Perfectly, beautifully stated Paul. We have had many dogs, cats and pets of the day who, after closer consideration, may have been deemed inappropriate as "household pets"...As you said Paul, from bison, to birds, to snakes to squirrels, to ferrets and rats: Creatures living outside of their natrual environments for sure. Are they loved, well cared for? Most certainly. Are they better off than if they were left to fend for themselves in a cruel or hostile "natural" environment, oft times created by HUMAN hands? Therein lies the dilemma.

Indescriminate over breeding of cats and dogs as well as exotics or "wild animals"...persians with severely compromised respiratory systems and NO NOSES!!! "Munchkin" kittys with deformed limbs, bred for no other reason than their saleable uniqueness and the amusement of humans. Goldens, labs, shepherds with hip dyplasia, congenital eye problems, behavioral problems etc. All borne out of inappropriate, indescriminate breeding. Tail docking, ear cropping, declawing...All result of natural selection? Or "SELECTIVE selection?!!" The breeding of preferred "pedigree" animals with traits created by and for humans in order to satisfy their own wants, needs, PHYSICAL PREFERENCES for selfish, self-satisfying reasons, monetary or otherwise.

In a perfect world, considering the millions of unwanted cats and dogs destroyed every year, NO ONE would begin to consider PAYING for an animal bred for momentary compensation when adoption would mean the difference between life and death for lonely, homeless creatures. Yet many of us, good, caring people who love animals, do. And the poor plight of the pet store purchase. We have selected several of these beautiful animals as dog or cat or pet of the day. We all hate and DEPLORE animal mills. We all say "Do not buy a puppy from a pet store." But..they are there. They are lonely and homeless and perhaps needing of love and care more than others. Do we condemn those who provide these animals, who, through no fault of their own, ARE here and desperately needing of a home? Do we "rescue" them? Or, out of justifiable outrage for the methods by which they were brought into this world, turn our backs and take the "correct" moral stand, refusing to purschase them, thereby condemning them to FURTHER misery and neglect?

I do not have the answer. It is certainly a viscous cycle that needs to be broken, NOW. That's for sure. Most effectively perhaps, through each one of us individually doggedly pursuing legislation which would forever and always outlaw these facilities and severely punish those who run/promote these disgusting businesses.

I believe we have all, as members of the human, animal loving family, in some manner unwittingly contributed to this problem, if not directly, then by ignorance, indifference, or complacency. As animals lovers, we must ALL collectively take responsibility for the plight of these animals and proactively work towards meeting the goal of protecting and caring for all living creatures, assuring them of the best of all possible lives in this challenging, often cruel and unfair world..

[This message has been edited by tatsxxx11 (edited January 16, 2001).]