Editorial in our local paper- AMEN!
http://www.eastbayri.com/detail/1403...type=&town_id=
The popularity of acquiring a pet as a status symbol is a disgraceful tradition that dates back to ancient kingdoms.
Tigers, elephants, monkeys and other exotic animals have not fared well by people who care more for how much their new pet cost than whether they can actually care for the creature. Many a Burmese python (very popular at pet stores) have been let loose on neighborhoods after getting too big for its cage. And there have been instances of dumping alligators, like the 4- to 5-foot gator found at Sisson’s Pond in Portsmouth. Officials couldn’t rescue the gator, which has likely succumbed to this area’s frigid temperatures by now.
Same goes for dogs. People obsess over the breeds, endlessly mating the “perfect” specimens to produce features like a shiny coat (cocker spaniels) or massive size (German shepherds). This winds up damaging the dogs, producing traits like hip dysplasia, susceptibility to tumors, and breathing problems. But who cares — as long as it’s AKC-registered.
There’s also the type of person who needs to have a tough dog. They choose Doberman pinschers and crop the dog’s ears, or rottweilers bred to an unhealthy heavy weight. Many go for pitbulls — the ultimate in “tough” because they can be pitted against other dogs to prove it.
It’s no surprise that pitbulls often fill the cages at animal shelters. People underestimate the work that goes into caring for a dog, and that not all dogs are alike. Some have little need for exercise, while others were bred to run around a farm all day and night (border collies have the ultimate high-energy requirements). And some dogs, such as pitbulls, need a real leader, not just someone who will coo at it and pet it.
Blue nose pitbulls are all the rage right now in the crowd that loves the breed. One of the puppies can sell for $1,000. While a volunteer who worked with Cali, a blue nose pitbull recently declared vicious after attacking a yellow Labrador in Bristol, doesn’t know of her circumstances before the dog was brought to Rhode Island, she assumes Cali was bred for her puppies (she had had a litter) and then dumped. After brief stints in two homes, Cali had spent only one day with her newest family before she was taken by a young boy to a crowded event where she attacked the Lab. Now she will most likely be euthanized for it.
Using inanimate objects (Cadillac trucks, beach houses) as status symbols is the coveted (yet regrettable) American way. But stop using a life as bling.
