Justin Bieber does not boast the best track record as a pet owner, famously abandoning his pet monkey in 2013 in a German airport. However, he has once again been criticised after a recent purchase of two rare cats, costing him $35,000. If the extraordinary price isn’t shocking enough with so many people living in abject poverty, there is also the problem that Bieber, who boasts 119 million followers on Instagram alone, wields the influence to inspire many fans to copy him in purchasing designer pets when so many pets are waiting to be loved in shelters already.

The fact that Bieber did not adopt rescue cats did not go unchallenged by PETA (People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals), who argued that the key message needs to be ‘adopt don’t shop’ when acquiring a pet. The senior vice-president of PETA released a statement noting that ‘Justin Bieber could inspire his fans around the world to save a life by adopting a cat from a local animal shelter – rather than fuelling the dangerous demand for hybrid cats, contributing to the animal overpopulation crisis, and proving that when it comes to helping animals, his stance so far is “I don’t care.”‘ When more than six million cats and dogs enter animal shelters each year there is no denying that more should be done to inspire people to adopt pets in need of a loving home and Bieber could use his platform to advocate for this. However, Bieber’s response to PETA was far from conciliatory with him telling them to ‘suck it’ and ‘focus on real problems.’ This displays his lack of consideration for the well-being of animals and thus his influence on fans is worrying when it comes to animal welfare.

It is, however, questionable whether full responsibility can be laid at Bieber’s door when every day, celebrities are showing off their new designer pets. And it’s not just celebrities; ordinary people buy kittens and puppies from breeders all the time. ‘Shopping’ for pets does indeed have some positives, as well-respected breeders help to maintain the integrity of a breed. This is something which many owners find important, and breeders know the type of animal so well that they often possess important specific knowledge, which a vet may not have. Good breeders can also ensure the animals are going to a good home, reducing the chance of them being placed in a shelter.

Therefore, in order to make a real difference to abandoned animals, widespread social change needs to occur. It is the disreputable breeders that need to be tackled in order to prevent them from allowing these animals to go to a home that could ultimately give them up. Furthermore, we need to ensure that there is a change in society’s attitudes towards ‘ugly’ or ‘unpopular’ breeds, and that we work to address the problem of pets being disposable and ‘just for Christmas.’ Despite the fact that breeders do have some advantages, and that there is a market for rare pets, it is important to remember that for most of the UK’s pet owners, shelter animals are just as deserving of a loving home and tick all of the boxes to become a perfect addition to the family.