Comments on: Animals Are Not Ours To Buy And Sell http://www.vegansoapbox.com/animals-are-not-ours-to-buy-and-sell/ vegan theory, vegan activism, vegan video, vegan food and vegan resources for vegans, vegetarians, animal rights activists, animal liberationists, and abolitionists Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:55:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Eccentric Vegan http://www.vegansoapbox.com/animals-are-not-ours-to-buy-and-sell/comment-page-1/#comment-5107 Eccentric Vegan Sat, 20 Jun 2009 06:26:45 +0000 http://www.vegansoapbox.com/?p=1947#comment-5107 John, You ask: "What if I want a puppy?" I'll answer: http://www.petfinder.com/ search by age and enter "baby" You ask, "So if this cycle continues and that particular breeder knows that there will always be someone to adopt his greyhounds when their racing career is over am I enabling the breeder to continue?" I'll answer: The breeder doesn't care what happens to the dog after the sale. They were breeding dogs before you became an "aftermarket." By rescuing dogs in need, you are NOT encouraging breeders. You're simply making a bad situation a little better. You ask, "My wife and I are going to adopt a child…won’t I be “buying” this child?" I'll answer: The child will not be literally your property according to law. Money may or may not be exchanged depending on the kind of adoption you choose, but money is not the only issue here, the legal status of the adopted individual matters. John,
You ask: “What if I want a puppy?”
I’ll answer: http://www.petfinder.com/ search by age and enter “baby”

You ask, “So if this cycle continues and that particular breeder knows that there will always be someone to adopt his greyhounds when their racing career is over am I enabling the breeder to continue?”
I’ll answer: The breeder doesn’t care what happens to the dog after the sale. They were breeding dogs before you became an “aftermarket.” By rescuing dogs in need, you are NOT encouraging breeders. You’re simply making a bad situation a little better.

You ask, “My wife and I are going to adopt a child…won’t I be “buying” this child?”
I’ll answer: The child will not be literally your property according to law. Money may or may not be exchanged depending on the kind of adoption you choose, but money is not the only issue here, the legal status of the adopted individual matters.

]]> By: John http://www.vegansoapbox.com/animals-are-not-ours-to-buy-and-sell/comment-page-1/#comment-5106 John Sat, 20 Jun 2009 06:12:10 +0000 http://www.vegansoapbox.com/?p=1947#comment-5106 I've rescued my last 2 dogs, greyhounds. Probably one if not the most exploited breeds of dogs out there. So what have I done? I've given a dog a life beyond what he could have expected since he was primarily bred for one purpose..to race. So if this cycle continues and that particular breeder knows that there will always be someone to adopt his greyhounds when their racing career is over am I enabling the breeder to continue? Am I too not "buying" him from the adoption group? Sure no profit is being made or if so a small margin but at the same time money is being exchanged. I see the point with the puppy mill breeding dogs with the sole purpose of making money off the dogs they produce and in turn the pet shops make a profit with the sale of the dog to the customer. So where does the responsible breeder stand? He produces a litter of dogs and sells to hopefully responsible people where the dog will live out the rest of his life. Yes he makes a profit but isn't it up to the person buying the dog who then becomes responsible for that dog's livelihood? Furthermore..all this talk about buying a "being" My wife and I are going to adopt a child...won't I be "buying" this child? Certainly many people involved with all the documentation are making some profit from our chosen actions..not just the adopting agencies from this country and abroad. Is this a better option than producing our own in an over populated world?? I used to think like this...if you're wanting the companionship of a dog in your life then by all means you should go to a shelter..but then...I must think now...should I be held liable for the mistakes of others? What if I want a puppy? Is it okay to go to a responsible breeder? Even with my greyhounds I "chose" which ones I wanted. In the shelter you're most likely still going to choose the dog who best fits "your needs." We all want to do what we feel is best and as vegans we think far beyond our fellow omnivores in doing so. I’ve rescued my last 2 dogs, greyhounds. Probably one if not the most exploited breeds of dogs out there. So what have I done? I’ve given a dog a life beyond what he could have expected since he was primarily bred for one purpose..to race. So if this cycle continues and that particular breeder knows that there will always be someone to adopt his greyhounds when their racing career is over am I enabling the breeder to continue? Am I too not “buying” him from the adoption group? Sure no profit is being made or if so a small margin but at the same time money is being exchanged. I see the point with the puppy mill breeding dogs with the sole purpose of making money off the dogs they produce and in turn the pet shops make a profit with the sale of the dog to the customer. So where does the responsible breeder stand? He produces a litter of dogs and sells to hopefully responsible people where the dog will live out the rest of his life. Yes he makes a profit but isn’t it up to the person buying the dog who then becomes responsible for that dog’s livelihood? Furthermore..all this talk about buying a “being” My wife and I are going to adopt a child…won’t I be “buying” this child? Certainly many people involved with all the documentation are making some profit from our chosen actions..not just the adopting agencies from this country and abroad. Is this a better option than producing our own in an over populated world?? I used to think like this…if you’re wanting the companionship of a dog in your life then by all means you should go to a shelter..but then…I must think now…should I be held liable for the mistakes of others? What if I want a puppy? Is it okay to go to a responsible breeder? Even with my greyhounds I “chose” which ones I wanted. In the shelter you’re most likely still going to choose the dog who best fits “your needs.” We all want to do what we feel is best and as vegans we think far beyond our fellow omnivores in doing so.

