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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

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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

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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

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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)

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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)

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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

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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.

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TheFreeDictionary.com. "Pet Adoption, Euthanasia, Puppy Mill." 2013. Farlex, Inc. 7 Dec.

2013