Some facts:
*U.S. Animal Shelters put to death nearly 4 million dogs and cats per year because of simple math: too many animals and not enough homes (PETA)
*Today's purebred dogs have over 500 health defects including heart problems, disorders of the blood, respiratory problems, and skeletal system defects (K9 Magazine)
*Pets bred for flat faces have serious breathing problems
*The estimated percentage of purebred dogs in shelters is 25% (Humane Society)
*The number of feral cats in the U.S. is estimated to be over 60 million. "Feral cats are the wild offspring of domestic cats, and ALWAYS the result of pet owners who fail to spay or neuter their animals" (Feral Cat Coalition).
*The Humane Society estimates that a pair of breeding cats and their offspring can exponentially produce over 400,000 cats in 7 years
*Pet stores often get their puppies from puppy mills where living conditions are terrible. It is a multi-million dollar industry. A state funded survey in California found that nearly half the puppies sold in pet stores were sick or incubating diseases.
I AM NOT TRYING TO SAY THAT THESE CATS AND DOGS WHO ARE SOLD IN STORES DO NOT DESERVE A HOME BECAUSE THEY COULD BE SICK OR CAME FROM BREEDERS. BUT IF PEOPLE CHANGED THEIR MINDS ABOUT BREEDING, THESE BUSINESSES WILL FAIL, AND PUPPY MILLS WILL BE SHUT DOWN. IF PEOPLE ENGAGED IN MORE RESEARCH, THEY WOULD FIND THAT THERE ARE MANY RESOURCES TO HELP THEM SPAY AND NEUTER THEIR PETS. SO THINK TWICE ABOUT GOING TO A BREEDER. GET YOUR LITTLE CRITTERS FIXED AS SOON AS IT'S POSSIBLE. LET'S RESCUE THOSE ANIMALS BY NOT CONTRIBUTING FINANCIALLY TO THE PEOPLE WHO'S MAIN GOAL IS PROFIT FROM BREEDING.
ANOTHER FACT: THESE ANIMALS WERE BORN INTO THIS WORLD WITHOUT ASKING, JUST LIKE YOU AND ME. WE CAN STOP THE BRUTAL OVER-BREEDING AND OVER-POPULATION IF WE EDUCATE OURSELVES AND ACT NOW....
AND ONE MORE FACT: ALL THEY EVER WANT IS LOVE....
Every pet I have owned has been adopted in one way or another. My cat Dretch was found abandoned with the rest of his litter at vineyard in Santa Rosa while i was attending a wedding. He has been my companion for the last 12 years.
ReplyDeleteMy dog Shorty was adopted from the Placer SPCA by my ex-wife and I when we decided we wanted another companion for ourselves and Dretch (though as it turns out Dretch hates any other animal that is not a kitten). We had planned on spending at least week seeing other dogs before making a decision, but he was just so cute and energetic that we pretty much knew we were going to adopt him the moment we met him. He is the best little guy I could have ever hoped for. I have also adopted many other cats throughout my life as it has been my experience that animals that have been left behind or abandoned really understand the love that you give them as they know what is to have that taken from them.
When I was younger I really wanted a dog more than anything. I had always wanted a yellow lab like Comet from Full house lol. :) Finally, when I was 19 I was given a yellow lab puppy as a birthday gift. He came from a breeder from Redding and my boyfriend at the time had driven me there and surprised me. It was the breeders last pup (which I now know is a major red flag), and we thought nothing of it because he looked so adorable and healthy.I took him home and he was perfect for the first two weeks. (Named him Jagger after the Mick Jagger.) After that... he started to get sick. He was acting really weird and lethargic and I was really worried. One night I woke up to him whimpering and foaming out the mouth and I freaked out! My dad and I immediately took the little guy to the emergency clinic and had him checked out. They said they had to keep him over night.:( When they contacted us the next day they gave us really bad news. He had been diagnosed with having liver shunts which is basically when the blood bypasses the liver (resulting in it being deprived of oxygen and basically kills the liver) and it can be hereditary or acquired after birth... There was a surgery that they could do that would cost over $2000.00 and a less than 50% chance he would live. Of course I couldn't come up with that kind of money and there was nothing I could do. He had to be put down. This was one of the most devastating experiences of my life. My dad and I tried to contact the breeder and ask her if she had any knowledge of liver shunts in any of her other breeds and talk to her about getting our money back because I was so upset and devastated.Even though it wasn't about the money it was about letting her know what happened and making it right.(At least an apology or something to make me feel better) No response. I felt like she got her money so why was she going to try and respond to us. It was an awful experience with getting my pet from a breeder and I am forever scarred from it...
