How do we talk with human kids about the connection between pet stores and puppy mills?
This is certainly not an easy topic to discuss, even among adults, but we're guessing it's much more difficult to attempt to explain to your children or your friends' children where those adorable puppies in the window really come from. It might even be more difficult than the universally dreaded conversation about where human babies come from! Enter these thoughtful tips from the ASPCA, that provide excellent "talking points" for this possibly touchy conversation.
Parental Unit swears that if she had been fortunate enough to have human kids, she'd just come right out and tell them the truth and not dance around the subject, even if it were temporarily startling or a bit scary.. But that's the way she was raised, she claims—she pretty much got the unvarnished truth about issues she questioned, even early on. But she realizes that not every parent feels the same, and she believes these "explanations" and "conversation starters" provided by the ASPCA do a great job of combining honesty with, well, tact, to help young children understand why it's not appropriate to buy a pet store puppy.
As you know, the ASPCA created and supports the "No Pet Store Puppies" Campaign that does a great job of calling out the puppy mill trade, and explaining what you can do to finally break this chain of cruelty. Check it out and don't forget: "Adopt Don't Shop"!
This is certainly not an easy topic to discuss, even among adults, but we're guessing it's much more difficult to attempt to explain to your children or your friends' children where those adorable puppies in the window really come from. It might even be more difficult than the universally dreaded conversation about where human babies come from! Enter these thoughtful tips from the ASPCA, that provide excellent "talking points" for this possibly touchy conversation.
Parental Unit swears that if she had been fortunate enough to have human kids, she'd just come right out and tell them the truth and not dance around the subject, even if it were temporarily startling or a bit scary.. But that's the way she was raised, she claims—she pretty much got the unvarnished truth about issues she questioned, even early on. But she realizes that not every parent feels the same, and she believes these "explanations" and "conversation starters" provided by the ASPCA do a great job of combining honesty with, well, tact, to help young children understand why it's not appropriate to buy a pet store puppy.
As you know, the ASPCA created and supports the "No Pet Store Puppies" Campaign that does a great job of calling out the puppy mill trade, and explaining what you can do to finally break this chain of cruelty. Check it out and don't forget: "Adopt Don't Shop"!
