Do vegans work at pet shops?

Question

bcuz im turning vegan im already a vegetarian, and i am applying for a job at a pet shop to sell pups and cats, but i though breeding animals is bad and you should only adopt, so do vegans work at pet shops even though they dont beleive in it?

Answer 1

vegans work at health food stores

Answer 2

Nop, it would go against all ethical beliefs

Answer 3

I don't think it's unvegan to work at a pet shop. It will give you an opportunity to make sure the animals are being treated right and you can investigate if these pets are coming from breeding mills. They will sell animals whether or not you work there anyway.

Answer 4

Well, it's a contradiction of actions and values.

I've never met a vegan that has worked at a pet shop.  But I have know vegans who work at animal shelters.  There's a big difference, of course, and I'm sure you're aware of it.

The root of veganism is the opposition of animal exploitation.  Using animals as commodities (breeding them and selling them as pets) is exploitation, and working in such an industry supports that exploitation.  

Furthermore, the paycheck earned comes at the cost of animal exploitation.  You need to ask yourself if you want to be a part of that.

There are lots of great opportunities at animal shelters and the humane society... why not try to get in at an organization that is geared towards helping the cause?  It'd be great fun!

Best of luck in your veganism!

Answer 5

As a vegan (actually, even if I wasn't a vegan!) I could not in good conscience work at a pet shop, especially one that sells puppies. Most pet shops get the puppies they sell from deplorable puppy mills where the dogs they breed suffer horrible lives. Please do some research about pet shops and puppy mills before you apply for the job and then decide.

P.S. I don't believe that breeding animals is necessarily bad -- It's the PUPPY MILLS that pet shops keep in business that are bad - VERY BAD. There are some loving breeders who truly love their animals and breed to better the species (well, I know some take issue with that too...) but puppy mills should not be supported in any way.

Answer 6

Well, you shouldn't just not do something because it fits in with a definition. You should do whatever you think is right.

Answer 7

You should find a different job.  Shelters and rescues are way better to work for.  Pet stores are evil.

Answer 8

PETA will disown u.  U can work there if necessary but it is a conflict to the Vegan lifestyle.  If you can work it out within yourself then ok.  I know some Vegans who do this, they are kinda mean to their pets by confining them but at the same time jump on the Vegan bandwagon and brag how they care so much about kindness to animals.

Answer 9

There are almost as many reasons for being vegan as there are vegans.  Some vegans would have ethical problems with working in pet shops, particularly those who are vegan because of concerns over animal welfare.  But those who are vegan because of concern for the environment may not have any such ethical concerns about working in pet shop because"vegan" can refer to those who simply follow a vegan diet, which can be for health reasons -- they are only likely to have a problem working in a pet shop if they are allergic to fur!

So the answer is -- it depends on the vegan.

Answer 10

You will be helping people find a loving pet what's wrong with that? Only hard core PETA types don't believe in having pets.

Not all pet shops sell animals form puppy mills. The one in my town sells them from local breeders who care for their animals.

Answer 11

Vegans tend not to believe in "selling" animals, but in adopting them instead.  Most pet shops get their animals from brutal puppy mills, but of course they're going to lie and say they aren't and that the breeding animals are treated well.  I would never patronize, much less work for, a store that sold animals as commodities.

If there are other employment options available, check those out instead.

Answer 12

Of course. Some of them even have pets or "animal companions".

Not all pet shops sell or breed animals. Many just sell food, other pet supplies and acceesories.

Answer 13

Well its not against breeding animals its the over breeding. pet stores mostly get their animals from puppy mills

http://stoppuppymills.org/inside_a_puppy...

puppy mills are inhumane. and as just a caring person you should not want to work with puppy mill cruelty.

all animals need good homes but buyign from pet stores support these puppy mills. its sort of a lose lose situation i suppose though.

Answer 14

You should not go with what everyone else in that category believes.  What do you believe.  If you think breeding animals is wrong, then its up to you to work there.  Look inside.

Answer 15

I wouldn't imagine ever working at one unless I was trying to leak business records of which puppy mills they buy from.

That sounds like one of the worst places to work.

I work at an animal shelter and have to see the dark side of what they are partly or more like hugely responsible for.

Answer 16

I wouldn't say ALL vegans don't believe in breeding animals.

Personally, I believe it's better to adopt because there are so many animals out there that need a loving home.

I would love to work at a pet shop, but I'd prefer to work at an animal sanctuary or a shelter or something. Good luck with your job application!

Answer 17

Vegan or not, I would never work at an establishment that supported puppy mills. They will spin all kinds of tales about where the puppies came from, but the honest truth is that NO reputable breeder would allow their pups to be sold in a pet store. EVER. No exceptions. Responsible breeders keep tabs on where their dogs end up so that they never end up in a shelter. They draw up contracts stating that if at any point in the dogs life should you not be able to care for it any longer, you will turn the dog over to them, and not to a shelter or any other rescue type organization. Doing otherwise is a breach of contract.

Pet overpopulation is due to backyard breeders looking to make a quick buck and puppy mills churning out puppies by the thousands with little to no regard for the health of the pups or the breeder dogs. To work in an environment that supports that would seem to contradict the reasons that some people choose a vegan lifestyle, but more importantly, you would be working in a place that sells poorly bred, often time sickly puppies to buyers without a care as to what happens to these dogs down the line should something come up and the owners can no longer care for them. If it were me, I would find another place to work.

Also, there is a world of difference between responsible, reputable breeders and the trash that is BYB's and puppy mills.