@Chen I like to joke that I was a millennial before it was popular--I'm almost old enough to be a boomer, but I've never been able to afford a house either, and I also don't really want one. :)

But yes, so much this.

@Valiska
YES to your story exactly!! The worst part is, rando's will just say "well that's just too bad you rent, buy your own house so that you can adhere to the mantra adopt don't shop" as if the reality of our socioeconomic fabric hasn't been increasingly favoring people who already own capital, ie own the businesses, own the land. (My favorite is boomers complaining that millenials aren't buying houses -- well, duh, we can't afford them.) And because they have such power, that they'll deny you rescuing a small animal because it's part of a set of calculated moves for them to make more money, damn the systems that try to help the little people. And the shelter isn't everyone's friend either, and the "adopt don't shop" mantra is a little too black and white about "breeders bad, shelters good".

@Chen Thank you for bringing this up.

I am currently without a cat because I can't afford a breeder and the local shelter wants to talk to your landlord if you rent.

I understand that they would like to ensure that they don't get animals back because people were threatened with eviction.

But I also live in a city with well above average market rate rents in a rent-controlled apartment that I have been living in since 1995.

My landlord would love to find a way to "encourage" me to move out so that they can flip my apartment for 5x the rent that I pay. Which would get me a room in a shared apartment, nowadays. I can't afford to move out.

So. My landlord is GOING to say no to the shelter, even though I had a cat when I moved in, and have had subsequent cats, because they want me to move the hell out.

me, reading those 3 words and knowing it's exactly the same as setting off a bomb: [minecraft OOF]

Adopt or shop responsibly! Reputable breeders exist, and so do unethical rescues.

Adopt, but you can shop from suitable breeders, not of irresponsible kennels who do not even know the lineage&genetics of the stud and the mother dog :heart::heart: .

I got one of those from the free shop when it was open but i'll def take another x)

thanks for the wishlist item :3

Thank you staff! I wasn't able to nab one of these little cuties from the free shop. I'm more than happy to adopt one into my Adorables gallery!

Ahh I love this minion! It's so cute!!

Holy shit i knew i would find the comments blowing up in here over 3 words

I didn't expect to see all of this discourse over a simple phrase. I just wanted to enjoy this free gift.

this makes me feel old, i remember when this little kitty came out! thank you for the rerelease!

i think the reason the staff said "adopt don't shop" was because at the time the newspost was made this minion was worth 80 million sP (!!) which is a lot, for something that was originally a free gift! so they rereleased it, hence 'adopt don't shop' so you're not spending 80 mil on an old free gift minion. i don't think it was intended to be anything more than that, and certainly not anything to spur arguments over. D:

(i think we can all agree that puppy mills are the worst of the worst tho)

As an Adoption Ambassador for my county's shelter, please adopt (and buy responsibly). There are too many unwanted babies that need loving homes and it breaks my heart seeing them everyday. If you can't adopt, even volunteer work helps more than you think.

@Kel yeah, although I had hoped you could come to see that the good breeders really do love their animals and it's unfair to say they don't because they also need to survive financially?

But thank you for disagreeing pleasantly and civilly. I also think it's a crime when people dump older pets. I don't think we're as far apart as you think we are. I just think we do have very different experiences.

The thing is, I'm mostly okay with people talking about "adopting" cats or dogs as a grown-up adopted kid, but then someone says something like "so-and-so adopted a guinea pig" and I'm just like whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? At the same time I would not want my parents having the power over me that we need to have over pets to protect them. I mean I don't let cats leave the house, because they will get hurt and because they will kill small native birds and animals.

But then some breeders also speak of "adoption", because they don't let just anyone buy their kittens/puppies/kits/whatever. My real problem is with "adopt don't shop" because they're essentially different words for the same act--you pay someone money and you get an animal. What matters is whether the person actually cares about their pet as a living feeling creature, and unfortunately, no method of exchange and no amount of investigation can 100% guarantee that. WHERE you shop is also important, but there are bad rescues and good breeders.

