If you're reading this.......You must be a dog lover
About 40% of Americans own a dog. Article after article extols the virtues of owning a pet. Pets help us to live longer, lower our blood pressure and have been proven to benefit and enrich our lives.
But did you realize that there are many organizations that want to strip us of our right to own and breed dogs?
And these are not just whacky fringe organizations like PeTA, it also includes one of the most influential, powerful lobbyist groups in America...HSUS - Humane Society of the United States.
We are being spoon fed erroneous information regarding pet overpopulation and euthanasia of shelter animals. We are being told to NEVER buy from a breeder because of all the shelter animals dying everyday. The word "puppymill" is used almost synonymously with breeders regardless if they are good or bad. What this is doing is triggering an avalanche of states proposing Mandatory Spay/Neuter laws, overly restrictive breeding laws and breed specific legislation. As these bills become laws, where will you get your next dog from? What if you want a purebred dog? Where will you go to get one?
Believe it or not, there is actually a shortage of adoptable dogs in parts of this country!
Because we have some of the highest spay/neuter rates in the world (85% of dogs in the USA are spayed or neutered), there are less puppies available and waiting lists for young and smaller dogs in many shelters are extremely long. If you think about it, who is spaying and neutering their pets? The responsible people are! It's the irresponsible people that aren't and most of their dogs are the ones we really wouldn't want reproducing in the first place! It's truly troubling.....In addition, most people don't realize that we are no longer breeding enough dogs in this country to replace the ones that die annually!
Therefore in many parts of the country, the demand for dogs is higher than the supply, so some rescues and shelters are actually IMPORTING dogs from other parts of the country, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Far East, Middle East and Europe! In fact, the CDC estimates that 1.6 Million dogs are being imported into the US annually!! Most of the countries these animals come from have little to no regulations and we are seeing sick and incredibly poor quality dogs coming into this country. The H3N8 and H3N2 canine flu were introduced into the US via "meat dogs" imported from South Korea. Our dogs had no natural immunity to these diseases and many dogs died before a vaccine was finally developed. The CDC is trying to crack down on these animals being imported into our country with little to no oversight. New rules are being implemented to prevent sick and undocumented dogs from being brought into the US.
Imported dogs have brought rabies, brucellosis, parvo, a new strain of distemper and other non-native diseases into country jeopardizing both our domestic dogs and our citizens! Our very own US breeders are being shamed and legislated out of business while dogs from other parts of the world are being imported into this country - most of them illegally! Rescue is becoming a BIG business in some regions, so buyer/adopter beware!!!! There is actually now a name for this....Retail Rescue!!
Realize that most shelters are in the business of rehoming dogs, not truly rescuing them. And we're seeing some adoption/rehoming fees actually outpacing the purchase price of well-bred puppies from responsible breeders! Always do your homework and again......shop with your brain, not your heart.
Don't let others shame you or make you feel guilty because you have a specific need or desire for your next family pet and choose a purebred dog based on the characteristics of that breed. A shelter dog is not the right choice for everyone. The right to continue to choose the pet of your choice is something we should be fighting for!
"Adopt Don't Shop" Sounds Good Until You See Who Really Benefits From It!
NAIA (National Animal Interest Alliance) Humane Relocation - Humane or Insane?
As inventories of desirable dogs decrease at rescues, some are getting incredibly brazen about finding inventory!
And don't forget that almost all rescues pay no taxes and are exempt from most animal laws!!!
Pet Transporters - the newest racket in town!
What can you do? Be aware of what your state is proposing that will affect your right to own a dog. Contact your elected officials to oppose any bills that infringe on your rights as a dog owner and lover.
Here's a good place to start. The AKC has a legislative alert system that will keep you abreast of what's going on in the country.
The National Animal Interest Alliance is a great source of information as well!