Today there were puppies. 10 week old poodle mixes of some sort. I wanted to die. And I wanted to bring one of them home, really quite badly. It would have been so easy to sneak one under my shirt. Alas, my time is not now. They looked something like this:
Squeeze! There were two white ones, one black one, and one brownish one. I went in their cage with them, and they all just jumped on me. Tiny puppy teeth, everywhere! One of the white ones was crazy though, he just kept running and leaping onto me. Pet me! Love me! Oy. And they were just so tiny.
People kept coming in to see them, and I could not wait for the time when the humane society would close, so I could have them to myself. They put a picture of all the puppies in the paper yesterday, and they are letting people fill out applications today and tomorrow and then the owners will be chosen by a random draw. I dunno. Something about that...I don't like. Well, several things really.
1) These puppies are from a puppy mill. I mean, who knows, they could turn out fine, but if they were from a really bad puppy mill....who the hell knows how the mother was treated, and if their father is actually their uncle. Yes, they are no longer at the puppy mill now, but their mother lived there for her whole life. And, I just...don't think people totally get puppy mills and all the problems that could stem from getting a puppy from one. I mean, yes, these puppies need loving homes, but people see them in the paper, and think "ohhh puppy!", and don't really get informed about their pedigree in any way. En. Maybe I'm just super cautious about puppy mill puppies because of personal experience...
2) I really don't like that they put them in the paper...I feel like...if people were really looking for a dog, and were truly ready to have one in their lives, they would be looking at the humane society anyway. Now, because of a picture in the paper, all these people see it, and think, I want one of those puppies! Two days ago, bringing a new dog into their home never crossed their mind, until they saw the picture. If they hadn't been in the paper, they still would have gotten adopted...but a lot less people would have been disappointed when they didn't get a puppy. I suppose it IS a good way to get people to come into the humane society, and by default, they see all the other dogs in there and maybe will decide to take one of them home. But...why not put a picture of my friend Samson in the paper? Or one of the other dogs that has already been at the shelter for several months? Let's face it...it's because puppies are cuter. People want to see pictures of puppies!
3) I find it weird that whenever their is some sort of sad story about a dog in the paper, people rush in to adopt them (see Lady and the Tramp, etc). People feel sorry for them, and want to make a better life for them. I'm totally not knocking that! That's great! BUT. All of the dogs have some sort of sad story. Take my friend Sammy for example...he is basically growing up at the shelter. For the past...I dunno how many months...a long time...he has been there, only getting let out three times a day, and for the rest of the time in a tiny kennel. He's still only a puppy...but all he's known for pretty much his whole life, is this extremely stressful environment, with 20 other dogs, barking barking barking, all the time. That's sad! It's not, two ignorant assholes starved him to death sad, but sad in it's own way.
Anyway. I just hope the people that are adopting those little lovelies know what they are getting into, are in it for the long haul, and are not getting them simply because they looked cute in the paper.
Over n'out.
1 comment:
I hear ya on this! Also, I think I saw that they are picking the adopters by random draw? If that's true, I also hate that aspect of it. Also sidenote: Samson NEEDS to get adopted before I steal him away into my tiny apartment. It's so sad how long he's been there!
- Kristen
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