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Comment by Fernando on January 19, 2011 at 12:48pm

  Unfortunately so far I haven't receive any email from anyone who is willing to take at least one of this dogs, I understand that most of my friends who rescue dogs just can't since they are absolutelly full with other dogs who needed help first...  It is very frustrating to feel helpless and that is why I am offering free training for anyone who take any of this 90+ dogs, if you have a dog or two and have room in your house and heart to save a life, this is the time!, today is the due day for those poor victims, act before is too late...

 

 I got this email few days ago, as Jennifer said, sadly sometimes people need to see it, to understand that if we love dogs, it is everyone's responsability to help, I am honeswtly doing as much as I can and I will help you if you decide to help.

 

THE EMAIL:

 

I am sending a desperate plea out to everyone! We were told last month that
there was a possibility that we would be getting a large number of dogs in
and now the day has arrived. This coming Wednesday, January 19th we will be
getting up to 90 dogs into our shelter. Most of those dogs we are told are
going to be medium to medium/large breed. We are not sure on the exact
number but know that we cannot actually hold 90 more animals. We need all of
your help! We are encouraging all rescues who have the space to come and
pull dogs from us, including dogs from our adoption kennels. We absolutely
do not want to have to euthanize dogs that we have now, in order to make
room for all of the dogs coming in!....

Comment by Erin Brown on January 18, 2011 at 3:55pm

I really think it's a double edged sword.

 

The excuse of breeding when you have dedicated homes for the dogs/cats/whatever simply for the fact that it's not a fail-safe. There's nothing to guarantee that once those animals go home, that they will stay home. There is also nothing to guarantee that the animal has then been spayed/neutered unless you do it yourself before the animals leave your hands. Either the novelty wears off, or whatever nonsense reason people come up with, the end result is the same. A confused dog that either sits on concrete it's whole life in the no-kill shelter, or is euthanised in the kill shelter.

 

For every true, responsible breeder in the US, there are 1000 other bad breeders. Not only does that 1000 include back yard breeders, but also breeders that claim to be responsible. They may look like a professional breeding group, but so many of them don't do the essentials.  These are the people that you see claiming their dogs are CKC registered, or that their dogs are all registered and you'll get the papers in the mail later. But, do you ever get your papers? No... The truly responsible breeders with champion dogs usually will only co-own a dog, and I think that's probably the only way to truly be responsible.

 

In the show world, a dog isn't bred until it has PROVEN itself worthy of being bred. This means gaining show titles, as well as having been health tested. How many breeders that call themselves responsible do you actually see doing this? Very few. Health testing is expensive. Showing dogs is also time consuming and expensive.

 

An animal should not be bred unless it is for the simple fact of bettering the breed. In American Pit Bull Terriers, this does NOT mean breeding for big heads, blue colouring, heavy bodies, and short statures. The APBT classically is a very lean-muscled, and fairly leggy dog. Not these monstrosities that you see on the streets today with splayed feet, bowed legs, sway backs, and huge heads.

 

It also doesn't help when you have men with male envy who refuse to neuter their male dogs for fear of the dog missing their "man-hood". Or, the people with pregnant females that refuse to spay-abort on moral grounds. It's ok to bring all of these puppies in the world, just for them to be euthanised anyways, but heaven forbid you do it when the puppies are in womb and not conscious. Or then there are the people that think they can manage both and intact male and female dog in their house by simply watching them. Sorry, doesn't work that way.

 

*soap box over* I could go on forever, but the reality is that a breeder that you may think is responsible, more than likely isn't. There is a surplus of animals in this world, and until that surplus is GREATLY diminished, really no one should be breeding. In this day and age, there aren't many logical reasons to even own a pure bred dog. Purebreds were developed to be working dogs, and let's face it. There aren't many true working dogs in this country anymore.

 

Mutts do the trick just fine on your couch all day while you work...

 

 

Comment by Jennifer Judd on January 18, 2011 at 2:15pm

Absolutely Fernando!  There are many of us who devote our time & energy to helping save society's "castaways."  Until 5,000,000 animals are no longer put to death in the United States every year - there is NO SUCH THING AS RESPONSBILE BREEDING.  Anyone who sells animals for money is wrong. 

 

I urge those of you who support "responsible breeders" to visit a high-kill shelter.  Central Indiana has about 20 of them.  They aren't just killing pitbulls and old dogs.  They are killing purebred dogs - big and little.  THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE to adopt the ones we have. 

 

I bet most of you who support "responsible breeders" do your part for the environment, right?  Recycle, use low-watt light bulbs, try and buy local produce.  How is it any different to not care about the excess of animals we have?  It's someone else's problem, right?  WRONG. 

 

Breeders are breeders.  Period.  Japan only lets their citizens have 2 kids - no more.  Why? OVERPOPULATION.  I'm moving to Japan. 

Comment by Lucretia R. Fritz on January 17, 2011 at 11:11am

Fernando - I agree.  It breaks my heart when people tell me they will purchase a dog from a responsible breeder.  I understand why they think it is ok, but when we spend so many hours looking at those faces in the shelter, many purebreds, it is hard to justify it in my mind.  I work with people that show dogs in international dog shows and I have heard their reasoning.  And then I see Hurley, in a shelter for over 18 months, or Randall, a true beauty of a dog, that has been waiting far too long - and these are the LUCKY dogs that ended up in a low-kill shelter- and I don't care.  Adopt, foster, do whatever you can to save exisiting lives.

Comment by Fernando on January 17, 2011 at 9:22am

Sure thing I agree that without beeders we wouldn't have so many different breeds but those breeds are not so pretty anymore when you see their hopeless faces behind the bars of a shelter, or even worst, waiting for the day to be put to sleep (since most people don't say "kill")...
   Is true that the breed affects their personality, but also does proper behavior training, for example Daisy, the vicious pitbull that got her 3 mins of fame in the show, is for this week in a house with other dogs, kids and even cats, so, everything is possible with love and patience.
   The only reason I got involved with dog training is to help save those innocent creatures from a rough life they didn't ask for, and I personaly don't believe that bringing more puppies to this world is helping the other dogs that suffer daily in shelters, hoping for someone to give them a chance one day...  And trust me when I have seen many different pure breeds behind bars...
   Again, don't buy, adopt and save a life...

Comment by Heather Sexton on January 16, 2011 at 10:46pm

I agree Patty---I have a lab from a wonderful breeder and I also have a rescue lab...they both are amazing dogs and I am so fortunate to have them both.  All breeders are not bad at all--that is how we started so many amazing beautiful breeds of dogs and cats in the world.  There is an overpopulation---spaying and neuturing are th best way to manage overpopulation.

Comment by Patty on January 16, 2011 at 9:59pm

..another thing...spay and neuter, only produce puppies and kittens with waiting homes, and this overpopulation will be a thing of the past...responsible pet ownership is the key to a good life for all pets.

Comment by Patty on January 16, 2011 at 9:52pm

 I agree about rescues, as I have 4 rescue cats..but Louie, my Bernese Mt Dog is from a RESPONSIBLE breeder...and I knew the type and temperment, and wanted to puppy so I could be SURE he would not harm my cats( and I reseached and researched the temperments of certain breeds and certain breeds do certain things...it's just in their genes over centuries) ...and I got exactly what I wanted...and there are No Bernese Rescues in Indiana, I checked. Not all breeders are bad...some 'people' are bad, agreed and overpopulation is horrible, agreed..but let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater. There are many of us who have breeds we prefer or need for one reason or another..love you Fernando!