Pretty much the only thing that's 100% guaranteed is that if you buy pups or kittens from a store and not a breeder who wants you to sign a contract, wants you to come and meet the animals first, etc, you're dealing with a mill.

And mills are the one thing I would imagine both rescues and ethical breeders hate equally.

Thank you for the adorable minion ❤❤ Just going to say love and respect all animals and home them all ❤❤ They all need love and care

@Valiska
I can see your opinions come from very distinct experiences and knowledge than mine, so I feel that we will never agree on breeder/adoption terms and thus it would probably be pointless to continue this discussion, as we'll never be able to convince each other otherwise :)

However, I'm really sorry you have somehow witness organizations being such a wreck, they should know better. Pets get emotionally attached to humans just as much humans get attached to them, and that's something any organization should know to their core. Fortunately, I don't think I'll experience that in my life because the law here doesn't bother much with that kind of situations (and unfortunately, there's also no legal repercussions for when the owner kicks out their 15 older pets just because they're old now. Two sides of the coin I guess..)

I have rescued, adopted and bought from breeders. ( I am talking birds). Each place has its pros and cons regarding health, personality and quality of stock. I prefer to get my birds as soon as they fledge their nests, but I have adopted older birds and rescued hard to place birds. I love my wide mix of feathered babies, even my bald canary who is VERY high maintanance. If there is a bird in need, no matter its location, I will do what I can for it.

I think the adopt don't shop thing is a bit overblown nowadays, or at least it is depending on your locale. There are some responsible, good breeders out there, and there have always been, and yes, there are still people trying to run puppy mills for a profit, and some of them have switched into more "lucrative" markets such as "designer" breeds (labradoodles etc). I know the motto isn't intended to be directed at people who use and produce working dogs, which are bred for highly specific tasks (farm dog, visual assistance, dispositions, etc), and most people can't get their hands on them anyway, but this motto does tend to make all "breeders" fall under one umbrella.
But more recently, at least in my locale in Texas, it's been kind of a struggle to try to get a dog from a shelter. They do background checks, and how extensive of one (including sometimes invasive questionaire) depends on the shelter. And if you don't show them that you have an income, they're less likely to adopt out to you (yes it makes sense, but I feel this discriminates against homeless people). They will not adopt out to you unless you give them your current mailing address (also discriminatory towards homeless people, dogs can significantly improve a homeless person's quality of life and survival), and often they'll actually come and check to see if you have a yard situation (they tend to not want to adopt out to apartment-dwellers unless you're getting a tiny dog). I mean, yes, I understand that shelters are trying to keep unscrupulous people who arrange dog fights out of a "free" supply chain, not necessarily targeting homeless people or people who rent homes, and generally trying to find good homes for dogs, but this kind of red tape has slowly been increasing, particularly with breed-specific rescues.

Loyal to those left.

Should have said that first...

I’d never seen this lil guy before, thank you!!
I appreciate the message, too. It messes me up to think about all the sweethearts put to death in shelters every day :c

I love to adopt... Pets from Adopt R Us and delete them from existence.

@Kel - one other thing.

I don't think you quite realise how much money animal breeders--the good ones--spend on their animals. Most of the people I know who breed animals do it as a labour of love.

But just as the money a shelter asks for goes to providing animal care, so does the money a good breeder asks for. A good breeder has to pay for all the food and medical care that the animals they breed receive, in addition to providing all the initial examinations and basic care that the baby animals need before they are sent to their furever homes. And they don't get the charity discounts that a shelter or rescue often gets. You don't really have any business saying that the people I know who breed domesticated servals, Siamese cats, and Maine Coon cats don't love their animals just because they, like you, want to be able to afford to continue taking care of the animals that they love, finding good homes for their babies, and paying not just for food and medical care but for things like AKC certification for dogs, training, and the expenses involved in getting pets to their homes.

