Adopt vs. Buy reasons people may choose to buy from petstore as opposed to adopting

[trekkerpig]

I am planning on doing my persuasive speech this year in English on adopting animals instead of breeding and buying. The whole 'dont breed and buy while shelter animals die' concept.

I want to explore reasons people would choose to buy from a petstore, or some valid arguements FOR buying from a petstore and then have a more supreme counter arguement.

Really, I cannot think of any reason why people would breead and buy instead of adopt apart from ignorance of what they are contributing towards.

I'm in New Zealand, and the pet store situation is interesting. The animals are obviously well-treated and healthy but the products sold for animals are ridiculous. Tiny hutches, salt and mineral licks that are unnessecary, WHEELS FOR GUINEA PIGS (!!!!) and many other ridiclous things like that. So I would say it's not really the condition of the animals but more what buying from pet stores is contributing towards.

I'm planning on persuading people that pet stores should only be pet supply stores. I have read a few of these threads but a lot of stuff gets caught up in arguments and differing opinons, which of course, there are and I want that to be apparent in my speech but what I really want are the main most convincing arguements as well as some interesting facts.

Thanks for any help!

 

[CavyMama]

I would say the products sold for guinea pigs is the LEAST of the reasons why people shouldn't buy.

Reasons for adopting rather than buying are the same reasons as we have promoted on this site.

-pet stores get their animals from breeders and breeding mills
-Pet store pigs are often mis-sexed and sick
-buying opens a spot for more "merchandise" and funds more breeding mills
-breeding mills perpetuate an already big overpopulation problem
-adopting saves the lives of guinea pigs in need of homes
-

 

[GizzyandMe]

During my search for Guinea Pig information and stuff in South Africa I came across a site that breeds with small animals - they also sell toys for small animals and that is what I was searching.

Anyways at the top of the website it said "Our Babies are a Gift from God" I took it as that was most likely her/his counter attack for why they breed with small dogs known for dying while giving birth.

It is not a reason I condone in any way or form I just though it might be A reason for you to try and do a counter attack on as asked.

 

[breathemamii]

Reasons I can think of that people buy from petstores:
-More easily accessible
-less complications/less of a hassle
-petstores are better advertised
-ignorance (partly having to do with advertisement& propaganda petstores spread about themselves being "caring/nurturing"

Encourage your audience to look deeper than just the surface; it's not hard to find the secrets they hide from the average person.

 

[blackarrow]

Some reasons people want to breed guinea pigs or think they have to buy them, aside from ignorance about how the breeding animals for pet stores are often treated:

-They don't know shelters exist
-They think that a rescued pig must have been mistreated and will bite or will never become friendly
-They think rescued pigs must be old or sick or damaged pigs
-They want to have a pedigreed pig to show (for 4H and the like)
-People think they can show their kids the "miracle of birth" if they breed their pigs
-People think they can make money off selling the babies
-People think that they will have more pigs "just like" the parents if they breed them

Since you're already in favor of adopting rather than buying (as am I), I'm sure you've already come up with the counterarguments!

 

[peanut74]

Before I truly educated myself on adoption of a guinea pig, I assumed the pet store was just fine to buy one-there is a local store in my area that is clean,responsible and full of knowledge in pet care(not a chain store). I didn't even know you could adopt pigs-I have always been a big supporter of rescue of dogs and cats too. I think the number one reason is people just don't know. All the books about Guinea Pig support pet store buying, so even those we spend time researching may not think to adopt.(In my experience). I was casually surfing the net and came across this site. I would also think people want the immediate gratification of "picking" their pet from the store when they buy everything else. I think the number 1 reason is not being aware of Guinea Pig or small animal rescue period. Good luck on your paper!

 

[GPigsRSweet]

I want to explore reasons people would choose to buy from a petstore, or some valid arguements FOR buying from a petstore and then have a more supreme counter argument.

• Because they have more of a "selection". I know some people really want a certain color/breed/age etc. and so they think that going shopping will let them get what they want.

• They think that shelter pigs are sickly.

•They think it's more convenient. So they don't look hard enough for homeless pigs.

• Sometimes it's more of an impulse buy. They walk into the store, see a "so cute" pig, decide it's a good "starter pet" for their little kid, and walk out with a new piggy. It's an easy pet to take care of, right? Not.

• They just don't think about shelters/homeless pigs. That why everyone should be educated!

 

[Biscuit]

Of course the #1 reason we hear on this forum has to be "there is no shelter near me and I cannot (or will not) drive for X hours."

I began to type up the counterargument but I got angry as it just came down to "Why are you so selfish?" I am too bitter for this.

 

[Sirene]

They mistakenly think that they are "rescuing" a particular pet from a horrible petstore, and don't realize the cycle of cruelty they are perpetuating by doing so.

