(TW) How much is that doggie in the window?

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How much is that doggie in the window?

 

Buying an animal in a pet store can often cost consumers a lot more money than

they initially expected as genetic disorders and disease are common

By Noah Buchan

STAFF REPORTER

Taipei Times

Sunday, Jan 07, 2007

 

For Aileen Sun it was a dream come true. For a week, she would pass the window

of a local pet store and admire a purebred basset hound. One day it was gone,

sold to some college students. If ever she had the chance again, she told

herself, to see that beautiful puppy she would buy it. A few days later, she got

her wish. Passing by the store again she saw the same puppy in the window,

returned because the parents of the students who bought it refused to allow them

to keep the canine. That night, the puppy was given a new home after Aileen paid

just over half the original price of NT$18,000.

 

Sun's dream quickly turned into a nightmare when Pete, who Sun affectionately

calls her " daughter " , stopped eating and began to rapidly lose weight.

 

" She was so weak she could barely move, " she said.

 

Sun soon learned that her pet had Fanconi's syndrome, a genetic condition that

leads to kidney malfunction. Four veterinarians, two operations, three weeks of

drips and NT$100,000 in veterinary bills later, it still seemed likely that Pete

was going to die.

 

" Everyone had just given up, " Sun said. Eventually she brought her dog home

where it miraculously recovered.

 

Sun's story is not unique. The cute, fuzzy appearance of many store-bought

animals belies an array of genetic problems because the dogs and cats that are

highly sought after, and carry the highest price tags, are purebreds.

 

According to veterinarian Joey Hung, genetic problems are more common in

purebreds than mixed-breed animals because of overbreeding and inbreeding. When

customers come to his office with an animal that has a genetic disease, the

American-trained cardiologist immediately recommends neutering the animal so

that the defect cannot be passed on.

 

Another issue Hung deals with in his practice is canine distemper, a virus that

is spread in closed environments and easily infects puppies between the ages of

three months and six months. The small spaces that pet stores often occupy

increase the likelihood of infection.

 

Hung says it is common for new pet owners to try to return the animals to the

store after being diagnosed with distemper. " Then get an angry call from the

pet shop saying 'Why did you say that? It's a common cold, not distemper. I'll

take the puppy to my own [veterinarian] and prove you are wrong,' " he said.

It is hardly surprising that pet store owners selling animals would have this

kind of reaction as they are loath to shatter the image that puppies may have

birth defects. And though some pet-store owners have a genuine interest in the

welfare of the animals they sell, the underlying aim is to turn a profit as

quickly as possible.

In addition to distemper, another common disease that Hung encounters in his

practice is parvovirus, a highly contagious febrile disease. First discovered in

canines in 1967, it has spread rapidly.

" The parvovirus is so strong [that] if you replace a dog you should keep it in a

different environment for three to six months, " says Hung.

He added that consumers are often mystified by the sickness of their animals

because " they tend to believe that the dog looks healthy at the time that they

buy [it, but] they do not [understand] the puppy is getting the disease from

their home because of the previous sick dog. "

Hung says that it is rare for pet stores to warn consumers about the potential

health problems of the animals they sell.

Regulation

According to Yen I-feng, Director of the Taipei Municipal Institute for Animal

Health, the municipal body that enforces and regulates the Animal Protection

Law, there are 69 legal and roughly double that amount of illegal stores across

Taipei selling pets. With this many stores, animal protection officers have

their hands full trying to regulate pet stores and enforce the law. Many problem

animals come from the illegal pet shops.

According to an animal protection officer, who spoke to the Taipei Times on

condition of anonymity, it is often difficult for consumers to distinguish

between legitimate and illegal pet shops. Indeed, the officer is frank about the

ineffectiveness of the Animal Protection Law in curbing the problem of illegal

pet shops.

" Some salons or pet stores that sell pet supplies will put cages with puppies

inside but they [won't] put up price signs or a notice saying they are [for

sale]. And we will ask them what the purpose is of the puppies. [The owners] say

'they are mine.' " There is little animal protection officers can do when

proprietors give this kind of answer because it is difficult to prove that the

store is selling animals if there is no price tag on the cage.

The officer says increasing education about animal care, and by extension animal

rights, is the best way to reduce the number of illegal outlets selling pets.

Consumers should first consider going to shelters before going to a pet store to

purchase an animal, the officer said.

Alternatives

Yen agrees. His organization spends a lot of time educating members of the

public about the importance of pet ownership and pet problems. His conclusion:

It's better to adopt a dog from a place like the Taipei Animal Shelter in Neihu,

than it is to buy one at a pet store.

If the nature of the pet store business is to turn a profit rather than care for

animals, with shelters the reverse is true. And though shelters in Taiwan often

receive bad press, the more consumers take an interest in the condition and

treatment of animals, the more shelters can fill the niche of providing animals

to the public.

Sean McCormack of Animals Taiwan, an animal rescue operation located in Shilin,

says adopting a pet from shelters offers many benefits that aren't apparent in

pet stores.

" There's actually nothing wrong with pet stores, " he says, " provided they don't

sell pets. " McCormack says selling pet clothes, toys, leashes and other

pet-related products is a viable way of making a living. But with a huge

population of feral animals and shelters offering dogs for free or at extremely

low prices, there is no need for pet stores to be selling animals.

He adds that people working at pet shelters aren't interested in making a profit

and generally love animals. The corollary is shelter staff and volunteers will

often know the animal's personalities and can help the consumer make the right

match. If the consumer is interested in a prize breed, they should consider a

shelter because as dogs grow older and the responsibility for their upkeep

increases people often abandon them.

" The last time I was at the shelter in Neihu, I saw about five golden

retrievers, " he said. With 300 cages full of animals at the Neihu facility,

there is obviously a huge selection of canines to choose from. And once a pet is

adopted, it frees up room for other dogs, he said.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2007/01/07/2003343821

[Photos with the article]

Aileen Sun smiles with her dog Pete. Pete required veterinary care costing

NT$100,000 after his owner discovered he had a genetic

disorder.http://www.taipeitimes.com/images/2007/01/07/thumbs/p17-070107-a3.jpg

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHEN HSIANG-YU

Placing puppies in storefront windows is a powerful way to attract

customers.http://www.taipeitimes.com/images/2007/01/07/thumbs/p17-070107-a4.jpg

PHOTO: NOAH BUCHAN, TAIPEI TIMES

Prince, a rescued dog, is seen before having treatment for scabies.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/images/2007/01/07/thumbs/p17-070107-a5.jpg

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANIMALS TAIWAN