Originally Posted by kionini From your reasoning, then, rescues as well as animals from breeders of any type, are bought. Any time monies changes hands there's a transaction, a purchase and a sale by definition. If I rescue a dog from a shelter, I don't get him free. I pay adoption fees, some refer to this as "a donation." etc. A breeder calls it a "price."
My saying that my furkids were adopted is not to get a chip thrill or a "warm fuzzy" feeling. I say adopted for 2 reasons:
1) That's how I feel them, since I did not give birth to them, yet I feel for them as if I had gone through labor for them.
2) When I say "I've adopted 2 furkids", my intention is to let the idiots around me know from the get-go that my Yorkies are to be treated as my children and not as objects.
My point was exactly what you say 'EDUCATION.' Never mind the scamers getting in on the action, that's inevitable, they will still pull at the heart strings to line their pockets.
But if we start to differentiate animals from objects, maybe things will start to change. And the way it starts is by leading through example. I never refer to my little ones as "it", that would send the wrong message and I would not have the right to get angry when someone treated my babies as "things" that don't feel and hurt.
I'm not trying to sugar coat anything, I have no need to. I am trying to make people aware that change does really begin with us, through our example, one person at a time.
I haven't rescued yet, or rehabilitated to be honest. But I do have a Paypal account where I give to shelters, help feed and clothe, and help pay for urgently needed surgeries for animals. I volunteer at my local shelter, I bring food, blankets, etc. I spend hours upon hours doing cross-postings on several media accounts like Facebook and Twitter to help animals all over the country.
I don't just give lip service, I actually do contribute any way that I can. I don't want a badge of honor, I don't want my 15 minutes of fame nor a pad on the shoulder. I sincerely could give a flying pepper about what people think. All I want is to help those that can't help themselves. I realize is impossible for one person to really make a difference, and silly me, I thought all YTs would see my point, read my original post and actually comprehend what I wrote.
To those of you who did get it, even if you don't agree. I'm so glad.
For those of you who get it and want to be part of the solution, THAN YOU! from the bottom of my heart.
For those of you who went off in a tangent, what can I say? |