Left to right- Sandy, Tia, Tamara, Tubbs, Wicket (and Moose's nose peeking out in the back hammock). Sandy was returned to Petsmart by someone who shouldn't have bough her in the first place, Tia and Tamara came from a hoarder, Wicket out of a feeder bin. Tubbs and Moose were not rescues. Over their lives these six rats cost me over $2,000 in vet care.
You may know I have more animals than just my dogs. In fact before I got Copley and became involved in dog rescue I volunteered with a rat and mouse rescue. Currently I own two cuddly, lovable boy rats named Eggplant and TO and a girl mouse named Nick. We also have 13 hermit crabs that are being taken care of properly (and properly is not in that plastic container you buy in the mall, they have very specific requirements and if given those can live 20+ years).
A big pet peeve of mine is people seeing these "pocket" or "exotic" pets as throw away, or as toys, or as accessories to be tossed off once they are not cool anymore. They deserve better than that and if you don't plan to at the very least properly house, feed, and clean that animal for it's whole life then DON'T get it.
Squeaks the mouse was adopted from an Animal Control Shelter and lived out her golden years happily at our house.
That brings me to Justin Bieber. My problem with him is that he is idolized by a lot of people, and has a lot of influence wither he wants it or not. At the very least he should try to show some respect to other living things. Or hire someone to do that for him, I mean I am sure he can afford it. Over the last little while he has been buying exotic pets and dumping them in what seems like grossly irresponsible ways that I am sure were extremely traumatic for those animals. The one that bothers me the most is his hamster PAC, who he gave away to a screaming fan in the middle of a concert. Maybe it is because I love hamsters so much, or I have seen my mice who get scared when I put the vacuum too close to their cage, or maybe it is that I have half a brain and know not to bring a prey animal the size of a ping pong ball to concerts- but this just rubs me the wrong way! It just makes me go EEERRRRRR. I mean I don't really think he is a horrible animal hating person, just irresponsible and a little out of touch with life right now. Still I am erked.
Observe hermit crab beach- one part of our 135 gallon hermit crab habitat. You can see Big Red (my only crab identifiable on sight) and another one going for a swim.
The entirely irresponsible behavior does not stop there. There is also a monkey named Mally who was seized after Bieber flew him out of the country without the proper paperwork and now Bieber seems to be just leaving her there even though he could produce the proper paperwork and get her back. Oh, and the snake he auctioned off for charity.
I am so frustrated I just don't know what to say. Other than this- Please Justin, if you are listening, don't buy any more pets for a while. They are animals who have feelings and get attached to you. At the very least do it for the betterment of the rest of society. These species have enough trouble gaining respect and finding permanent responsible homes without celebrities treating them this way. Use your influence for good- or just stay out of the pet world for a while.
This whole thing just makes me cringe. I'm going to go to bed and try not to think about Justin Bieber anymore.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment