Re: Good post, though I don't agree with everything you said

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Posted by bloomindaedalus on January 08, 2003 at 04:46:33:

In Reply to: Good post, though I don't agree with everything you said posted by Lyle on January 07, 2003 at 00:14:01:

well, we all know that the world is full of people (myself included) who at any given time are prone to be stubborn, egotistical, idiotic (or some of the above) but if you do care to change something it is preceisely these peope that make for intiali biggest obstacles. if on the other hand you don't care than there is no point in discussing this (again, not a judgement)
I do think you are wrong about the "turtle morons" a nickname e had from my petstore days for people who came in (mostly parenst buying pets out of guilt for their obviously mistreated children...okay i better settle befor ei getted my account yanked...) usually they wanted "teacup turtles" the ones that "stay small" and "are easy to care for". Waht i found was that if you were up front with these popel have the costs and ebergy required about haldf of them decided NOt to buy anything and the other half remained loyal and consistent customers. Some got "hooked" and became herp junkies and many other at least came back and asked questions and ased about local vets etc...Doubtless there were some who neglected or even abused their animals, and maybe you are right that these people can't be stopped but i think informative pet store employees/owners ARE useful to the ignornat mostly guilt-prone masses. if you can get people to have compasson fo rthe animals then they try at least a little to help them. Ideally i'd like to see permits required for all pets (these to be issued not uponthe simple payment of a fee but upon the satisfactory passing of a care exam) but we are a long way from this so until then dogs, cats , birds snakes, turtles, will suffer (and much worse, human children too), again, i'll try to put a lid on my so-called radical views but my feelings about this should be clear)
Yes if a guy comes in a buys a snake every month he will likely not NEED the care sheet (but who knows, maybe he can improve on the existing care sheet if he's a serious owner) and if the care sheets spell out the facts they may help to deter some potential customers who might not be willing to undertake the effort needed. My proposal is not to throw in the care sheet as an after thought (which is usualy the best way to hide the problems and insure a sale) but instread to BEGIN with the care sheet and walk arround the store looking at the relevant products needed for the animals' care and the associated realistic costs and then see if your customer hangs around. I am far from anybody who "has faith in humanity" in fact if it isn't obvious, i ma pretty misanthropic in general but the colective observations that have led me to this opinion of people have also lead me to believ that guilt and knowledge of investment do motivate people. So if they know the animals will suffer and they know they are reminded of the cost they are incurring they will try a little i think.
Anyway, good luck with whatever you do. I apologize on behalf of the flamers and angry people everywhere you have encountered (as much as i hate humans i feel very responsible for their actions)who (like me) should probably shut the hell up and Do something instead of telling you what you aren't doing right. But remeber, its hard enough to get any reaction from overfed, drugged-up, bored, selfish, lazy, overindulged Americans so if you piss them off its really quite an accomplishment.

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