Behind
the image of the furry ball of cuteness … a reality not all fluffy
and wonderful.
Those
little rabbits people see sitting in a pet shop's cage? Often
times, they are frightened of the human fingers prodding in between
the metal bars. Have you ever noticed the small, startled “jump”
a bunny would make when someone touches him/her?
And
those other rabbits hunched up with their front paws tucked
underneath? They are probably in distress and discomfort, due
to a severe stomach upset from the inadequate diet they have to eat
every single day.
Facts
regarding pet shops:
- From their point of view, animals are products; items which can be sold to yield profit. Even if several rabbits fall ill and die, “so what”?
- Given the reproductive abilities of rabbits (1 female can give birth to 6-12 kits monthly), the pet store can easily get new ones to “replenish stock”.
- Most of the times, pet shops also sell rabbits who are too young. These young rabbits aren't even completely weaned – yet having the appearance of adorable miniature plushes, they attract many, many buy-on-impulse sales.
