people adopting animals from my shelter just to eat them

[SnowyShiloh]

Yesterday, a man and a woman told me they had just adopted two geese from the local animal shelter. I asked if they'd ever had geese as pets before, and they said no, but it doesn't matter because they're going to cook them anyway :shock: I asked if the animal shelter knew about their plans, and they said no, they told them the geese would be pets. These people paid the $5 adoption fee and signed a contract saying the geese would not be used as food. I know people may not care as much about birds like chicken, ducks and geese since they're so often food, but these are PET geese and this couple is just taking advantage of the animal shelter to get cheap meat.

I called the animal shelter today thinking they have the couple's contact info on file, and could get ahold of them (I was hoping against hope that they could take the geese back). The animal shelter person said they don't condone people adopting pets to eat them, but there's nothing they can do once they leave the shelter. Those poor little goosies.

This is the same shelter Rory came from. Now you can see why I (and other bunny people here in Alaska) was so worried about people adopting rabbits just to eat them! The adoption fee for rabbits was only $5, and the rabbits that came into that shelter were always snapped up within a couple days, no questions asked of the adopters. Rory was there a whole week (long for this shelter), I think he made it so long because a large litter of New Zealands came into the shelter at the same time as him. I prefer to think everyone was adopting baby bunnies to have as pets, but can't help think a lot of the people had ulterior motives.

The shelter has since upped the adoption fees of rabbits to $35, precisely to discourage people from adopting the pet rabbits just to eat them or feed them to their animals.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

That makes me want to puke...

 

[pinksalamander]

Hmmm. In a way, I have a problem with this. In a way I don't. Firstly, whats the different between a meat goose and a pet goose? Thats like saying that one goose deserves to be eaten. They are both equal. In a way, its better. These people are buying these geese to eat. These geese have had a nice life, a much nicer life than a goose destined to be eaten would. Therefore I have no problem, it could be seen as buying organic meat, like buying freerange eggs.... the thing I have a problem with is the fact this is a shelter, because the shelter is probably run on donations and these geese have been kept at the cost of those kind donators, and so taking money away from them for reasons they don't agree with, thats's what annoys me.

Fran :hearts :brownbunny

 

[SnowyShiloh]

What annoys me is people lying to the animal shelter to get a cheap source of meat. And that the shelter doesn't seem to really care enough about the non-dog and cat pets to ask them questions. They didn't ask me any questions when I adopted Rory.

 

[pinksalamander]

Yeah I agree. However I bet a lot of people will come on here and say how wrong it is that they are eating those animals, even when they are meat eaters. I guess I just preemted peoples replies

Fran :hearts :brownbunny

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Like the two of you, it is the lying that gets me. That's straight sneaky; my local SPCA assures all adopters that visits will be made to ensure the animal is in a safe place.
If the organization isn't willing to do that, what the heck is the point???
I can't really fault the people who are gonna eat the goose, considering I haven't been able to afford chicken in the last year ($18 for 3 pounds). There is a lot of meat on a goose for only $5. If you can't afford anything else, I can see why you would do this...

Glad to hear the SPCA raised the bunny price. $5 is begging for rabbit stew.

 

[Ivory]

In this situation the lying really bothers me. It's not right for them to do that. If they want meat, they should buy goose meat from the store. That's deceptive, and actually probably unhealthy. Who knows what those geese have had in their lives. That's rather upsetting.

 

[myheart]

I agree that shelter policies need to be addressed in many areas where follow-up visits should be conducted, but there is a cost/time expense there also. What is also bothersome about this sort of "adoption for food" thing is when people from other cultures adopt dogs for the very purpose of eating them because it is acceptable in their culture. I do not think it happens much in this area anymore, but a guy to the north of my area was caught on film, maybe ten years ago or so, selling a dog to a couple knowing full well that the animal was for food purposes. :grumpy:

myheart

 

[gentle giants]

pinksalamander wrote:

Hmmm. In a way, I have a problem with this. In a way I don't. Firstly, whats the different between a meat goose and a pet goose? Thats like saying that one goose deserves to be eaten. They are both equal. In a way, its better. These people are buying these geese to eat. These geese have had a nice life, a much nicer life than a goose destined to be eaten would. Therefore I have no problem, it could be seen as buying organic meat, like buying freerange eggs.... the thing I have a problem with is the fact this is a shelter, because the shelter is probably run on donations and these geese have been kept at the cost of those kind donators, and so taking money away from them for reasons they don't agree with, thats's what annoys me.

Fran :hearts :brownbunny

Say what??What's the difference between a feral cat and one you have raised in your home? It's tame, it trusts and likes people, it's a PET. Even besides the fact these people were slimy enough to lie to the shelter,they butchered animals that someone has loved and raised. I have had pet geese, and they have every bit as much personality and intelligence as a rabbit, or cat, or dog.

