4 ms·
Adoption is a loaded word that needs to be unpacked. Adoption is not buying or selling a pet, just like adoption of a human is not buying or selling. Rescuing
by lurker14 14y ago
Adoption is a loaded word that needs to be unpacked.
Adoption is not buying or selling a pet, just like adoption of a human is not buying or selling.
Rescuing a pet from a shelter, while paying for medical expenses or even rescue expenses, is not buying/selling.
Buying a pet from a pet store or mill is buying/selling.
It's important to distinguish adoption of an orphan pet/human (where the only payment is for care expenses) to adoption of a pet/human that was created/capture expressly for sale.
Breeding is a hazy middle ground, which I suppose is what you first had in mind with "adoption"
- evincarofautumn 14y agoYeah, I was a bit harsh. Still, even when rescuing a pet from a shelter, you are gaining ownership, which is somewhat different from adopting a human. I think that’s an important distinction, even though I also don’t see it as inherently degrading to be considered property. A dog’s notion of property is basically the same as every other animal’s: you can keep what you can defend. We defend our pets in the same way we defend our friends and family. In some sense, our debts of gratitude make us all property to someone.