Replies to post #151 on Talk About Your Pets

[ergo sum]

The business of selling exotic and endangered animals has escalated from an underground network of backyard deals into a multibillion-dollar industry in which chimpanzees can be ordered over the Internet.
The booming exotic pet trade in many cases can be traced to one of America's most family-friendly institutions -- the local zoo -- and zoo professionals and other experts are so concerned that they have formed a new national coalition to expose the abuses and protect the animals.
Since the 1970s, zoos have declared thousands of lions, tigers, bears and other creatures "surplus" because of over-breeding, inadequate funding or simply because the animals failed to wow visitors as they once did. Some zoos have sold the animals to brokers, who funnel them to breeders, hunting ranches,
research facilities, circuses, auctions or individuals looking for the latest exotic pet.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/02/23/MN39053.DTL

[AKvetch]

Seeing-eye dogs

There were two buddies, one with a Doberman Pinscher and the other with a Chihuahua. The guy with the Doberman Pinscher says to his friend, "Let's go over to that restaurant and get something to eat." The guy with the Chihuahua says, "We can't go in there. We've got our dogs with us." The buddy with the Doberman Pinscher says, "Just follow my lead."

They walk over to the restaurant. The guy with the Doberman Pinscher puts on a pair of dark glasses and starts to walk in. The bouncer at the door says, "Sorry, Mac. No pets allowed."
The man with the Doberman Pinscher replies, "You don't understand. This is my seeing-eye dog." The bouncer asks, "A Doberman Pinscher?" He says, "Yes, they're using them now. They're very good and protect us from robbers, too." The bouncer says, "Well, then, come on in."

The buddy with the Chihuahua figures, 'What the heck,' so he puts on a pair of dark glasses and starts to walk in. Once again the bouncer says, "Sorry, pal. No pets allowed." The guy with the Chihuahua says, "You don't understand. This is my seeing-eye dog." The bouncer asks, "A Chihuahua?" The man says, "A Chihuahua??? Those bastards gave me a Chihuahua