 

[BSAR]

That is really horrible and disgusting! I hope the shelter can resolve the issue.

 

[pinksalamander]

If you eat meat (I don't know if you do or not) then you would surely want the animal to have the nicest life ever. A goose that is raised to eb eaten probably has a lot of personality too. So by that you are saying that only geese chosen to be pets have personalities, and the geese who are bred to be killed are completley devoid of personality. When we buy our meat from the farm shops, its nice to know that someone has lovingly looked after these animals. Yes, they have been bred for meat but they have enjoyed a nice (but short) life outdoors with plenty of attention. I've actually bought goose from my Mums ex boyfriends Mum who is a farmer. She loved her geese, they were like her pets, but they were also her livleyhood so she knew they were going to be eaten.

The point is, there is no different between a pet goose and a meat goose. They are both geese. They both have the same level of intelligence and personality. If these people were buying their geese from a farmer who loved their geese and looked after them, but knew they were going to be eaten, that would be fine. These geese have had a much happier life than a goose that ends up on our supermarket shelves, hoewver its been at the cost of kind donators, and that's what I think is wrong with the situation.

When we raised ducks to eat, I loved them. They had great personalities and were lovely, fun creatures. They liked people, they trusted people. So does that make them a pet?

Fran :hearts :brownbunny

 

[Flashy]

My problem too is the lying, but also the fact they signed a contract saying they wouldn't be eaten, and yet they will be. Given they signed a contract, I am sure that, if the shelter wanted to, they could take action against this because a contract is binding (although they may need evidence and they might only be able to get that if they caught them in the act of killing them).

 

[mouse_chalk]

Agree with Flashy and Ivory- the lying really is horrible- what a low thing to do.

Plus, I think it's awful that the shelter wont do anything about it. It kind of defeats the purpose of having the shelter in the first place- I mean, why save the animals if you don't care where they end up?

 

[dazzy_14]

OMG
as if you'd do something like that :O
I would never do that to a poor animal
:O
I can't get over that :O
daisy
xoxo

 

[LedaHartwood]

I think I agree with Fran, but on a deeper level. I believe meat is meat. Dog, Rat, Cat (all animals I've had as pets, so would NEVER eat them). But a meat sourse is a meat sourse. But these little guys were meant to be pets. That'd be like going to the petstore and coming away with five hamsters, just to make a popcorn Hammy for your movie night...

That angers me... But don't get me wrong.....

I'm a meat eater. I love it. I want to sneak meat in my vegitarian friends' food all the time (like a pill in a cheeze ball) So they can see how awesome it is. But I would never eat my bun-buns, cats or dogs. Nor would I buy a pet quality animal and roast it. There's meat stock, and pet quality.

That's my problem with it, and the lying as well.

 

[paul2641]

That animal shelter is a disgrace.

 

[Becca]

That is actually sick :grumpy:

 

[pla725]

I thought adoption contracts were legal documents. Even though the people are violating the contract I guess the shelter doesn't want to be bothered confiscating the geese.

 

[lemon]

paul2641 wrote:

That animal shelter is a disgrace.

I agree.

 

[tonyshuman]

I think pla has a point. Adoption contracts are legal documents, I beleive, and the shelter can go and seize the animal or sue the adopters for breach of contract if they have already eaten the animal. I doubt they could get more than the adoption fee back, but you never know. They need to seek some legal advice on this matter.

In addition, these people should not be adopted to again. The shelter needs to do a better job of screening the potential adopters, asking if they have food and shelter ready for the pet, seeing their reaction to the possible price of vet bills (ie "how much would you spend on the animal if it got sick?"). When I adopted Tony, the application included questions like that, and how much I was willing to spend on him annually, etc. At the shelter I work with, they ask where the person is planning on housing the animal, what kind of food, if they already have supplies, know of a good vet, have read books about it, etc, and that's part of the adoption decision. $5 is also too little to ask for a bunny. Anyone who really wants that animal as a pet would be willing to pay I think up to $40. The adoption fee here is usually $25, which is a lot more than you can buy a rabbit for meat for (and we have a lot of meat breeders around). If someone says something "wrong" to a volunteer or employee (we don't allow outside housing, so saying they want to put it in a hutch, or they want it to be primarily cared for by a young child, think bunnies are a "cheap" pet, etc is a red flag"), it goes "in the file" and will come up if they ever want to adopt again. Yes, animal care facilities do maintain files on adopters as well as the animals, especially ones tied to criminal records (ie if they've ever had animal abuse complaints).

I sincerely hope things can improve there... that's really sad.