When animals are viewed as objects, it leads to exploitation. Using animals for our purposes without thinking about the emotional, physical, and social needs of the animals is exploitation. Animals are exploited in innumerable ways in our culture: rodeos, factory farms, testing laboratories and circuses are just some of the ways. Buying or adopting an animal can also lead to exploitation. Few of us can resist a cute puppy or kitten, especially if we have a small child begging to take one home. But these puppies and kittens are not toys. They need love, attention, exercise, and room to play. They grow up to be adult animals that aren't quite so cute and cuddly, and many of the dogs end up living out their lives on the end of a short chain in a back yard, heartsick for lack of companionship, or dropped off at the "pound" when they become inconvenient or hard to handle. Cats are often thought to be so independent that they don't need attention and are ignored completely.