Paw Prints
One of the thrusts of Animal Scene is to educate, and it can be an uphill fight at times. I’ve met many pet owners, breeders, and hobbyists who tell me of how hard it is to try and talk some people out of irresponsible practices. Take one breeder I spoke to, who asked not to be identified. This breeder refuses to sell animals to anyone, and insists on a clause in sales contracts that entitle the breeder to check on the animal’s health. People have mocked the breeder for not making a living off the purebred animals, and for being “maarte” (finicky) about sales conditions. “It’s not about making a living,” the breeder explained. “I love these animals and I’m working to improve their breed, and to show people what lovely creatures they are. I am passionate about what I do. Honestly it’s hard to make a living out of breeding unless you begin treating the animals like merchandise―and that’s something I’ll never do.” The same complaint hounds animal welfare organizations like PAWS and CARA when they have adoption events. While good-hearted people flock to their booths and give the cats and dogs fur-ever homes, there will always be a few people who will say they are “too strict” as they insist on interviews and home visits before adopting out pets. What these people do not understand is that often, rescued animals have already been through a lot of terrible things. They need homes where they will be loved, not places where they will be thrown out if they exhibit bad behavior. These people who question the requirements of animal welfare societies do not understand that such animals will sometimes be under stress and will perhaps urinate or defecate in inappropriate places as a result, or maybe be less than loving and will have to be won over. Adoption is a commitment―it’s not like getting furniture for one’s home. You promise to love, understand, and protect the animal you adopt―and you cannot do any less than that. Exotic pet hobbyists who have held big events recently stress one thing in common: responsible keeping of those pets. This is very important for many reasons. Exotic pets have different requirements, for one, and you can’t just see one and buy it on impulse without knowing how to take care of it. You need to do research and talk to other, more experienced hobbyists. There have been cases of even careful, experienced hobbyists being injured by their pets―what more for an inexperienced owner? Here’s another reason: you cannot just release such animals into the wild, as they are usually not endemic to the Philippines, when you get tired of them or discover that you cannot care for them. You could do so much damage to the ecosystem; invasive species can prey on existing creatures in the ecosystem and the results can be disastrous. The janitor fish, clown knife fish, and jaguar guapote, all brought to the country for the aquarium trade, managed to make their way into the wild. They have since been declared “nuisance and invasive species” because they have upset the ecological balance and ntruded on the open water fisheries of Laguna de Bay, Lake Taal, and Agusan Marsh, forcing experts to find a way to contain their population and find commercial uses for these fish so that they will not threaten the incomes of local fisherfolk. Our actions have consequences, always. Education does not stop with one person. If you live as a responsible pet owner, you set a good example that educates others.