The High Price For That Doggie In The Window on SameSame.com.au

Christmas scares me. Not because under-weight faux Santas are lurking about wearing highly flammable materials in scorching temperatures, but because pet stores are making a roaring trade. Let’s face it, nothing is cuter than a litter of pups in a pet shop window staring at you with ‘take me home’ eyes. Unlike trade on your local dancefloor, they really mean it.

The reality is many, if not most, of these puppies have come from puppy mills. These grotesque puppy factories churn out countless puppies from permanently pregnant mother-dogs who produce litter after litter in appalling conditions (usually caged like battery hens) until they are too frail to stand.

You wouldn’t know it when you are looking at that adorable labra-doodle or chihuahua cross, but they have been taken away from their mother way too early and have not yet learnt from her, meaning you may get a sick, under-weaned or behaviour problem puppy. It goes without saying that many of these ‘Christmas gifts’ end up dumped on the under-resourced pet shelters across the country, the moment they are no longer seen as cute or the novelty of owning a pet wears off, usually within three months of their purchase.

We could go on about the manner in which pet stores peddle animals, but the full details can be seen at www.saynotoanimalsinpetshops.com. This is a very graphic website, and it will change the way you look at pet shops forever.

Sydney’s Lord Mayor and long time ‘friend of the gays’ Clover Moore is a big advocate for this group and has presented a bill to this effect before parliament. That may also explain her penchant for wearing chokers. Love or loathe her, Moore is passionate about the cause and with further support pet shops will be banned from selling puppies and kittens in the very near future.

Now for some good news.

Obtaining your companion (let’s face it, ‘pet’ is such a degrading term) through a registered breeder or adopting or fostering through an animal shelter is the only responsible and ethical way to add a four (sometimes three – god bless ‘em) companion animal to your family.

Doggie Rescue, Sydney Dogs And Cats Home, Pet Rescue (National) and of course RSPCA are just four of a myriad of organisations which are saving the country’s homeless animals, in the hope that people will turn their back on pet stores and adopt or foster a dog or cat, who has been abandoned or mistreated.

While many of the dogs that do end up at these shelters have had unfortunate pasts, these organisations assess them thoroughly before they are put up for adoption, and will recommend a companion that fits your lifestyle and environment.

Adoption is rather straightforward. You can peruse the shelter’s websites to narrow down what type of dog or cat you are looking for. Obviously a Great Dane in a bed-sit in St. Kilda is not a good idea, so you can search by small, medium or large – much like Gaydar, but this ain’t a booty call, it’s partner for life. Finally!

After seeing the dogs in a two dimensional capacity head out to the shelter and meet them personally. Be warned – bring a box of tissues and some lithium, as this can be a pretty confronting experience. Filling out a questionnaire and having your environment assessed is required by some, but not all shelters, so it is important to think about the cat or dog’s needs as well as your own and choose responsibly. Costs start at $200 and usually go to $350 at most. This includes all vaccinations and desexing.

For those of us who can’t offer a permanent home for these wonderful animals, fear not, you can still help out by fostering.

Many of these shelters are under-resourced because the State Government thinks that spending $18 million on the turf at Randwick Racecourse for the Pontiff’s visit is money well spent. So fostering a dog means you are giving that animal the chance to live outside of the over-crowded shelter in a home environment. Foster dogs can range from 6-month-old pups through to dogs older than Madonna.

By fostering, you need to be willing to accept the fact that your new buddy is still being listed to find a new home. This can take three months to three year, however the reality is most people who foster end up adopting the animal after a few months of falling in love. You will always have first choice at adopting your foster dog if you so wish.

Through the fostering program, most shelters will cover any veterinary costs that occur and some may require you to take the dog to an adoption centre near you once a month, in order for potential permanent parents to meet them. Many people end up as serial foster parents and act as a vessel for these animals to find a permanent home.
It’s an incredible rewarding experience and you get to know and love a wide variety of different personalities and breeds this way, as well as saving a life.

Much like Pippa did, fostering all those kids in Summer Bay.

The most important thing is to resist the temptation of buying from a pet store. The next time you are walking past one, notice the staff who work there. They are always, and almost without fail, young teenage girls. They are cheap labour, who are selling animals which have often been purchased unethically and sold for outrageously inflated prices.

In addition to being a devoted animal lover, Andrew Georgiou is the Gay and Lesbian Editor for Sydney’s Time Out Magazine.

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