Post by AnimalAvenger on Jun 8, 2009 20:16:55 GMT -5
UNDER CONSTRUCTION. If you have anything to add, just post.
"Rescuing" animals from pet stores (pity-buying them to get them out of the pet store due to pet store cruelty) can do way more harm than good. This is because if you buy an animal, the supply and demand will go up for them, and the pet store will only order more of that animal. This means that more animals will be shipped to the store next time, and more animals will end up being victimized by the pet store. Please, if you can avoid it, do NOT buy animals from a pet store to save them. You will be doing way more harm than good. They may also get the wrong message that you'll buy more if they treat them wrong, and they won't change and/or get worse.
Instead, use another route to help the animals out.
Contacting the manager
This is what many people will do first. Calling the manager is better than e-mailing, and talking in person is better than calling. However, they all can help. You can also send them a letter. Be sure to address the exact pet store the cruelty was spotted at and what exactly the pet store must do in order to treat their animals better.
Filing an animal cruelty report
Filing an animal cruelty report each time you witness animal cruelty at the pet store can be extremely helpful. Go back to the pet store each week and check on all of their animals. Be sure to write the date and time you found each instance of cruelty. It can help if you use a journal and make detailed descriptions on what happened exactly. Pictures and videos can be extremely helpful. If you don't want to make it obvious that you're taking videos and pictures, you can instead use your phone. However, using a digital camera, especially one with a high megapixel number, can increase the quality, and the humane officers will know exactly what they're seeing. Using a high-quality camera can help loads, but some pet stores may not like you taking pictures, especially if they know their cruelty is against the law. They are legally allowed to kick you off the premises, and if you are kicked off, your activism mission may be severely hindered.
Getting the press involved.
If you've been writing a detailed journal, it can be very helpful if you get the press involved. Pictures and video will also be extremely useful for any articles or TV news items they may do. You can also find sites that you can write your own news articles on, like mibba.com, though of course your local news will be much more effective.
Petitioning
Petitions can be very effective or fruitless, depending on how you do it. It may be easier to create an on-line petition, but the signatures are much more credible if you use a physical petition. It is best to get signatures from people in the area of the pet store, though they may not know where the signers are from. See petition templates [here].
Boycotting
Boycotting a pet store can take tons of effort if you don't know where else to buy products.
Protesting can be quite effective if you do it right. Bringing petitions to the protest can help passerbies become a bit active in your protest, too. Be sure to follow your legislation on protesting by researching protest laws. In some places, you may not be allowed to protest in a certain way.
"Rescuing" animals from pet stores (pity-buying them to get them out of the pet store due to pet store cruelty) can do way more harm than good. This is because if you buy an animal, the supply and demand will go up for them, and the pet store will only order more of that animal. This means that more animals will be shipped to the store next time, and more animals will end up being victimized by the pet store. Please, if you can avoid it, do NOT buy animals from a pet store to save them. You will be doing way more harm than good. They may also get the wrong message that you'll buy more if they treat them wrong, and they won't change and/or get worse.
Instead, use another route to help the animals out.
Contacting the manager
This is what many people will do first. Calling the manager is better than e-mailing, and talking in person is better than calling. However, they all can help. You can also send them a letter. Be sure to address the exact pet store the cruelty was spotted at and what exactly the pet store must do in order to treat their animals better.
Filing an animal cruelty report
Filing an animal cruelty report each time you witness animal cruelty at the pet store can be extremely helpful. Go back to the pet store each week and check on all of their animals. Be sure to write the date and time you found each instance of cruelty. It can help if you use a journal and make detailed descriptions on what happened exactly. Pictures and videos can be extremely helpful. If you don't want to make it obvious that you're taking videos and pictures, you can instead use your phone. However, using a digital camera, especially one with a high megapixel number, can increase the quality, and the humane officers will know exactly what they're seeing. Using a high-quality camera can help loads, but some pet stores may not like you taking pictures, especially if they know their cruelty is against the law. They are legally allowed to kick you off the premises, and if you are kicked off, your activism mission may be severely hindered.
Getting the press involved.
If you've been writing a detailed journal, it can be very helpful if you get the press involved. Pictures and video will also be extremely useful for any articles or TV news items they may do. You can also find sites that you can write your own news articles on, like mibba.com, though of course your local news will be much more effective.
Petitioning
Petitions can be very effective or fruitless, depending on how you do it. It may be easier to create an on-line petition, but the signatures are much more credible if you use a physical petition. It is best to get signatures from people in the area of the pet store, though they may not know where the signers are from. See petition templates [here].
Boycotting
Boycotting a pet store can take tons of effort if you don't know where else to buy products.
Protesting can be quite effective if you do it right. Bringing petitions to the protest can help passerbies become a bit active in your protest, too. Be sure to follow your legislation on protesting by researching protest laws. In some places, you may not be allowed to protest in a certain way.
