Why do people say they've "adopted" a tortoise when they've bought it?

[dmmj]

So wait it is not ok to scream from the rooftops? better cancel my weekend plans then

 

[Kristina]

I think rescuers should shout it from the roof tops- it makes the jerks who breed animals for profit look bad, and it lets people know that there are people who care

I think it makes the looney guy screaming from the rooftop look bad, personally. Are we once again demonizing the "jerks" that have made a profit from breeding animals? I care, and I breed for fun and profit.

I think she meant the jerks that are breeding ONLY for profit, without caring for the basic wellbeing of the animals. I breed animals too, for more fun than profit, but I take good care of them. It's a different story.

 

[Kayti]

I think rescuers should shout it from the roof tops- it makes the jerks who breed animals for profit look bad, and it lets people know that there are people who care

I think it makes the looney guy screaming from the rooftop look bad, personally. Are we once again demonizing the "jerks" that have made a profit from breeding animals? I care, and I breed for fun and profit.

I think she meant the jerks that are breeding ONLY for profit, without caring for the basic wellbeing of the animals. I breed animals too, for more fun than profit, but I take good care of them. It's a different story.

Exactly When I say breeders, 9/10 I'm talking about the bad ones. There's just more to say.

 

[Jacqui]

I'm lost Why does "bought" mean you aren't going to "love" an animal, but "adopt" means that you are going to "love" said animal. I don't remember seeing in the defination of "bought" that there is anything there that says "unloved" or in the defination of "adopt" that says "loved".
Why would paying money for an animal or getting it for free making any difference in how "loved" or "unloved" the animal is.


Danny

I agree! To me, the ones I have been given as compared to those I have paid for, are all given the same respect, care, attention, and love. The price tag or place it comes from doesn't change my attitude or heart for them.

---

But, now that you bring it up, I do know that there is a strong correlation to amount paid for an animal to quality of care. For example, for some reason people are more likely to take better care of a cat that cost 75$ than one they got for free. Screwy, but true.

Not really so sure on this. See so many registered animals not cared for. Even expensive horses being starved to death happens often.

 

[goodsmeagol]

*SNIP*
But what I meant with the kitten thing is you can still provide a good home for a reptile if you buy it. If you respect it and learn how to properly take care of it and have the means to do so, you can be a good reptile owner. But most kittens/mammals generally require the warm and fuzzy stuff- love, affection, attention, caring, etc. I think my reptiles are different. If I tried to give my Alligator Lizard affection, she'd freak out and probably urinate on me while dropping her tail. If I found someone else that was capable of providing the same standard of care for her as I do, she could care less if I "sold" her. (But I wouldn't, because I'm a mammal and have warm gushy feelings fer the stinker.)
And I know plenty of folks that see their animals as a collection that they can buy/trade/sell, but they still treat them with respect and knowledge. You can't do that with an animal that forms a strong emotional attachment to you/its life with you, like a cat.

*SNIP*

This is exactly how I treat all my animals.
I am a pretty cold hearted person, and would not say I 'love' any of my pets.
But they interest me, so my fascination draws me to reptiles.
I bolded my requirements for a suitable owner IMO.
In high school after a year I decided I was not 'capable' of taking care of a dragon, so I gave it out for ADOPTION. I GAVE it to a small family business that did school class reptile shows.
Years later, I became more mature and now I care for 6 animals, and feel I do a good job at it.
Last year I had a hedgehog for 6 months, I decided I was not capable of caring for it, so SOLD it for 1/3 the price to make sure it did not go to some ignorant kid.
I ADOPTED a Mali Uro from a co worker who was not capable of caring for it, I kept it until I found it a forever home and ADOPTED him out to a friend for free.

But I also agree that you adopt an animal that you grow super attached to and love like a child, dog cat, some torters I am sure...

 

[nike22]

I posted a thread about this very topic; About people RESCUEING poor defenseless tortoises. Hahahahaha.. They just want to feel important. Someone who is truly is a Humanitarian/Samaritan does not inform the world of their good deeds.
??????

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Nike22:

to the forum! This is actually the only post by you. The post in the reptile show thread doesn't have anything in it.

