Alright, I admit it: I love Kijiji. I might even be a bit addicted. Because when I’m in the market for something, it doesn’t matter what it is, I usually start my hunting by searching it on Kijiji. And from cloth diapers to summer sublets, I’ve found it (yes, you guessed it!) on Kijiji.
And Kijiji has been good to me. I’ve even managed to sell off the AU texts from that class I finished but never really got into. Made myself a few quick bucks and cleared off some shelf space, all in one fell swoop. My favourite thing on Kijiji, though, is the free stuff, and I don’t just mean those science books that I picked up that time. I love the free pets section.
The free pets section has been particularly good to me. Two llamas, one horse, two toads, another two llamas, and one pig good to me, to be precise. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, I admit, but I love animals?pretty much all of them, it turns out. Kijiji is my friend and ally.
But you know what gets my goat? (Hmm, wait, I don’t have a goat yet. I bet I could find a goat on Kijiji . . .)
Whoops, sorry, got myself off track for a minute there. You know what gets my goat? The fact that all these poor animals are on there in the first place. You want a kitten? Pick a colour; clawed or declawed, spayed or intact. Everyone and their dog have a kitten (or eight) to give away, because nobody actually wants their kittens. And if You’re looking for a dog, pick a breed and you can find one that someone just doesn’t have time for any more. You can probably find Precious the guinea pig and Thumper the rabbit there, too.
Now I recognize that allergies, and sometimes even severe ones, can develop that necessitate Rover’s departure from the home. And maybe, sometimes, there are circumstances that make moving to a new neighbourhood or pet-free apartment (without Patches the kitty) the best of a bunch of bad choices.
It’s terrible, though, that there are those in our society who view it as acceptable to get rid of an animal just because the novelty of pet ownership has worn off?as long as you sound sad for poor Snuggles, that is. Quite honestly, the number of pets posted every day that ?deserve better but we just don’t have time any more? is absolutely appalling, and so is the number of animals whose owners? ?kids lost interest months ago.?
So before you get your kids that rabbit or puppy for Easter, please?think about whether or not you really can commit to providing a loving, caring home for this creature, regardless of whether or not Bobby and Susie get tired of walking Spot after the first week (because no matter how great your kids are, they will).
Otherwise, I’m afraid Spot will probably just become one more unwanted-pet ad that I scroll past next month on Kijiji.
