The Christmas Pet-fad Rant

[Rana]

Hi Guys,

So eventhough I swore not to get any more feathered companions, I do plead guilty to the occasional browsing of what's on teh market.

And what I found today truely sdisgusted me.

Puppies are sadly well known to be a christmas pet fad, which is awfull (unless the family actually wants it and takes care of it right) But the fact that pets are advertised as a "christmas present" is just pure cruelty in my opinion.
Parrots live far longer then dogs, and are even more complex to care for propperly, and I'm sickened that they are made to be this "disposable".

Especially in this case because they are advertising a breeding pair.
Can you imagine what it would be like for the birds to be bought as a fad by and for people that have no clue?

Anyway, it's a problem every year, but I just had a film of poorly fed and caged birds with no social interaction and if indeed used for breeding, severe lack of calcium etc playing in my head and just had to rant about it.

 

[MonicaMc]

I like the idea of pet rocks! LOL

Think about Easter... and all the bunnies and chickens...


I've only received two birds around Christmas... Noel, cherry headed conure, received December 22nd, 2001. Faye, female cockatiel, December 25th of 2007.


Noel was not a gift so much as someone saw I had pet birds and asked me if I wanted another! Person moving into a smaller place with a bunch of dogs and cats... and Noel was highly misunderstood.


Faye wasn't a gift either... more like "payment" for watching over her previous owners house. If I didn't live so close to these people, I would have kidnapped her long before she was actually given to me. Her previous place was just horrendous!




If I could find it again, there is a plastic budgie that sings and chirps! Runs off of batteries, and when you get tired of it, you can turn it off! It happily sits in a cage or on your hand, too! Doesn't move except where you place it...

 

[Rana]

you're absolutely right. Easter is just as bad...

Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with pets being given to people as presents for whatever reason IF the person given them to knows what they are getting into and commit!
But the fact they are advertised as "great christmas presents" will attract a whole different crowd of people, with less well thought through intentions as opposed to the birds that were given to you, where they knew they would be well looked after

Sadly that's not always the case, and a lot of times, people do go out and buy on a whim...
there's little that can be done to stop it. but it makes me feel slightly better to be able to rant about it

 

[Birdlover11]

Poor birds. I have heard COUNTLESS stories on how people bought they're friends or family animals as presents who had no idea how to care for one. The animal might as well been tortured as the way it was treated. I feelso bad when I go to shelters and see all the pets who have been presents and been dumped at shelters. It would be one thing if you were a mom or dad and you had a kid who wanted a little cockatiel really badly and he does his research about it and everything , but if you had a family or friend who had pets and you thought " she might like a colorful small parrot ! After all, the seller is giving the baby's a discount for Christmas ! " then when you give it to the they have absolutely no idea what kind of parrot it is, what they should feed it , heck, they might even be allergic to it !

 

[Dharmawaits]

You want to hear the craziest thing ever? When my mom retired.....they all chipped in and got her a...you ready......a African Grey. Who in their right mind would ever and I mean EVER. Think that's a good Idea. And no my mom had no clue how to take care of a parrot. I didn't find out about it until years later. I still don't ask a lot of questions. I know my dad and I'm afraid to ask what happened to the bird.

 

[MeganMango]

I always very strongly discourage the giving of pets as surprise gifts. Ive received lots of pets as gifts, but Ive always know about it in advance. A friend of mine loves ferrets, and people wanted to get her one for her birthday. I begged them not to do it, and its a good thing because she later indicated she was not prepared and wanted to wait until she was finished school. I would be very angry if someone just gave me an animal without discussing it with me, my pets are forever and I would be stuck with the responsibility no matter what. I think Easter is one of the worst. All our rescue bunnies were Easter gifts to uninterested or abusive kids.

 

[BillsBirds]

When I worked for the SPCA, we'd get/take so many animals after holidays from people who either didn't want them, or know how to properly care for them. Especially birds, rodents, or reptiles. Pets are a very personal commitment, and should only be bought by the person who truly wants, and understands them. Unfortunately, so many of the sellers only think of the money. This is actually a bigger problem than you think.

 

[Rana]

It truely is a horrible thing, and like you said the seller only thinks of money...
you may as well be selling paperweights.
the sheer lack of moral that you're dealing with a living breathing creature that is capable of of feeling affection and pain is just... heartbreaking.
not just birds, but any kind of animal...

In Tab's post on dreaming i had a rant om how i'd love a jellyfish tank, cause it's pretty. but i'm still very aware that even jellyfish need proper care and handeling.
anyway, all i can do is pray that this year... people may get their heads right, and not too many (or none at all) animals must suffer being a holiday pet...