ReplyDelete8 years later...
My life has never been the same since we adopted Colby! He is so amazing and has brought so much love into my life and my relationship (believe it or not). He is our baby and I am so glad that we decided to get him. We didn't adopt from an actual shelter, but we got him from a friend that was in need of finding a home. We loved him so much we decided to take another one of her hands! It is actually Colby's mom, Reese. So now we have two crazy cats running around the house all day! I know that if we didn't adopt them from her she was talking about releasing them into the wild because they did not have enough money to pay to have them adopted at a shelter. I don't even want to think about where they would be today if that happened. As you might imagine we didn't stop there... our house has continued to become an orphanage for cats. We welcomed Japser into our home, when my boyfriends parents could no longer keep him. So now we have 3 cats! They have been the best pets and I am so happy that we have them. Based on my experiences, I am 100% for adopting pets from shelters and avoiding buying from breeders.
For people who want a specific kind of pet, here's a cool website where you can search for him or her.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.petfinder.com/index.html
Myths about pet adoption:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.petfinder.com/before-pet-adoption/misconceptions-pet-adoption.html
This Halloween, a black cat followed my girl to her moms, a few houses down. He had no tags, licesnse or collar. There's kids in our neighborhood that are mean to cats, and she feared the worst for a black cat on Halloween. We brought him in to our home and fed him well and his personality amazed us. With no flyers for a lost cat around, we decided to keep him. We took him to get neutered and we named him Omen
ReplyDeletethe previous comment was from my friend brian. thanks for your story!!!
ReplyDeleteI got my pit bull from a breeder that I had gotten dogs from before. Her name is savannah and my dog before was lindsay. She has always been so nice to people and we have never had problems with violence, and a lot of people think pit bulls are violent because of how they are bred. i raised both dogs the right way so i am not against breeding, if its done the right way. she has had a few health problems but i think they are typical for pit bulls. we have had to have a few cysts removed from underneath her skin, which has been expensive over the years. she is 8 years old and still very hyper and friendly.
ReplyDeletepurebred pit bulls have very sensitive stomachs and sometimes we have to feed her turkey and rice. my dog lindsay used to get skin conditions because the doctor told us she had a yeast infection that would seep through her skin and cause her to have hives, and she would constantly lick herself.
i am adopting a dog with my girlfriend next year hopefully. i just want people to be more responsible when breeding or adopting. not everyone deserves to have a pet and maybe we should talk about making more rules about who we adopt to and who we let breed. but it might be hard to enforce those rules without more enforcement.
This blog is FANTASTIC!! It is a topic that I am SO very passionate about and is close to my heart. My last dog was a boxer, and he did come from a breeder, I did research on the breed and the breeder. I wanted a puppy, but I didn't want to support "back yard breeding". I no longer have my beloved, Marley, although I donate to the Northern California Boxer Rescue Foundation every month. My next dog will be a rescue dog. Over the years I've become more and more aware of how many cats and dogs are put to sleep because there simply isn't enough money or space for them. Heartbreaking!!
ReplyDeleteI adopted my Australian Kelpie dog, India, in 2004 at 1 year of age. I had been searching for a dog for a few years now that was perfect. I wanted a puppy but knew that a lot of dogs at the shelter were seeking homes and I did not feel right buying a puppy and ignoring some poor dog in a small kennel.
ReplyDeleteI adopted her because she had been adopted and returned to the pound 4 times because of behavioral problems including darting into the street, breaking out of backyards, destruction and barking. She was on her last chance. I took her home despite a crazy, hyper attitude and complete lack of interest in obedience. It took a while and a lot of diligence in our training but India finally came around and started learning her commands, and behavioral problems ceased.
