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Rspca Christmas Adoption Drive


Little Gifts
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I was just listening to the radio (97.3 here in Brisbane) and an ad came on advising people that they still had time to get a new pet for Christmas and that since their shelters were overflowing dogs were now only $99. I think they also said the price of puppies, cats and kittens but I was seeing red by then. It was accompanied by happy, jingly, festive music like they were selling home entertainment systems.

What the hell is wrong with this organisation? Yes this is a bad time of year with incoming animals but to encourage impulse or emotional purchasing and lower the price as an incentive makes me want to go and kick their PR team where it hurts. How many of these pets will be returned in the New Year as unsuitable after going straight into a chaotic Christmas home environment?

Yep, nothing like planning to add a pet to your household and taking your time to find the right fit. Come on down to our overflowing shelters and take your pick! We're getting rid of them cheap!

PS I tried to find it online for you to listen to but no luck.

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RSPCA cat adoptions at Petbarn for cats over a year of age is $20. Now I just about fainted when I saw this and only could envision anyone and everyone snapping up a cat that's desexed, chipped, innoculated and out of the kitten stage on that twenty dollar impulse whim and then who knows what would happen to it!.....but......it hasn't happened. We had a lovely cat that was over two weeks before she got a family. The current foursome have been here for almost a week without a home. Lots of pats and people looking, but no impulse purchases. Are the public getting more responsible to a degree?

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RSPCA cat adoptions at Petbarn for cats over a year of age is $20. Now I just about fainted when I saw this and only could envision anyone and everyone snapping up a cat that's desexed, chipped, innoculated and out of the kitten stage on that twenty dollar impulse whim and then who knows what would happen to it!.....but......it hasn't happened. We had a lovely cat that was over two weeks before she got a family. The current foursome have been here for almost a week without a home. Lots of pats and people looking, but no impulse purchases. Are the public getting more responsible to a degree?

Oh gosh I hope so Angelsun!

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RSPCA cat adoptions at Petbarn for cats over a year of age is $20. Now I just about fainted when I saw this and only could envision anyone and everyone snapping up a cat that's desexed, chipped, innoculated and out of the kitten stage on that twenty dollar impulse whim and then who knows what would happen to it!.....but......it hasn't happened. We had a lovely cat that was over two weeks before she got a family. The current foursome have been here for almost a week without a home. Lots of pats and people looking, but no impulse purchases. Are the public getting more responsible to a degree?

Oh gosh I hope so Angelsun!

There's some good evidence now that giving pets as gifts (responsibly, and while ensuring a good match between pet and owner) is actually a good thing and doesn't result in higher relinquishments

Here's a post about the ASPCA reseach on the topic http://www.aspcapro.org/resource/saving-lives-research-data/pets-gifts

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Certainly the shelters I've worked with in the US have realised that if they don't provide affordable desexed, vaccinated etc pets - well matched of course and for owners that may not have a lot of money - that some of these people will go to the local markets/pet shop and buy an undesexed animal that later becomes the shelter's problem when it breeds indiscriminately. The best shelters also provide thorough follow up and support - behaviour, health etc.

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The RSPCA is simply getting with the times and acting based on the numerous studies that show that low cost or free adoptions do not impact negatively on the outcomes of those pets, or their worth to their owners. Studies have also shown that pets given as gifts are less likely to be given up compared to animals purchased from breeders, pet shops or animal shelters.

Time to throw out the crappy old rhetoric and get pets out the front door, rather than out the back in a body bag. Nothing like killing them to 'protect' them from the 'irresponsible public'!

http://www.teamdog.com.au/need-talk-free/

“Dogs who came from an animal shelter, friend, or pet shop or who had been a stray were at increased risk of relinquishment compared with dogs who entered households as gifts”.

http://www.savingpets.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Characteristics-of-Shelter-Relinquished-Animals-and-Their-Owners-Compared-With-Animals-and-Their-Owners-in-U.S.-Pet-Owning-Households.pdf

Edited by melzawelza
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The RSPCA is simply getting with the times and acting based on the numerous studies that show that low cost or free adoptions do not impact negatively on the outcomes of those pets, or their worth to their owners. Studies have also shown that pets given as gifts are less likely to be given up compared to animals purchased from breeders, pet shops or animal shelters.