I don't think you realise how narrow the profit margin is for people who breed animals because they love animals.

The average person who breeds animals because they love a breed and they love their animals and the people who love those animals lives a really modest lifestyle, and a lot of them are driven out of it because of the costs--not to mention the occasional (maybe more than occasional) death threat from animal rights organisations.

I could just as easily say that you don't love your rescue animals because you don't give them away for free. But I wouldn't, because I know that's not true.

@Ardent so true on the pediatric s/n surgeries!

@Kel It's okay that you disagree with me, I didn't expect everyone to agree with me. I just wanted to say what I felt needed to be said.

Rescues do some very good work, but like you yourself said, you see the absolute worst of human/animal interaction. This is a really big problem when it comes to some of the crazy US rescue contracts and when it comes to exotic pet issues.

Reimbursing a rescue for the cost of animal care is still a payment. The rescue pays for the animal's care. The "adopter" (and, as an adopted child I have very mixed feelings about this word) pays the rescue for the animal and the costs the animal has incurred, allowing them to rescue more animals. This is not a bad thing.

But you are still making a purchase when you adopt an animal, unless you choose to work with a rescue that has a contract which effectively only allows you to "lease" the animal. I do not support this type of contract because ownership is very important when it comes to making decisions about an animal's care. There needs to be one person/family responsible for the animal, and some veterinary societies oppose language that minimises ownership for this reason. That also means that if this person abuses the animal, they and only they can be held legally responsible for that (and they should be punished.) Also, if you acquire a cat at 5 years of age, and 15 years later, you are called off to military service or become ill, you have owned that cat for 15 years and you and your vet know that cat. The rescue hasn't seen that cat in 15 years and they should not be using their contract to legally take that cat from the person you decided should take care of the cat just because they weren't the ones who made the decision. They don't know that your cat has watched your niece grow up, loves her, and would be miserable with strangers.

The word "pet" is important because it encompasses the parental feelings, the friend/companion feelings, and the responsibility that a pet owner has. We don't treat our human "companions" like children after they are grown to maturity. We don't have the right to spay or neuter our children. A pet is a best friend, and a pet can be like a child, but the human who owns an animal has the right and obligation to make decisions for the animal that we would never be allowed to make for another human being.

Oh cool. Thanks. And yes I've adopted from local rescues and humane society for all 4 of my fur kids. :)

thank u blessed subeta staff

Yay! Now I have three!!

Thanks, I still needed this one for my minion zoo! I don't think I've even seen it before.

Right...

@Valiska
I don't 100% agree with your point of view.

First, helping in covering expenses for rescue pets when giving money into the adoption process is exactly that: helping. A rescue pet can be all sorts of problematic, and even when they aren't, just neutering and feeding them until an owner can be found is quite expensive, and any adoption fees will hardly cover these costs and generate profit. Besides, adopting a pet is about a decade commitment; if the owner is unable to provide a simple adoption fee, there's no way to be sure that they will be able to afford feeding or vet bills along the way.

Second, 'buying' an animal automatically gives them the trait of 'things', and like things that people buy, pets can be easily discarded. It doesn't matter if they feel hungry, pain or cold, they're still merchandising when they are bought, and not everyone is able to see past that. Most breeders do it with at least a tiny bit of profit in mind, not just the love for the species - if that was the case, they could just adopt out pets rather then sell them, just to perpetuate the species under human care. Buying from a certified breeder is obviously the best option, but it's still buying nonetheless, and there will always be that person with the "I own you" ideology that hurts so many animals on a daily basis.

Of course, these opinions are based on my experience, and as I don't live in the US, I assume the culture revolving pets and abandoned animals is fairly different. I volunteer for a pet rescue organization here, and we have seen some terrible things regarding human behavior vs animals. So when we campaign to 'adopt, don't shop', we're trying to make people think of animals more as living beings capable of rationalization and empathy rather than mindless objects created to obey, serve and look cute. Research and buy responsibly is not enough because it perpetuates a cycle where animals are products on display, subjected to fashion trends, and stripped from any rational capacity.

