Pets Paradise

Pets Paradise

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Posted 2011-11-01 by Annefollow

must be congratulated on their aptitude in maintaining such a virtuous image. Doe- eyed kittens and playful pups stare out from glass windows, tempting passers by. The atmosphere is bubbly and friendly, and the customers are fawning and cajoling to the assortment of animals within the store. doesn't need signs or displays- what is more luring or attractive than tiny animals?

I walk in the store, and it is clear from the jubilant atmosphere that I am the only person to whom this deception is obvious.

To the happy couple that are smiling at a young pup in the window, they see a joyous animal, excited at the prospect of a family, energetic in its youth, eyes widened in its anticipation.

What I see is quite remarkable different. Heightened tension, pent-up energy, desperation, despair, suppression, claustrophobia and melancholia. Just to name a few.

Seduced by this talented and appealing display of merchandise, customers flock to the affable store with its bright interior, perky staff and cute, energetic balls of fluff that line the window front.

There is only one thing that I can imagine would be worse than the insides of a cage, and that is to have the outside world being paraded in front of you like a cake that you know you can never eat. Which is exactly what is happening inside this store.

I linger in the store and watch happy families, newly weds, boyfriends shopping for their girlfriends, single lonely mothers and fathers and a variety of others walk into the store watching these animals as if all they are the answer to their prayers, the solution to their unhappiness and boredom, or their remedy to the isolation they live in. I notice a pattern amongst shoppers and am not surprised at the order in which animals are sold.

The cute pups get picked first. A happy family with kids in primary school are now the proud owners of this Shi-Tzu cross Chihuahua cross Tinkerbell-looking thing. They will take it to their children's school who will make a spectacle of it at their classroom Show- And- Tell. They will tie pink ribbons in its fur, and carry it with them to the post office and the bank while middle aged women coo and coax the little thing, exclaiming how adorable it is. This family will probably pass other mangy dogs in the park and stare down at them in contempt, for daring to drool or bark or growl- what an embarrassment owning a dog that shows such uncultured canine qualities.

And so this happy and kind family looks after this puppy that they will name Princess. Perhaps they will let it sleep inside because, after all it is so tiny and it could almost be treated like a doll. Wouldn't want little Princess to get a chill. But a few Winters pass, and little Princess isn't so cute anymore, the novelty has worn off and the kids aren't so interested. Soon enough, Princess will be back behind a cage- probably at RSPCA on the waiting list for euthanasia- just one of the many victims of the oversupply of animals that places like keep advocating.

And so the cycle continues; pups are thrown off the conveyor belt and into a cage, and from the cage they are sold to a family that wants something pretty and cute, so their children can pull on their tails and ride on their backs and dress them up in dolls clothing before discarding them like the barbie that they used to love.

So next time you walk into the welcoming doors of , and stare into the pretty face of the perky sales assistant, just remember that sometimes such an attractive exterior hides a very ugly thing.

#shopping
#victoria
#animals_wildlife
%wnmelbourne
173345 - 2023-06-15 12:09:26

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