Its been 7 years now and India is the example of a perfectly behaved dog. She is still very hyper (she is a herding dog after all) but is super obedient, walks off the leash, and is even a certified therapy dog at a senior care home for dementia/Alzheimer's patients. She wasn't a bad dog, just a dog no one ever bothered to train or pay attention to. Since India was a year old already, we didn't have to go through any of that annoying puppy stuff like crying, teething and housebreaking. India is my best friend. She is so perfectly in sync with me like no animal ever has been, we even have the same sleeping schedule. She is kind, funny, sweet and sincere and the best running partner and yard work helper ever. She opens doors for me when my hands are full, fetches my purse and has stepped in to defend me on several occasions. She is the best dog I have ever known and people even offer to buy her all the time, too bad for them, she is priceless!
My second dog adopted from the shelter was Charlie a 3 month old border collie, unfortunately my little boy had an unfortunate accident with a horse 3 months later and had to be put down. I miss him terribly. He was such a great dog.
Shelter dogs are dogs that just need another chance. They are good dogs, they are grateful and loyal because they remember you saved them.
Get a shelter dog, you will NEVER regret it.
I know this is about adoption storys butmines a lil different. So i had a dog and no she wasnt adopted. I came home one day and my Dad and his girlfriend had brought home the most amazing sweet red nose pit. Long story short she became my best friend. Her name was bettie and one day she got out. The SPCA had picked her up across town. I had been in the middle of plans to move away and was looking for a new home for her. I couldnt afford to get her from the shelter in Roseville CA. They worked with me to keep track of her while she was in the shelter and as she was being adopted. I was soo happy that the day she found a new family they let me come and meet them and see that she was going to a loving home. Long story short i feel strongly about pet adoption. If it wasnt for the SPCA in Roseville being a NO kill shelter she wouldnt have lasted a week. So this is why i feel strongly about pet adoption. If you are looking for a pet of any kind dont go to a breader, try adoption centers. The pets in them need you more then you know.
ReplyDeleteAre u sure u want a response? Well u asked for it. On the subject of "breeding and adoption". I am an American pitbull terrier owner and advocate. Unfortunately I am very saddened, at this point in time, for the breed. My sadness comes from fellow owners and "advocates". Whole hartedly classic pitbulls is where my heart lies but there is a new line of pits around called "bullies". This "bully" breed of pits has the great traits everyone loves about pits (love for kids, great temperament, thick muscular demeanor) and non of the traits people fear (dog on dog aggression, human aggression and so forth). Recently I have become the proud owner of 2 bullies and with that pride has come a desire to become more involved in the bully dog shows. Unfortunately this is where the fear started. What can I say, people love pitbulls regardless of what the news portrays, but I see a lot of people owning and breeding that shouldn't. Literally in a matter of 2 decades (20yrs) breeders have taken what was considered pound for pound the most athletic and recognizable breed of dog and have turned it into a unhealthy freak. These "bullies" are constantly having health issues, ur lucky if u get 10yrs of life from them. They are constantly being over bred and way too inbred and every breeding is taking away the athleticism and drive that we all desire in our pits. Recently I have decided to fix my oldest male and am constantly debating ever breeding again in hopes to not be contributing to this over population problem. There are more pitbulls in pounds and kill shelters than all other breeds combined. They are constantly the face for bsl advocates (breed specific legislation). We need to stop taking from this breed and give back. Stop backyard breeders. I understand breeding is how u keep the breed and traits going, leave it to the professionals. For those who don't know the true history of the breed Google "the nanny dog". Don't belive the propaganda the news puts out. There's a reason its the only animal bestowed with the honor of representing our nations armed forces, shit they've even served next to our men in the trenches of ww2 and have become decorated soldiers for it. General Patton owned one, Teddy Roosevelt had em in the whitehouse, even used the basement of the whitehouse as a training ground in the sport of ratting. Its amazing how the product of a sport became such a huge part of our culture. Do them the honor they deserve. Spay and neuter your pets. Adopt those that need a home. Stop over inbreeding and brings these dogs back to the glory they deserve. If they would die for u, the least they deserve is our love and respect.