 

[-ryan-]

I dont think there is any controller out there saying you have to use adopt this way or that way.

Should there be? I dont know..

When you adopt a child, you have to pay fees! its not fre

Yet when you go to a rescue you adopt and a pet store you buy.
BUT you could buy from a rescue if its a hatchling, and you do adopt pets such as kittens from petsmart...

You have to fill out adoption papers....

So i think its the persons preference


I bought Temperance for 55 dollars
I was given salty and BB for my volunteer work with the local rescue.....
I adopted LG from a person on CL
I bought CoCo as my frist tort from a petstore
I was given mommas for working at the local rescue

Just wanted to clear up one thing. You don't adopt kittens from petsmart. Petsmart does not adopt any pets whatsoever, especially kittens. They do give local animal shelters space in their store so that some of their kittens (and cats) get shown off to encourage adoptions. The money goes directly to the animal shelter. I know it's splitting hairs, but I think it's an important distinction because in your post it made it seem as though you were stating that people think they are adopting a kitten when they are actually buying it from petsmart. They are actually adopting them from the local shelters. Volunteers come in from the shelters to care for them and the petsmart employees have nothing to do with their care.

I have bought three tortoises, raised two from eggs laid in my care (and sold the other hatchlings), and I was given one by a family who didn't want her anymore. I have never adopted anything other than a cat, and I have only rescued one animal (a mali uromastyx), and I feel that use of the word 'rescue' is fitting because of the condition she was in (third degree burn scars on most of her back, advanced liver disease, etc.).

I think that the term 'adoption' should be reserved for animals that are actually adopted (including paperwork and fees) from shelters and similar organizations. But that's just my two cents.

 

[TortieLuver]

I know from my experience, I "adopted" an adult male sulcata from a rescue organization about an hour away from here and they were asking $400 for him. Not exactly a price to be "adopted" but I guess he had pneumonia and a few other health problems when they got him, and with the vet and med costs, they were trying to recoup their costs? I guess perhaps animals can be adopted but you pay whatever fees the rescue place has paid out.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I got my latest cat as a kitten handed to me in a brown paper sack. I will care for her and love her crazy personality just as much as I would if I had paid a million dollars for her. Most of my turtles or tortoises were free as 'rescues' but I don't believe I say I rescued them. I just got them. How I got them makes no difference and I will give them the best care, free, or adopted or bought...

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

If you consider the animal a 'part of your family'... you adopt. No matter the fees...

I'm adopting my 4th child this year and you can bet it is anything but free... And this is a domestic adoption through state foster care...

Again, I think some folks just get their feathers ruffled too easily sometimes. Tom-A-toe.. tom-AH-toe...

Mmmm, see, to me, it ISN'T different with a kitten...

That is exactly the reason that I started focusing on reptile and amphibian rescue. I have rehabbed everything from rats to horses, farm animals, you name it, but there are a LOT of people that do that. Shelters just plain have no CLUE about how to handle reptiles. I see reptiles kept in conditions that would put someone in JAIL with a felony charge of animal cruelty - IF it was a dog, cat, horse, etc. If a cat turned up with burns on it like the baby iguana I just took in, it would be a closed case. But because they aren't cuddly and furry, reptiles get the short end of the stick. It sucks, frankly.

Well stated!

I posted a thread about this very topic; About people RESCUEING poor defenseless tortoises. Hahahahaha.. They just want to feel important. Someone who is truly is a Humanitarian/Samaritan does not inform the world of their good deeds.

May I respectfully point out that you seem to be ascribing the "Christian" outlook to Humanitarian/Samaritan deeds, but there are other Faiths that see this matter differently...

Setting a good example silently doesn't always get the message understood.

 

[Motara's Mom]

Once I was in a pet store that had a 10 gallon tank full of quarter sized red eared sliders. When I asked how much they sold them for the owner informed me real quick that they do not SALE anything under 4 inches, but they will ADOPT them to anyone for $10.

 

[Angi]

I think it is because people think of pets as their children. If you don't give birth to them they are adopted. I was a foster parent once to a poodle. I tell my boys to feed their brothers and that means feed the dogs.