SELANGOR: Getting a watchdog used to be a popular trend, but nowadays people are more likely to get a companion dog for themselves. Companion dogs are not the same as watchdogs; they are more like human family members.
We're not sure when it started, but the idea of adopting a pet rather than buying one has been gaining traction in society. However, there are still many pet stores in the market. Even so, based on the interviewees I've spoken with, they all agree that adopting is better than buying.
Experiences In Adopting Pets
“Did you see Latte at the front door? Yea, I adopted him since he was a puppy,” Melisa Liau Pei Xin, 24, accounting assistant told me.
Melisa went on and told me the behind story of bringing Latte home. Seven years ago, there was a theft got into their house at the midnight, then her family decided to find a watchdog. After knowing the incident happened, her home tutor suggested they adopt a puppy. That’s how Latte joined the Liau family.
Another interviewee, Michelle Chua, 30, is staying in Kuala Lumpur with her companion dog, Queen Queen, which is a Poodle dog. But at her house in her hometown, Kuching, her family adopted more than 4 pets at one time. Michelle said since she was young, her family often bring new dogs into their house. She stated some of them were stray dogs, and the family just brought them home.
Carmen Yee Kai Wen, 29, a Creative Designer was an owner of an adopted pet dog. “Even though she passed away a few years ago, the memories will last long forever,” Her pet was too old and had several sicknesses, no other choice, but Carmen was forced to euthanise her. “I don’t want to see her suffer anymore, that’s why I had no choice but to euthanise her with the help of the vet,” she added.
When Carmen was young, she decided to adopt DuDu from her auntie.
“It was that moment when I looked at a pack of dogs playing at my auntie’s house, I decided to bring one home, even though at that moment my parents refused to adopt a dog,” she said.
Adoption Has Become A Trend, and We See It As A Good Thing That Happened.
According to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), the statistic of adoption rate is rising rapidly, seems like the awareness of not buying pets is growing bigger and bigger in society.
Loh Yen Wey, 22, who works in the animation industry has a pet bunny in her house. Pico is bought by Loh’s sister a few years ago. Nevertheless, Loh is still supporting the "adopt don’t buy" concept. “I heard that adoption has lots of benefits and the fees are cheaper," she stated.
The same thing goes for Liang Kae Chyn, 22, currently she doesn’t have any pets, “but whenever I see stray dogs or cats on the street, I have the urge to bring them home,” but due to some conditions and situations, she can’t do that now.
Liang said: “Once there is business, it will bring harm, and some illegal pet stores will also force small animals to mate and breed. That's why I support adoption instead of purchase.”
“Adoption Can Help Humans To Control The Population of Dogs and Cats,” Jonathan Said.
At the end of the interviews, all the interviewees said they will not force their friends or people around them to adopt pets instead of buying from pet stores. However, they will tell them the pros and cons of buying and adopting. “Educate and encourage,” Melisa stated, “I can’t force people to make a decision.”
We had an interview with Jonathan, 38, on 18th July 2022 through an online meeting. Jonathan is working in the Paws Animal Welfare Society’s Public Relations department, he said that they're currently a lot of animals waiting to be adopted in PAWS. “Roughly, 200 of them are dogs, and the rest, 200 of them are cats,” which is an immersive number of pets are homeless now.
How To Protect The Animals?
Rather than asking the government to do something, SPCA Selangor stated the people themselves should be the ones to do better. There are laws in Malaysia to protect the animals, but humans will still hurt the animals. It’s because of the low awareness of how to treat a pet properly.
Jonathan said that “The animals did nothing wrong, but it’s the human’s fault,” continually, even though we can see tears in his eyes during the interview, “the pets won’t leave their owners, but the humans do.”
Paws and SPCA Selangor are providing adopting services, Jonathan also told us the proper way to adopt a pet.
Discuss with your family members or roommates, and get their permission
Visit the shelter, look around, and play around with the pets
Get more info and details from the staff
Pay the fees, and get ready to bring your pet home
We hope that the trend will not just last for a while, pets are lives too, who deserve a home to stay in, just like how human lives.
For more information and details to adopt a pet, kindly explore the websites below.
Malaysia's biggest adoption website/ Pet Finder https://www.petfinder.my/
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