Time to throw out the crappy old rhetoric and get pets out the front door, rather than out the back in a body bag. Nothing like killing them to 'protect' them from the 'irresponsible public'!

Sensible post as usual, mel, basing what you've said on evidence.

AWL Qld, which is a brilliant organization, has just done the same thing. Reduced costs of their dogs & cats to help clear the shelters for the Christmas/New Year period. The screening, interviewing & return processes remain the same. And that's the key. Best predictor of how someone will treat & care for a pet is past behaviour .... their track record & expressed attitudes.

AWL does it each year & it's always been a success with 237 (so far) pets being adopted from their Gold Coast, Brisbane & Ipswich shelters. Their check of data shows no spike in percentage of pets returned in the months following these lower cost drives. Which supports the study you quoted as well as demonstrating the benefits from screening.

An opinion .... over the holidays can be a good time for people to settle a new pet in. When we were working, we always timed our new pets to coincide with holidays so we could do this.

AWL Qld has just posted a photo of exhausted staff & volunteers after a hard few days in working to see 237 pets rehomed at reduced price:

Edited by mita
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The RSPCA is simply getting with the times and acting based on the numerous studies that show that low cost or free adoptions do not impact negatively on the outcomes of those pets, or their worth to their owners. Studies have also shown that pets given as gifts are less likely to be given up compared to animals purchased from breeders, pet shops or animal shelters.

Time to throw out the crappy old rhetoric and get pets out the front door, rather than out the back in a body bag. Nothing like killing them to 'protect' them from the 'irresponsible public'!

http://www.teamdog.com.au/need-talk-free/

“Dogs who came from an animal shelter, friend, or pet shop or who had been a stray were at increased risk of relinquishment compared with dogs who entered households as gifts”.

http://www.savingpets.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Characteristics-of-Shelter-Relinquished-Animals-and-Their-Owners-Compared-With-Animals-and-Their-Owners-in-U.S.-Pet-Owning-Households.pdf

The findings of the study in your link do not support your assertion that low cost/free adoptions have no negative impact on outcome.

The researchers in this study found that dogs obtained at no cost, or at a cost less than $100, were at an increased risk of relinquishment.

It's good to provide links to studies, but beware of confirmation bias.

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I'm still iffy simply because it is the RSPCA. I trust their matching process as much as I trust their behavioural assessment process. I agree that a lower price will enable some pet friendly people to purchase a pet, although it does still cost money to own a pet long term and meet medical needs so that does concern me a little. And I agree in principal that getting a pet while on holidays is a good idea, allowing them to settle in but christmas in some households is quite chaotic and could be stressful to a new pet. It also may not be indicative of the families normal routine.

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The RSPCA is simply getting with the times and acting based on the numerous studies that show that low cost or free adoptions do not impact negatively on the outcomes of those pets, or their worth to their owners. Studies have also shown that pets given as gifts are less likely to be given up compared to animals purchased from breeders, pet shops or animal shelters.

Time to throw out the crappy old rhetoric and get pets out the front door, rather than out the back in a body bag. Nothing like killing them to 'protect' them from the 'irresponsible public'!

http://www.teamdog.com.au/need-talk-free/

“Dogs who came from an animal shelter, friend, or pet shop or who had been a stray were at increased risk of relinquishment compared with dogs who entered households as gifts”.

http://www.savingpets.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Characteristics-of-Shelter-Relinquished-Animals-and-Their-Owners-Compared-With-Animals-and-Their-Owners-in-U.S.-Pet-Owning-Households.pdf

The findings of the study in your link do not support your assertion that low cost/free adoptions have no negative impact on outcome.

The researchers in this study found that dogs obtained at no cost, or at a cost less than $100, were at an increased risk of relinquishment.

It's good to provide links to studies, but beware of confirmation bias.

Still, I think theres a lot of information to be got there.

Looks like those the biggest risk factors seem to be with people who are unfamiliar with keeping cats/dogs and have little idea of what to expect.

People who are unfamiliar with pet ownership and have no idea what they don't know.

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