 

[MeganMango]

Sometimes its not just the sellers that think only of money. I cant even tell you how many times Ive ended up with animals (especially horses) that suffer because people think they can cut corners and save money. Half the time these people have plenty of money to spend, but refuse to part with it on behalf of their animals. Its really tragic.

 

[khaiqha]

I gave my friend a cockatiel on his birthday once, but it wasn't a surprise. A month before his birthday he expressed interest in one, so I gave him books/sites to do research with and on his bday we went to the store and he picked one out.

I don't know why anyone would give an animal as a surprise gift. It's like adopting a child as a surprise gift.

 

[ConureCrazy]

It's like adopting a child as a surprise gift.

This. This is SO true!!!! "Here you go, a feathered 2 year old for your enjoyment!"

 

[Rana]

I gave my friend a cockatiel on his birthday once, but it wasn't a surprise. A month before his birthday he expressed interest in one, so I gave him books/sites to do research with and on his bday we went to the store and he picked one out.

I don't know why anyone would give an animal as a surprise gift. It's like adopting a child as a surprise gift.

You're right!!

In your case it was different, your friend knew what he/she was getting into, and it was a wanted gift.

 

[Kiwibird]

We found our BFA home a week before Christmas 2007, but adopting a parrot was a well thought out and mutual decision my husband and I made. We just happened to find our perfect little guy during the holidays But I completely agree with NEVER giving animals as gifts. Animals are not objects, they are living, breathing beings. There was an article in the local paper just this morning about the local animal rescue selling gift certificates "good for" your choice of- "a single dog" or "a single cat". My jaw hit the floor, Ive heard of pets being given as gifts (which is a bad idea as is), but NEVER an animal shelter actually selling certificates for gifting live animals! You have to wonder what is misfiring in these peoples brains!? I'm sure there's the whole 3 parents making the conscious decision of getting a puppy or a kitty for the family, but I think plenty of people around town are going to end up with a very unwanted gift Christmas morning... As in might as well have just given a donation to the shelter in a persons name instead. It's also sad for the animals, because I'm sure the shelter is planning on most of the certificates actually being redeemed and x amount of animals finding loving, forever homes. A bad call all around.

 

[Rana]

My uncle recently pulled a stunt like that... they got a puppy and after two weeks decided against it and gave it away...
He's lucky he lives in another country or i would tear him a new one.

but you're right , the animal shelter coming up with something like taht is just... well frightning really... it's the one place you expect to have the best intentions for animals and that ... just shows the complete oposite!

 

[ruffledfeathers]

Here we all are "preaching to the choir". In general we are here because we care about animals.
I actually got Pepito as my Christmas present 6 years ago, but i ASKED for him after i saw him in the bird store and fell for him. We went to buy him in November and just called him my "Christmas present". That of course is totally different.
After i bought Gilbert i asked for money toward him for my birthday too.
But having a pet chosen for someone is simply not fair to the human or the animal.

 

[Rana]

Here we all are "preaching to the choir".

you're right, and it's an endless topic... but i'm glad we can vent out here a little. most of my friends are near sick and tired of me ranting about some of these topics

 

[Kiwibird]

I just realized I completely misphrased what I was trying to say! We found our bird and brought him home a few weeks before Xmas, not found him a new home lol. We still have him, and couldn't imagine life without him. I agree your uncle getting a pet and immediately getting rid of it was wrong. An animal is like a child, and should be a well thought out, lifelong commitment. I'm personally happy with a single bird (and we actually spent almost a year finding a bird that didn't like being around his own kind so he would be happy in a single animal home) and I have no desire for a second pet. I've seen other birds that for a split second I'm tempted to bring home, but to me, it would be like adopting a child on a whim, and it just takes a bit of self control not to let your emotions get the best of you.

And I'm also happy to see there's been a good amount of outrage around town about the animal shelter doing these gift certificates. Turns out, very few people find gifting a living being to be a good or remotely responsible thing to do.

 

[Rana]

This stuff right here is what winds me up! needless to say, i no longer asociate with them on facebook.

 

[tab_xo]

ahhhh i know what you mean, i read an ad for baby blue and gold macaws the other day what said 'looking for that unique christmas present for that someone special?'

 

[Rana]

ahhhh i know what you mean, i read an ad for baby blue and gold macaws the other day what said 'looking for that unique christmas present for that someone special?'

you're joking! how stupid can people be! ugh....
I posted this picture on my friends facebook page as well ( the one that runs the rescue that i've been asking ye to vote for) she doesnt really handle birds but she said she'd be in touch with me if any were to come in so i could take them in temporarily. i wish i had more time and money and space to make it a full time thing. there are no bird rescues in ireland. none at all. there's exotic pet rescues and cats and dogs and lifestock (horses cows donkeys sheep etc...) but nothing that fascilitates properly for birds...