[RC] petsmart - Karen J. Zelinsky
Amen, Tamara, Roy & Margie!
I come from a family with a mom who bred and showed Persian cats for 30+
years, and know first hand how many animals are cranked out EVEN by a
quality breeder. Yes, the purebreds are pretty, BUT, there's lots of
"pet qualities" produced, and one animal sold means one less home for a
needy critter. My mom finally closed down her cattery when she
discovered one of the feline diseases was spotted in one of the cats.
(very ethical - not like too many other breeders who keep on breeding to
health and genetically-impaired animals.) And then she started a local
animal rescue group - PAWS - that has grown and grown and grown.
Regarding Petsmart - when I was down in Florida this past winter -
earning money rubbing horses - I wanted to save a cat that was obviously
discarded at a gas station and went to a Petsmart. I was impressed with
their effort to help me try to help the cat. Unfortunately, when I was
lent a portable carrier, the cat was gone. I really, really applaud the
places that have been finding homes for the needy critters.
I've seen one heck of a lot of the bad problems with animal breeding -
looking for pretty features that are function-unfriendly - ex:
(especially in dogs) - German Shepards and low hind ends = hip dysplasia
(sp) possibily, pug-nosed dogs AND cats - respiratory problems, and on
and on and on. And when a breed becomes popular??? Guess what?
Overbreeding and inbreeding and quality downturn. And then there's the
one's who breed quantity not quality and will sell to anyone for
anything.... sorry, you ALL know this tune, right? Just look at the
Arabs - great example in the horse world, eh? The '80's - arabs were
worth big moolah, producing quantities of arabs - then the crash in the
'90's. Lots produced, quality down, prices down.... not enough homes.
(I know I am on my soapbox!) Anyhow, my general feeling about breeding
animals is not too warm and fuzzy..... you breeders know that you are
lucky if you BREAK EVEN financially, right??? How many have gone out of
business?? Lots!
If breeding continues, it hopefully is done by really caring,
intelligent, discriminating people who are only breeding the best to the
best, instead of breeding the best to anybody. To sum it up, I really
feel that far too many animals are in desperate needs of homes and
hopefully won't be passed by because of a "registered" animal. It sounds
like Petsmart has the right idea to favor the rescued animals, not
allowing breeders to advertise their "produce" on their premises. It
sounds a bit like all the dogs and puppies brought to horse shows to sell
to probably impulse buyers. Impulse shopping for purebreds, when I
would rather the impulse shopping is more reserved for the needy ones,
and whoever is interested in the "purebreds" can go TO the breeder. My
.02 cents! ::))
Karen
On Thu, 19 Dec 2002 16:28:10 -0600 Margie Burton <margiekc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
writes:
> I think we need to be very careful about starting a "boycott" when
> the facts
> may be somewhat distorted from the original. This is one of those "a
> friend
> said"...
> Our Petsmart is very supportive of all activities outside of the
> indiscrimate breeding of dogs. This does not include thoughtful,
> responsible dog breeders.
> I have volunteered for many years with an organization which adopts
> out
> animals and Petsmart has been literally a lifesaver for these
> animals.
> Without stores like Petsmart who do not "sell"
> animals, many of these homeless critters would be put down.
> I will never boycott a store like Petsmart whose management goes out
> of
> their way to make these homeless pets comfortable and adoptable. In
> fact,
> if we ever run into trouble getting a volunteer to go in and feed,
> water or
> clean the cats in our Petsmart, the management not only allows but
> encourages the employees to take over. And when we have Saturday
> dog
> adoption days, the employees are always willing to walk and play
> with the
> dogs to keep them entertained. What we need is more stores like
> Petsmart,
> not less.
> Margie Burton
> Lenexa, KS
>
>
>
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