Fallacies Assignment Essay Example for Free

Fallacies Assignment Essay The source in question is a response to the episode of â€Å"Oprah† that featured an â€Å"expose† of puppy mills. The person posting to the site makes several arguments that attempt to support the claim that animal breeders are responsible for pet overpopulation, all based on fallacies. Overall, the writer makes an appeal to the readers’ emotions. One such argument is that â€Å"Ive volunteered in the rescue trenches for over ten years of non-stop blood, sweat and mostly tears. † This statement is not only an appeal to emotion due to the â€Å"mostly tears† statement, but it is also an appeal to emotion in that it focuses on the negative aspects of rescue and with the reference to being â€Å"in the trenches,† the writer compares being in rescue to war (par. 3). The writer makes an appeal to authority, citing Oprah as an example of the desirability of adopting a pet, stating that â€Å"she has been educated† and that â€Å"if [Oprah’s] who she appears to be† that she would adopt her next pet (par. 6). The writer follows up this appeal to authority with an ad ignorantiam, with the question â€Å"how could she not? † implying that adoption would be the only way that a reasonable person, in this case, Oprah, would acquire another pet. In addition, the writer makes a red herring argument about the nature of the purebred dog, stating that it is a manipulated creature and therefore is not worth having. How this argument relates to the argument about overpopulation is never made clear, other than that it demonizes breeders and owners of purebred animals. Finally, the writer makes two statements of innuendo. The first of these is the implication that the reader and Oprah are both foolish if they don’t realize that Oprah can get her purebred Cocker Spaniels from sources other than a breedernot pausing to make the connection that all purebreds have their origin with a breeder, good or bad. The writer also makes the comment that she challenges the reader to volunteer with a breed rescue to get â€Å"a big dose of reality,† implying that the reader is ignorant and that only by doing what the writer has already done can the reader understand the â€Å"truth. † The entire post made by the writer is based on fallacies; there is not a single attempt to support these assertions with fact. Although there is some good argument for adopting a pet from a shelter, the writer seems to prefer to make arguments that will either inflame or confuse the reader, rather than providing good information to the reader. Reference Not all breeders are bad. (2008). Message 17. Retrieved from http://www. oprah. com/community/message/370577 17. Re: NOT ALL BREEDERS AND PETSTORES ARE BAD Apr 6, 2008 3:38 PM The bottom line is that it doesnt matter. The bottom line is that we are in a huge, crushing pet overpopulation crisis. HUGE. How is that conveniently ignored by the people who make more dogs for money? Ask yourself, What is your pet stores motive? Money. Ironically, thats what matters the most in all business. Sure there are responsible breeders. But who cares? These responsible breeders are still part of the problem: adding more pets into a pet overpopulation crisis of unbelievable proportions. Youre still dealing with a really unethical issue here making more dogs for money while millions die. Can you ignore that? How can you make that o. k. in your mind? Ive volunteered in the rescue trenches for over ten years of non-stop blood, sweat and mostly tears. I can sit here right now and tell everyone reading this that you can adopt any kind of dog you want. Any kind. Big or small. Whatever breed. You know why? Because owners are irresponsible and dump the pets like so much garbage because theyre moving. Or theyre having a baby. Or whatever else stupid reasons Ive heard. Its a disposable society. There are rescues working for nothing to save these animals. Who are you going to believe has the best interests of the animals at heart? The non-profit rescues, or the Pet Store/Breeder industries who are in it for one reason only: to make money? The breeders will tell you that theyre doing it for the preservation of the breed or some such thing. The truth is that there are are a whole lot of these same purebreds dying because there arent enough homes. The purebred rescues dont have any shelter facilities they cant afford them, just like any rescue cant. They rely soley on foster homes. When youre full, youre full. So for those of you thinking, Well, the rescues will save them, it just isnt true. There are just too many. Finally, lets think about what a purebred dog is. Its an animal that has been manipulated by man through breeding practices to have certain traits that man wants. Thats all. Purebreed dogs were never just naturally born that way. They were manipulated over the years to become breeds by men. So if you truly want a purebred dog, theres only one: Natures purebred. Never manipulated, never messed with. Thats why mutts are always healthier and have natural immune systems. Thats why Golden Retrievers have such a high incidence of Hip Dysplasia, for example. As for Oprah, she has been educated. All of us, at one point in our lives, didnt know what we know now. If shes who she appears to be, then she will adopt her next Cocker from a Cocker rescue. How could she not. (Btw, there are three Cocker Rescues in the city I live in, two Golden rescues, two Doxie rescues and it goes on and on just like that with every breed. ) To suggest that Oprah could have only gotten her PURE BREED Cocker Spaniel from a breeder is absolutely ignorant and completely ludacris. You are clueless as to what is really going on out there. People dump their animals (which they bought from pet stores and breeders) and the rest of us who care about them and not money are left to care for these innocent animals. A dog is a precious gift, not a purchase that has monetary value and as such, can be thrown away or sold again through the paper. Sorry! I suggest a big dose of reality. I challenge you to go and volunteer for your local Cocker Spaniel rescue. You will not ever be the same again and one day, you will wonder how you could have worked in a Pet Store that sells animals. Ever hear of Petsmart? Huge corporation. They refuse to sell animals. Ask yourself why. And please, go educate yourself. I took in a scarred up two year old Shar Pei mix whom I found wandering on an Indian Reservation. She is the most loving, loyal, gentle, silly, playful and amazing dog anyone could hope for. Are you actually going to tell me that her life is worth less than a purebred Cocker Spaniel from your store Her life and the life of the dogs in your store are all priceless. PRICELESS. Get it? Lets start changing our thinking, people, for the sake of all animals. Until there are no more; adopt. Dont Breed or Buy while Homeless Animals Die. Sorry, but Pet Stores and Breeders are losing ground and for good reason..