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| Stray with a voucher, anyone? |
I WAS SHOCKED BEYOND BELIEF to discover in the newspapers recently of what one local animal group was doing in its pet adoption campaign.
It was giving out RM30.00 vouchers from an expensive footwear company to anyone who decides to adopt a dog or a cat.
As seemingly noble as their efforts are in finding homes for our unwanted strays - but folks; really, VOUCHERS as encouragement or rewards for pet adoptions?
Has someone lost his/her marbles?
Has the status of animal adoptions in the country descended so low that one as to resort to offering free gifts and incentives from profit-making companies just so that people will be motivated to bring a pet into the family?
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| Two dogs for attractive footwear? |
Do highly respectable animal shelters like the RSPCA and People for the Ethical Treatment of Pets (PETA) employ such unscrupulous practises in their adoption programmes?
What about ethics - or is there none to consider when it comes to living creatures in the animal kingdom?
Will strays with vouchers attached to them from now on be a better attraction and bargain than unwanted animals, say in the Selangor SPCA, PAWS, right down to the local councils pounds and their animals on death row?
Will all other animal shelters rush out to clinch deals with other companies as a competition of sorts to see which can offer better freebies in their adoption programmes?
What about the stringent principles of responsible pet ownership or will that also have to go down the drain too.
There is a very uncomfortable practice among Malaysians that annoys me a lot.
That is the craze for door gifts, vouchers and generally anything that is free.
Nowadays it doesn't seem to matter what event it is, as long as there are door gifts, people will flock there. So much so the content of a show or event is unimportant or forgotten but the cheap treats are not.
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| Competition for adoptions? |
After all, it may just be a parent and his kid going out for the voucher so that his or her child can get a discount for a good pair of shoes for their worn-out footwear.
And the pet?
Well, one can just show it the backdoor when the "shine" and excitement of a new toy fades away.
In Petpositive where I serve as President, disabled and elderly candidates are rejected from adopting pets even though they may benefit from them.
Our focus isn't on the benefits alone but also on the animals' right and welfare.
Petpositive will never embark on a programme that will compromise with our pet partners care and safety.
So if it isn't a footwear company now what will it be next? Free vouchers from KFC or McDonalds?
Let us not forget that animals are not objects but living creatures that deserve each and every owner's unconditional love and attention.
And they must be adopted purely for those reasons and nothing else.
Imagine with the increasing abandoned babies in our society today, what would happen if we started adopting babies with vouchers from a toothpaste company or diapers?
As animal lovers, should we be also helping companies sell more of their products through vouchers?
If it's not good for human beings, folks, it certainly can't be good for animals, too!
PET+BLOGSPOT
PET+BLOGSPOT is an ACTIVE ONLINE BLOG of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive). We strive to keep our reports and stories CURRENT, ACCURATE and RELIABLE. We offer both local and foreign news on animals, disability and the elderly. PET+BLOGSPOT was first established in October 2007. Our hits since then is now 55,000 and counting. PET+BLOGSPOT is updated daily. Sometimes even twice and three times a day. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of PETPOSITIVE. You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my You can also find us in Facebook as PETPOSITIVE EMPOWERMENT. Thank you for your support.
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