keet_tweet4
05-14-2008, 04:23 PM
Title of Article: What is Rescuing & Adoption?
Date Written: 5/14/08
Author: Keet_Tweet4 (Haley)
Article:
Adoption is when you buy an animal from a rescue shelter or from someone who can no longer keep it. The price of the animal is usually called the "Adoption Fee". This helps run the rescue.
Dictionary definitions are
res·cue/ˈrɛskyu/verb, -cued, -cu·ing, noun –verb (used with object) 1.to free or deliver from confinement, violence, danger, or evil. 2.Law. to liberate or take by forcible or illegal means from lawful custody. –noun 3.the act of rescuing.
a·dopt /əˈdɒpt/[uh-dopt] –verb (used with object) 1.to choose or take as one's own; make one's own by selection or assent: to adopt a nickname. 2.to take and rear (the child of other parents) as one's own child, specifically by a formal legal act. 3.to take or receive into any kind of new relationship: to adopt a person as a protégé. 4.to select as a basic or required textbook or series of textbooks in a course. 5.to vote to accept: The House adopted the report. 6.to accept or act in accordance with (a plan, principle, etc.). —Verb phrase 7.adopt out, to place (a child) for adoption: The institution may keep a child or adopt it out.
You cannot "adopt" or "rescue" an animal from a breeder or pet store.
I'll make up a little story to help us understand better. None of the people or places are real as far as I know.
At the pet store "Pet World", there are budgies and they are kept in a tiny, filthy cage, with filthy water and only seed hulls. "Joe Shmoe" walks into the pet store and, naturally, is disgusted at the conditions the budgies are kept in. He decides to buy a budgie and "rescue" it from these awful conditions. He buys his budgie, names it "Petey", and walks out.
"Joe" didn't rescue the budgie. He bought it. He gave "Pet World" money so they can replace "Petey" with another budgie to sell and make profit off of.
This isn't rescuing, this is encouraging bad conditions in a pet store.
It isn't adoption either. What it is buying an animal from a pet store. Here's another scenario, except where the animal is gotten free from a pet store.
Mrs. Lady walks into the same store and sees a sick budgie in a seperate cage. Mr. Manager says "Take this budgie for free, it's sick and we don't want it." Mrs. Lady takes the budgie and leaves.
This isn't rescuing or adoption either. This is getting rid of the pet store's problem birds so they can get another to take it's place to sell and make a profit off of. Some breeders and stores say they charge "adoption fees" but they are just selling the animal.
All decent shelters and rescues at least have a cursory adoption application so they have basic info on you, your other animals, animal care history, plans for your new pet, and your knowledge of your new pet. They never purposely breed or buy animals to have more available. The best rescues and shelters will also do at least one interview with you and home checks/inspections with the option of continuing these inspections for the rest of the animals' lives and, if possible, spay or neuter the animal (except with birds they do not spay or neuter). If there is no adoption application, and they breed or buy to replenish, then it is a sale. This is not a person or business you want to reward with your money.
The next time you see an ill, abused or neglected animal for sale and you are tempted to buy it (or even take it for free) please remember what you have learned here. Yes, that animal does deserve love and care but not at the expense of other animals suffering it it's place. Instead of buying the animal call the SPCA, Humane Society, Department of Agriculture and/or Health Department instead and keep up the heat, if necessary, to get them to do something about the situation. Keep the numbers handy in your cell phone. Carry a camera with you at all times to document abuse when you see it. By getting the petstores and breeders in trouble and hopefully punished for their deeds you will be helping more then just the one or two animals you may want to buy without removing evidence or supporting the abusive practices.
Date Written: 5/14/08
Author: Keet_Tweet4 (Haley)
Article:
Adoption is when you buy an animal from a rescue shelter or from someone who can no longer keep it. The price of the animal is usually called the "Adoption Fee". This helps run the rescue.
Dictionary definitions are
res·cue/ˈrɛskyu/verb, -cued, -cu·ing, noun –verb (used with object) 1.to free or deliver from confinement, violence, danger, or evil. 2.Law. to liberate or take by forcible or illegal means from lawful custody. –noun 3.the act of rescuing.
a·dopt /əˈdɒpt/[uh-dopt] –verb (used with object) 1.to choose or take as one's own; make one's own by selection or assent: to adopt a nickname. 2.to take and rear (the child of other parents) as one's own child, specifically by a formal legal act. 3.to take or receive into any kind of new relationship: to adopt a person as a protégé. 4.to select as a basic or required textbook or series of textbooks in a course. 5.to vote to accept: The House adopted the report. 6.to accept or act in accordance with (a plan, principle, etc.). —Verb phrase 7.adopt out, to place (a child) for adoption: The institution may keep a child or adopt it out.
You cannot "adopt" or "rescue" an animal from a breeder or pet store.
I'll make up a little story to help us understand better. None of the people or places are real as far as I know.
At the pet store "Pet World", there are budgies and they are kept in a tiny, filthy cage, with filthy water and only seed hulls. "Joe Shmoe" walks into the pet store and, naturally, is disgusted at the conditions the budgies are kept in. He decides to buy a budgie and "rescue" it from these awful conditions. He buys his budgie, names it "Petey", and walks out.
"Joe" didn't rescue the budgie. He bought it. He gave "Pet World" money so they can replace "Petey" with another budgie to sell and make profit off of.
This isn't rescuing, this is encouraging bad conditions in a pet store.
It isn't adoption either. What it is buying an animal from a pet store. Here's another scenario, except where the animal is gotten free from a pet store.
Mrs. Lady walks into the same store and sees a sick budgie in a seperate cage. Mr. Manager says "Take this budgie for free, it's sick and we don't want it." Mrs. Lady takes the budgie and leaves.
This isn't rescuing or adoption either. This is getting rid of the pet store's problem birds so they can get another to take it's place to sell and make a profit off of. Some breeders and stores say they charge "adoption fees" but they are just selling the animal.
All decent shelters and rescues at least have a cursory adoption application so they have basic info on you, your other animals, animal care history, plans for your new pet, and your knowledge of your new pet. They never purposely breed or buy animals to have more available. The best rescues and shelters will also do at least one interview with you and home checks/inspections with the option of continuing these inspections for the rest of the animals' lives and, if possible, spay or neuter the animal (except with birds they do not spay or neuter). If there is no adoption application, and they breed or buy to replenish, then it is a sale. This is not a person or business you want to reward with your money.
The next time you see an ill, abused or neglected animal for sale and you are tempted to buy it (or even take it for free) please remember what you have learned here. Yes, that animal does deserve love and care but not at the expense of other animals suffering it it's place. Instead of buying the animal call the SPCA, Humane Society, Department of Agriculture and/or Health Department instead and keep up the heat, if necessary, to get them to do something about the situation. Keep the numbers handy in your cell phone. Carry a camera with you at all times to document abuse when you see it. By getting the petstores and breeders in trouble and hopefully punished for their deeds you will be helping more then just the one or two animals you may want to buy without removing evidence or supporting the abusive practices.