'

Why did P@H stop selling birds ? Because people stopped buying them.

It's not rocket science, no demand= no need to supply.

Completely agree with Jane and Sky-O
 
The point is the rescue centres are very fussy and people who look after their pets very well will get turned down for very silly reasons ie. too many rabbits when a hamster lives indoors not outside with the rabbits. Birds are very susceptible to diseases as he knows because he keeps finches so shops have problems so therfore they wont sell them as profits die before being sold. Some shops -Jollyes for one - do still sell birds? He understands it's not the best idea buying from the shops but when the rescues wont let people have the animal in question and they get overrun with and can't take anymore what happens then? He's read the replies and thinks that people need to get off their high horses and accept that it's not going to stop the same as being vegan or veggie is not going to help animal slaughter. There are far too many pets and not enough caring people to look after them breeders will always breed so animals will get greater in number.


*I-LOVE-BUNNIES IS HIDING IN CORNER AS OH HAS TAKEN OVER MY ACCOUNT*
 
Nope, it is supporting the perpetuation of an immoral industry.

People will buy from Petshops, but it is not and will never be 'rescuing'. It is what it is- buying an animal the person wants with no regard for the implication for the 'bigger picture'

Why did P@H stop selling birds ? Because people stopped buying them.

It's not rocket science, no demand= no need to supply.

Am taking the lazy approach and just saying 'yeah, this'! :) Seriously, I totally agree - if you buy an animal from a pet shop, you create a demand for more to be sold.
 
If you got turned down by a rescue centre then maybe you just arent suitable!!

Telling people to get off their high horse is plain rude.

You asked for an opinion and got it. To argue a point that's been done to death is pointless.

If you want to get a pet from a pet shop then you will regardless of what we think. No need to try and justify it to us. I wont agree with buying an animal from a pet shop and especially because of being refused a rescue one! I'd be shocked if anyone thought that was sensible at all!! :shock:
 
If you got turned down by a rescue centre then maybe you just arent suitable!!

Telling people to get off their high horse is plain rude.

You asked for an opinion and got it. To argue a point that's been done to death is pointless.

If you want to get a pet from a pet shop then you will regardless of what we think. No need to try and justify it to us. I wont agree with buying an animal from a pet shop and especially because of being refused a rescue one! I'd be shocked if anyone thought that was sensible at all!! :shock:

Agree with this
:thumb:
 
The point is the rescue centres are very fussy and people who look after their pets very well will get turned down for very silly reasons ie. too many rabbits when a hamster lives indoors not outside with the rabbits. Birds are very susceptible to diseases as he knows because he keeps finches so shops have problems so therfore they wont sell them as profits die before being sold. Some shops -Jollyes for one - do still sell birds? He understands it's not the best idea buying from the shops but when the rescues wont let people have the animal in question and they get overrun with and can't take anymore what happens then? He's read the replies and thinks that people need to get off their high horses and accept that it's not going to stop the same as being vegan or veggie is not going to help animal slaughter. There are far too many pets and not enough caring people to look after them breeders will always breed so animals will get greater in number.


*I-LOVE-BUNNIES IS HIDING IN CORNER AS OH HAS TAKEN OVER MY ACCOUNT*

Your boyfriend using your account won't stop you getting an infraction. Please tell him to put his point across more politely.
 
If you got turned down by a rescue centre then maybe you just arent suitable!!

Telling people to get off their high horse is plain rude.

You asked for an opinion and got it. To argue a point that's been done to death is pointless.

If you want to get a pet from a pet shop then you will regardless of what we think. No need to try and justify it to us. I wont agree with buying an animal from a pet shop and especially because of being refused a rescue one! I'd be shocked if anyone thought that was sensible at all!! :shock:

This ^^

The rescue must have had their reasons for not rehoming to you.

I find it very rude having posted in response to your OP, to be told to get off my high horse.
 
If you don't want this to turn into an arguement telling people to get of their high horse because they have a different opinion to you is not the way to go about it. :?

If you buy from a petshop you are supporting them, its as simple as that no matter how much you or your OH argue. :? Yes it won't stop them selling animals overnight but there are alot of members on RU that won't buy from petshops, thats alot of people rescuing rather than buying and many bunnies in rescues would not have got a home without this and the petshops would have made alot more money if all of us bought from them!!

These are pictures from the rescue I helped with up the road from me with the Lym buns, you ask The Duchess how much that rescue cost her not only finanically but emotionally after a lot of buns have health problems due to the disgusting conditions and lack of care. We should be supporting rescues not lining the pockets of breeders like this:

30Aug2010002.jpg

30Aug2010007.jpg

30Aug2010012.jpg


Maybe you are not a suitable home and if the rescue you are talking about is being unreasonable then go t another instead of trying to justify buying from a petshop is right.
 
If you got turned down by a rescue centre then maybe you just arent suitable!!

Telling people to get off their high horse is plain rude.

You asked for an opinion and got it. To argue a point that's been done to death is pointless.

If you want to get a pet from a pet shop then you will regardless of what we think. No need to try and justify it to us. I wont agree with buying an animal from a pet shop and especially because of being refused a rescue one! I'd be shocked if anyone thought that was sensible at all!! :shock:

^^^^^^^^^^^^ that

High-ho Silver, away.............. *gallops off into sunset on her high horse*................ :wave:
 
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