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BACKYARD BREEDERS
UNWANTED LITTERS OF PUPPIES AND KITTENS IS AMERICA'S
GREATEST CHALLENGETHEY COME FROM WHAT'S KNOWN AS
'BACKYARD BREEDERS'
AMERICANS WILL KILL UPWARDS OF 8 MILLION HEALTHY,
ADOPTABLE PETS THIS YEAR.
WHY? TOO MANY PETS – NOT ENOUGH HOMES!
THE ‘’BACKYARD BREEDER’’
I author humane education materials for schools. For
over 22 years, I've fostered, rehabilitated and placed
rescued dogs of many breeds. Dalmatians are one of my
specialty breeds but I also rescue, train and foster
many others as well. Because of this, I WANT to speak
out today on the issue of breeding for fun and profit.
Some of you will be upset by this written piece and that
is good, maybe you'll help us do something about the
problem.
For, each person who throws their arms in the air, or
rolls their eyes in disgust for something I’ve said in
this piece, you are the likely intended target. For
verification on anything I say on this page, ask ANY
person associated with an animal welfare group or
facility – ANYWHERE.
If you take personal offense to it then you need to
examine your activities very carefully as you are likely
my target or reason for writing this. If you wish to
respond negatively to this, you will find you won't get
much support from myself or those who are knowledgeable.
I am speaking OUT today, not only for myself, but also
for all rescuers across the nation, the very limited
numbers of the ‘respectable’ breeders around the
country and all of the responsible pet guardians.
Therefore, I will not say, "In my humble opinion", as
this opinion is shared by the respected breeders and pet
guardians, as well as the ASPCA, Humane Society of the
United States and all of the Shelters and other
Humane/Animal Welfare organizations in this country.
BACKYARD BREEDERS ARE -
**Anyone who advertises in a local newspaper, junk
flyers like Craigslist etc. Reputable breeders only
advertise in specialty publications
**Will only have one of the parents in the home for you
to see** Will always have a shady contract. Make sure
you read it thoroughly and ask many questions.
**People who just have occasional litters and can only
show the mom in their home
** Respectable breeders never advertise in local papers
or weekly flyers. They reserve their ads for the
specialty magazines and publications because they have
quality puppies and want quality homes for them.
**Respectable breeders will have walls adorned with
trophies and certificates which represent the numerous
championships they’ve acquired over the years.
** Respectable
breeders will not allow you to take the puppy on your
first visit. They will first require an in home visit to
see your residence. There will also be a clause in the
contract that you cannot breed your dog without
permission and approval of the other dog you plan to
breed with prior to any effort. Their contract will
also allow you to return the puppy for a full year for a
full refund if not satisfied and will cover medical
expenses for that same year.
**Respectable
breeders always require references from at least two
people AND a veterinarian on how you have cared for your
pets in the past. It is then the discretion of the
breeder as to whether you will get one of their puppies
or not.
Up to 8 million healthy animals are killed in U.S.
pounds and shelters every year. The majority of killing
could easily be prevented by spaying OR neutering.
Euthanasia is the single largest cause of death for dogs
in the U.S. Each year 27 million DOGS are born. 8 or
more million we classify as "surplus" ARE killed. That's
about ¾ million per month. These numbers do not include
the millions of dead dogs whose bodies we scrape off the
streets, the growing number that are put to sleep at
vets’ offices or the hundreds of thousands THAT ARE
abandoned.
LET'S NOT FORGET THE severely neglected or abused
ones who never make it to our shelters to be counted and
OR EUTHANIZED. The ten million figure represents those
we "MUST" kill because they are unwanted!!! Most of
these animals are young and healthy; in fact, it is
estimated that a majority are less than one year of age.
The problem is simple: we have too many dogs...Too many
for the too few homes available TO THEM. The solution we
have opted for is to kill the extras. This solution has
been considered acceptable by default, as though there
were no other way to control the crisis. And we spend
over $11 billion every year destroying "man's best
friend."
A
common sense look that you cannot deny or argue with:
If you were part of a company who made ‘pets’ and every
year for the past 20 years, you had been overstocked to
the point of having to dispose of the overstocked
inventory, what would you suggest they do this year to
improve? So, if you KNOW we are killing this vast
number of innocent, loving animals each year, why in the
world would you think that having a litter of puppies or
kittens is OK?
Why is this happening in the United States today?
The number one biggest contributor to the problem is the
"backyard breeder" not the puppy mills. This is a name
that has become unpopular and no one wants to admit they
are a "backyard breeder". (Anyone having a litter
in their home with just the family pet as one of the
breeding parents, and advertise in the local papers)
Many people do not even realize they are part of the
problem. This is what I need to address in this post.
The only way to stop the needless killing of dogs is to
stop the needless breeding of them.