]]> By: Eccentric Vegan http://www.vegansoapbox.com/animals-are-not-ours-to-buy-and-sell/comment-page-1/#comment-3254 Eccentric Vegan Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:07:47 +0000 http://www.vegansoapbox.com/?p=1947#comment-3254 Capitalism is much more complicated than simply "supply and demand" (as recent bailouts evidence), but your point remains that the woman not only financially supported the notion that animals are things to be bought and sold (commodities/chattel/slaves), she also philosophically supported it by willingly exchanging money for a dog's life. However, I understand her actions. And even if she didn't save the lives of thousands of future puppymill dogs, and in fact possibility contributed towards their suffering, what she did made a difference for the one she saved. And who knows? Her story might encourage other people to do the alternatives I listed above: report animal cruelty, rescue needy animals, pay for veterinary care, post about animal abuse on websites, write letters, organize a protest... Capitalism is much more complicated than simply “supply and
demand” (as recent bailouts evidence), but your point remains that the woman not only financially supported the notion that animals are things to be bought and sold (commodities/chattel/slaves), she also philosophically supported it by willingly exchanging money for a dog’s life.

However, I understand her actions. And even if she didn’t save the lives of thousands of future puppymill dogs, and in fact possibility contributed towards their suffering, what she did made a difference for the one she saved.

And who knows? Her story might encourage other people to do the alternatives I listed above: report animal cruelty, rescue needy animals, pay for veterinary care, post about animal abuse on websites, write letters, organize a protest…

]]> By: Matt http://www.vegansoapbox.com/animals-are-not-ours-to-buy-and-sell/comment-page-1/#comment-3251 Matt Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:16:02 +0000 http://www.vegansoapbox.com/?p=1947#comment-3251 I too think this woman's heart was in the right place. But by giving money to the pet shop was not a wise decision. Pet shops, like any retail store in a capatilist society, work via the principles of supply and demand. By paying for the dog, the woman essentially increased demand for puppies as commodoties to be purchased. In response, the pet store will increase its supply of puppies to be sold, this increasing the demand for puppies from breeders and puppy mills. By purchasing that one puppy, the woman inadvertanly gave monetary support (and hence approval) for breeders and puppy mills that will continue the cycle of suffering for other animals. As far as that one dog is concerned, she did a nice thing. As far as the other dogs in puppy mills and pet stores, what she did was a mistake. I too think this woman’s heart was in the right place. But by giving money to the pet shop was not a wise decision. Pet shops, like any retail store in a capatilist society, work via the principles of supply and demand. By paying for the dog, the woman essentially increased demand for puppies as commodoties to be purchased. In response, the pet store will increase its supply of puppies to be sold, this increasing the demand for puppies from breeders and puppy mills.

By purchasing that one puppy, the woman inadvertanly gave monetary support (and hence approval) for breeders and puppy mills that will continue the cycle of suffering for other animals.

As far as that one dog is concerned, she did a nice thing. As far as the other dogs in puppy mills and pet stores, what she did was a mistake.

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