Adorable minion and great message! ♥️

soon as I saw this I knew people in the comments would be annoyed ????

Adopt, don't shop guys ✌️

adopt or shop responsibly ya dorks

A gentle yikes at the comments that are so anti breeder but anyway. Kind of bittersweet to see this guy because it was the only "expensive" thing I'd grabbed from the Free Shop LOL but they're super cute, so spread emmm

@Valiska Well said!

I love this minion :) Always have done - glad to see it come round again! So cute.

This is a message I can fully get behind. Fuck pet shops and fuck breeders.

@Valiska Agree so much, but would love if there was a perfect world where shelters didn't need to do pediatric s/n's because some breeds (even mixed breeds) need those hormones to finish physically developing.

I wish the phase could be changed to "Adopt or Shop Responsibly".

@Cass YES.

Research and buy responsibly. Every time I hear 'adopt, don't shop' I seethe.

If you pay for something, even if you are only helping the seller recoup the reasonable costs of treatment and care, you are buying it, unless you are talked into signing one of those "rescue" contracts where you end up not actually owning your pet and legally forbidden to make your own decision, as the owner who actually knows your pet, about who should take care of that pet if you die or are rendered unable to do so.

Do your research. If you want a specific breed, go to a registered breeder or a breed rescue, and ask to see health records to ensure that animals are being bred for health, sick animals are not being bred, and breeding is not being done for "cute" characteristics that actually are dangerous for the animal's health and/or ability to function. By all means do not patronise puppy or kitten mills, and think twice about purchasing animals that have been bred for short legs (the latest rage in 'designer cats'), flat faces (they often have trouble breathing) or for small size (some tiny chihuahuas are shaky because they can't actually bioregulate their temperature properly).

If you don't want a specific breed, definitely go to a shelter. But PAY ATTENTION to all the information you get about the animal and make sure you know what you need to know about the animal's temperament, personality and history (if anything is known).

Be careful of "rescues" and read all fine print on any contract they ask you to sign. Yes, they are burnt out because they see the worst shit. But you wouldn't want to have to go to the CPS officer who works the worst abuse cases to try and adopt a baby, because they are not going to look at you fairly.

Some of these contracts that I've seen in the SF Bay Area authorise the rescue to come and "rescue" your pet if they decide there is anything wrong with how you are raising him/her, which sounds like an abuse prevention measure, but you have no guarantee that everyone who ever works for that rescue from now until the end of your pet's life or yours will be a rational person, and you are legally agreeing to let them to break into your house even if their reason for deciding you're a rotten owner is related to your politics rather than your treatment of your pet.

All "adopted" pets are required to be spay/neutered, which overall is a good thing, because pet overpopulation has tragic effects not just on the pets themselves but also on the wildlife in your area. But eliminating breeders entirely and fixing all rescue pets will eventually lead to the end of pets. Don't believe me?

PeTA (the People who Euthanise Totally-adoptable-and-occasionally-stolen Animals) has made their intention with respect to this matter quite clear on their website, right here: https://www.peta.org/about-peta/why-peta/pets/

YES <3
I work at an animal shelter and can't get say this enough! :D

Thank you for the cutie! :heart:

Subeta Team: adopt, don't shop
Subetians: immediately put the minion up for sale in shops

Adopt Don't Shop are words to live by. Too many unwanted pets are abandoned. Good for you, Subeta. Thank you.

How about "research and buy responsibly"? :P

I got like..2 of these from the free shop lol THEN THERE WERE 3

This was on my wishlist for some reason, I think I wanted it for my gallery cause some of the stuff there is to do with cats and this minion seems like a feline to me

Thank you

thank you i love herrr

So cute!

Thanks!

:o free