LettersAbused, abandoned Hong Kong pets need loving homes: the people and government must act
- Pet owners committed to taking care of an animal should adopt abandoned or rescued ones, not buy from stores
- Legislation should also encourage people to adopt rescued animals
Pets are not commodities. We have a duty to ensure that pets are not sold like designer shoes or a handbag: they are not objects and should not become a marker of wealth.
We have the obligation to educate our children that getting a pet like a puppy is easy, but taking care of it is hard work. They have to clean up after them, walk them twice a day, not to mention sacrifice social time. If their answer is still a solid yes, then adopt one instead of going to a pet store. Give abandoned and rescued pets a home.
In rural villages dogs breed rapidly, adding to the population of homeless dogs. The other source is pet mills. These exist not because breeders love animals or care about their welfare, but so they can earn a lot. A pure-bred puppy can fetch up to HK$20,000 in a city where shelters are full of abandoned and mistreated dogs.