Kellyville Pets' anti-cats-as-pets segment; suggests reptiles (we sell them too!)

March 24, 2018

Last week an anti-cat pet segment featured on a national morning TV show.

 

With the "Animal Conservationist" suggesting pet owners thinking of getting a cat to "consider other pets"...

And while presenting this bunch of anti-cat fibbery, the presenter "Ben Dessen" neglects to mention that he also works for Kellyville Pets selling reptiles for profit.

Now kittens are lovely, but ask any cat welfare group, they tend to be cheap. While domestic reptiles and with their accessories, can run into the thousands of dollars and (unlike dogs and cats) reptiles can be bred, and bred again, and sold with huge profit margins, with little attention from animal welfare groups.

So generating hysteria about cat ownership could be an act of strategic shrewdness if you're in the commercial reptile business*, but should reasonably be criticised by anyone who actually cares for animals. And surely this would be enough to have any self-respecting animal welfare charity to run - not walk - away from an association with Kellyville Pets. But never underestimate the bad judgement of animal welfare charities!

The Animal Welfare League NSW has bucked community feedback that they shouldn't be joining forces with a for-profit pet shop selling live creatures, who's management is currently building a 60-dog strong commercial dog breeding facility, and has recommenced their adoption program.

Kellyville Pets management must be absolutely delighted that they can both breed and sell animals for profit AND somehow continue to be embraced by a charity group that should stand for the complete opposite of breeding and selling animals for profit.

Supporters of the Animal Welfare League NSW should be infuriated that their charity dollars are being invested in legitimising the for-profit pet breeding industry. But they should also be glad to now know for certain, that rather than be an unfortunate error or miscalculation, a or a forgivable mistake, that the board and management of the Animal Welfare League NSW has heard their community's feedback, considered it, and effectively told you to shove it, in favour of staying friends with a puppy peddler.

*Note: the two kittens in the segment (not AWL NSW kittens) are being sold undesexed on the Kellyville website - again - for profit. Conservation my ass.

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