ReplyDeleteHope wasn't to much rambling and going off subject. Hope it helps alil.
What my friend rick said above actually taught me a lot of new information that i didn't think about previously. I know a lot can be said about the breeders that are humane and raise their animals the right way. There really is a lot of American culture behind breeding but like you said, people who claim to be "advocates" could be going about it the wrong way and something should be done about it. But either way, adopt, adopt, adopt! we can't punish the animals for human's selfishness and ignorance. Thanks to everyone who posted so far! These are all great stories and this project has already taught me so much and makes me want to be more involved!
ReplyDeleteThe last three dogs my family has owned have been Brittany Spaniels, one of which was adopted based on an add in the paper. In the future I think I'll lean more toward adoption, because the fact that animal shelters put to death nearly 4 million cats and dogs is disgusting. To me it shows how our society easily commodifies and objectifies everything. I also wonder how the current economic downturn has affected animals in this country, given a nine percent unemployment percentage, which some suggest is as high as 16%. I would think that animals and their food, unfortunately, would fall into the category of non-essentials goods or services in this climate. This is a really informative blog, and I think the question, as with any issue like this, is how to disperse this information as widely and as effectively as possible. Because now is a time when, due to financial pressures, people are more concerned about self-preservation than the environment, animals, and the less fortunate.
ReplyDelete-Guy with a Bat
Knew a scum bag a while back that was going to drown new puppies because they were the product of inbreeding. Ya, some breeders are scum. Some aren't. Some actually treat the animals right and give them a nice life till someone adopts them.
ReplyDeleteSome people who adopt are scum also. Take their knew pet home, abuse, beat, and fail to care for the innocent animal properly.
Animals know when they are being treated poorly and when they aren't loved.
As an avid animal lover I feel that the mistreatment of animals for any reason is abhorrent and a problem we should not ignore. A number of people mistreat their animals because of his or her lack of compassion or impaired judgment. In many cases it is not just physical abuse but poor caretaking and unlivable conditions which animals are subjected to. A great many cases of animal neglect are due to overbreeding. People who are not capable or willing to take care of a single pet properly do not spay or neuter their animals. This leads to overpopulation and detrimental care practices. Because of these conditions there are more and more animals in shelters and being put to sleep everyday.
ReplyDeleteI understand the appeal of having a papered, full blood animal with a good lineage. These animals are prized for their beauty and purity. My best friend of 11 years was a border collie with this background. The problem with having these kinds of dogs is that they are generally bred within the same line or family. This causes a lack in genetic diversity and can lead to mental and physical deficiencies. Max began suffering from a degenerative hip problem and could barely walk up four stairs. This was attributed to the breeding habits that produced a pure bred dog. Other times, dogs suffer from distemper and become overly aggressive. The amiable disposition and loyalty of a "mutt" or none pure bred dog is much better than that of a pure bred. I loved my dog unconditionally, but if adopting a dog rather than seeking a pure bred will help improve conditions, I plan on adopting the next time I am ready for a dog. It is in the interest of or companions and friends that we owe the choice of adoption.
When I was 9, my grandparents adopted a dog for me. He was the greatest dog I'd ever met, a personality I'd never seen anywhere. He lived until I was 23 and I still think he was the greatest. Right after he died, my parents bought a yellow lab from a breeder. He's sweet, but he doesn't have the same kind of personality. I think I attribute that to the fact that my first dog was raised in rough conditions, he was scruffy and, despite his miniature stature, unafraid of showing off he was mad. He was brave. This new dog has a cushy life with little appreciation for everything around him. I truly believe that dogs are aware of their situations, and after the experience I had from him, I'd much rather have a dog in the tradition of Oliver Twist than Veruca Salt.
ReplyDeletecheck out this really cool website. I wrote under the blog and researched a lot here :)
ReplyDeletehttp://animalark.ning.com/