 

[CavyLuver516]

Another reason people may want to by animals in general is that they think shelter animals are old and that there aren't any young ones available, when in fact, there are. My pigs were a year or less according to their kennel card.

 

[electrocret]

One reason that I've heard for getting from petstores instead of adopting is the petstore animals are younger, so you'll have them longer than adopted ones.

For me personally I didn't think there were small animal rescues. you never hear about them, and I've always had my small animals all their life. I've never had to put one up for adoption. If I knew there were small animal rescues I definately would have rescued mine.

 

[Onetwo]

Wow you guys that is all really good! My personal oppinion is that you shouldn't even buy pet supplies from stores that sell animals. Because the profits that they reap go right back into buying more stock. SOME Pet stores are unbelievebly cruel to their animals.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

One reason that I've heard for getting from petstores instead of adopting is the petstore animals are younger, so you'll have them longer than adopted ones.

This isn't really a good or valid reason as there are also many young and baby pigs up for adoption in rescues and shelters.

 

[piggydad]

Hi all, I would like to put in "Why i bought form a pet shop"

As this is a discussion, I would like to give the reason I went to a pet shop to get my 3 little gems. This is no excuse, I would like to put forward my honest reasons, good and bad.

-I was unaware that rescue center's even had small animals like this. They only advertise Dogs and Cats, even on their websites.

- The pet shop is where we originally looked into and started to learn about piggy's, although we did spend 3 weeks looking for piggy's.

-It was for our son (even thou all care is done by me) he saved his money for 6 months, The pet shops had lots of choice, it wasn't so much about colour or breed, more about the one he felt comfortable with.

- Also the deals they give with any small animal, this includes 1 month of food and hay (same as piggy's was born and has always had) to help the change. 3 months of vet treatment(if needed) The cage was 4x2 foot, and was reduced if bought with piggy, They reduced it to the same price as 2x2 foot.

- Always there to answer question or give advice (which usually concurs with everything said here)

-All thier baby's have a Vet check before going into store, people are also allowed to take the piggy to any vet for a First health check, which is covered by the store.

As i said before, this is certainly not a reason why people should buy, just trying to give my honest reasons.

I'm not very informed as of pet shops around the world, This for all i know could be an exception, or it could be the normal type of shop you all see.

This is just my story, i am by no means approving the sales from pet shops.

 

[frillint]

I to would like to put in my "why I bought from a petstore.(petsmart)

My very 1st piggy was bought from petsmart(he has passed 2 weeks after I got him due to medicine my vet gave me)

I hadn't lived in Wi long and I was not comfortable driving a half hour to the Humane society when I wasn't sure exactly where it was. I am a scardy driver I never go anywhere I don't know. I was 19 then, so can't ask mommy and daddy for everything. He told me if I wanted it I would have to go and get it.

Going to petsmart was easy, because I knew they had piggys and I had never seen them anywhere else

I had just learned about them and I "had" to have one as fast as possible.

I had no clue about what was happening to the and I didn't know of this site until like a year later.

The people there seemed educated to me, considering that I was just learning about them myself.

 

[guineapig67]

I might have to get from a petstore because every time I check the humane society's website, It never has any guinea pigs. I know someone who had got guinea pigs from a pet store that had lived for 5 years and they are still living and I got Buddy at a petstore (petsmart). He lived for nine years but I am still trying to find somewhere to adopt!

 

[sdpiggylvr]

I think there are no reasons nor no excuses not to adopt.

 

[guineapig67]

I may have to get it from a pet store sadly. I got Buddy at a petstore and he lived 9 whole years!! died yesterday :weepy: when I get my new pigs, I will try to adopt

 

[Paula]

I might have to get from a petstore because every time I check the humane society's website, It never has any guinea pigs.

No, sorry, there is no reason any time or place that anyone "has" to purchase from a pet store.

You are not owed a guinea pig simply because you want one, and you aren't fulfilling any kind of civic responsibility by acquiring one. You are satisfying a want, not a need; so, no, there isn't any such thing as "have to get from a pet store."

If you choose to buy an animal rather than adopt, that's entirely up to you, but please let's not pretend it's something you're doing because it's something you have to do.

So the Humane Society near you doesn't have pigs listed online often. Call them and see if they can take your name and number to call when they do get pigs in.

Check Craigslist. Check your local newspaper classifieds. Check FreeCycle even. Look at sites like Petfinder, PetHarbor or AdoptMe and see if perhaps there are shelters/rescues in your area that you aren't aware of. In this day and age, there just isn't any justifying the "have to buy from a pet store because there aren't other options" defense. It just isn't a valid argument.

 

[frillint]

There is always a way to adopt. Just takes time and patients.