Every breed of dog recognized by the AKC has a written
standard, a blueprint of what the dog should look like
and act like. These standards were written so that all
would know what a quality example of the breed is and
strive to produce dogs that meet or exceed the standard
in health, temperament and appearance. To be sure you
are breeding dogs that meet these standards, your dogs
must be judged by people who have a lifetime of
experience among the breed. If your personal dog has not
yet been in front of a judge, then you do NOT have an
AKC standard dog, you have one that is pet quality and
that is fine. AKC papers DO NOT signify a dog with
Breeding quality standards!!!!!
A
pet is to be loved, cherished, trained, cared for,
spoiled and bragged about, but it is NEVER to be bred.
No matter how cute or sweet the dog may be, if it is not
up to the standard, you have no business breeding it.
Even if you have a purebred dog this does not give you
the right to breed it. Most purebred dogs are not
breeding quality. If you breed your pet quality dog, you
are a "backyard breeder", whether you breed the dog in
your backyard, garage, living room or an expensive hotel
room, the term is still backyard breeder. If your pet
quality dog has AKC papers, that's nice but it doesn't
change anything. You still don't have the right to breed
it. If your pet quality dog cost you $500 be glad you
had the money to afford it. You still have no right to
breed it.
Do you think you can RECOUP your $500 INVESTMENT
if you breed your pet dog? OR DO YOU THINK YOUR pet dog
is a color or size that isn't in the standard but you
just know everyone will want buy a pup if you breed her?
Shame on you! Now you are a "backyard breeder" with the
purpose of breeding pups for fun and profit. That is
despicable!!!
If the price for a tail dock or an ear crop seems high
to you, what are you going to do when your beloved pet
needs an emergency C-section? Will you even be there to
know if she is in trouble? Would you recognize trouble
before its too late AND BE MONETARILY ABLE TO SEEK
VETERINARY HELP?
If you still want to breed your pet but need to ask,
"Who's suppose to cut off the tails and ears"? Ask
yourself, "What the Hell am I thinking?" Do you think
genetic testing is something they used in the OJ trial
but has nothing to do with your dog-breeding career you
are a "backyard breeder".
"Backyard breeders" sell pups that aren't up to the
standard of the breed. They do this for many reasons.
None are good enough reasons to contribute to the
killing of dogs. Period.
"Backyard breeders" will swear all of their pups
went to a good home. They believe this, but it's not
NECESSARILY true. Some may have been lucky enough to go
to a good home at the time of adoption, but more than
half of them will end up dead, in a shelter alone, on a
cold table with a needle sticking out of their leg.
Why? Because the Backyard Breeder didn’t follow through
or even know enough about adoptions to ask the right
questions up front. Some of those good homes will get
tired of the dog and they will just give it away to
anyone who is willing to take it. Some of your beloved
dog's children will end up living alone in a backyard,
barking all night, cold and neglected until the guardian
gets complaints and then that pups will be dead. Some
will be starved and beaten. Some will be bred until they
die from THE MANY BIRTHS.
Some will end up in rescue and I will have to find space
for it in my home. I will GIVE IT LOVE TO SHOW that not
all humans are bad. I will train it, and feed it the
proper food so it can heal, MENTALLY AS WELL AS
PHYSICALLY. I will take the fleas off and I will get rid
of the worms. I will give it the shots it should have
had but no one remember to DO it. I will do these things
because the "backyard breeder" didn't. I will spay or
neuter that pup before I find it a new home so that I
will never have to rescue one of it's pups. THAT WAY I
CAN BE ASSURED it will never end up in the hands of
another "backyard breeder" looking to make profit from
puppies.
"Backyard breeders" are not responsible pet
guardians. They claim that they love the dogs but it's
not true because they don't really want to be bothered
with doing all that it takes to breed ethically. They
love feeling important when they say, "I breed mini
schnauzers". But breeding pet dogs isn't something to be
proud of. IT'S a shame on our society. It's the reason
for the killing that goes on in shelters. Why do you
want to be part of that?
Do you want to be respected? Spay or neuter you pet dog.
There's really no other way. The kind of homes you want
for your pet pups don't want to buy from you. They are
looking for responsible, respected breeders who are
doing something for the breed as a whole. Most of those
WHO WILL BUY your pups are the kind of people I wouldn't
give a dog I didn't like to. They are the ones who will
turn your puppy into a shelter when the novelty wears
off. That's a PROVEN fact. Want to stop the problem of
killing 1 Million dogs a month all over America? Spay or
neuter your pet dog now and tell everyone you know to do
the same. Leave the breeding to the people who are doing
something to better the breed.
DO you want to have a litter of puppies to show
your children the miracle of life? Then to be fair and
honest, volunteer yourself and your children to work at
the county dog pound for no less than thirty days to
show them the miracle of death.
AS A "BACKYARD BREEDER" THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE CONTRIBUTING
TO. YOU ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS MASSIVE PROBLEM
NATIONWIDE.
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