Disposable Puppies ... How Do We Change People's Thinking?

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Phoebe's blog "I need to vent" got me started thinking about this topic again this morning, so I wanted to start a discussion to just brainstorm some ideas.  In the part of Ohio where I live there is a huge problem with not spaying or neutering ...... everyone thinks dogs should have puppies ..... they think nothing of dumping liters of puppies in a box on the side of the road or dropping them off at the kill shelter.  How many more lab/coondog/beagle/shephard/pitt mix puppies do we need.   It is enough to make a sane person crazy!  I've tried thinking of ways to attempt to educate people, but I think that I've decided we have to just start with the next generation.  We need to start in pre-schools and grade schools.  We need to teach them early.   In our County you have to purchase a dog tag .... It costs $10 per dog in January of each year.  Do most people buy them ..... NO, is there enforcement, NOT REALLY!  If your dog gets picked up by the dog catcher or someone complains about you you might get a fine, but they don't go door to door checking!  This is one of the main forms of support for the local Dog Shelter (and I use the term shelter loosely).  So I thought what if it costs more if your dog isn't spayed or neutered .... well, those stupid enough not to spay or neuter probably don't buy a tag anyway so that wasn't a good thought!  When I was reading Phoebe's blog I was thinking maybe dogs should be like guns, there is a 3 day wait to buy a gun!  or a database that if you have ever turned in a dog to a shelter you can never own another dog, or maybe you need to attend a 4 hour training class to purchase a puppy!  Would any of these ideas help, or would it only lead to more homeless puppies?  What is the answer, how do we train the next generation that puppies/dogs are not disposable items?  That you have to be a responsible owner, spay/neuter, train, groom, provide medical care .... you don't just get tired of them and turn them lose or take them to be killed!

 

So, are there any programs in your area or does anyone have any ideas about how you get people to responsibly spay/neuter?  What incentives could be offered?

 

What educational type programs have you seen in your areas that might work or what ideas do you have that might work to get the message across that we must stop having litter after litter of puppies?

 

What other thoughts or ideas do you have on this subject? 

[Taylor & Huff]

We gave that chi to a lady who does rescue but is not an official rescue.

[Adina P]

Even in my small area where I thought 'everyone' knew about our local rescue I am constantly coming across people who ask me for help or ideas for some dog they have or a friend has who needs a new home.  MOST of these people have never heard of our rescue group.  Now, at the same time, our group is small AND limited in the dogs it can take in.  Out of the 2-3 people I've connected to the group, I think ALL of them were unable to get their dog fostered by the group for one reason or another.  I have a friend with a large breed dog and apparently right now the rescue group can't take large dogs.  So...that avenue is closed.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, the system isn't perfect. Camilla had the same problem when that little dog was left tied to her railing. The private groups can't take in more dogs because they have no place to put them, they don't have enough fosters homes and the ones they have are full up with dogs. What does that tell us about the scope of the problem and the need for awareness?

But it still helps to make people aware that such groups exist. Maybe they'll be inspired to volunteer. :)

 

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

@Karen, I do it every single time someone asks about a goldendoodle.  Every time.  Mainly because of DK and the DRC - it has opened my eyes. Thank goodness I did pick a good breeder and researched the breed prior to making the decision.

 

Just yesterday we passed a doodle puppy on a walk.  Peri went nuts (like she always does with doodles) and I told the owner "can you believe these doodles?  They are so friendly and bubbly - and mine is TWO YEARS OLD now".  She laughed and said "I know, they are a hard breed and require a LOT of work".  That is the conversation people need to hear.  That is my rant also....

 

Peri's breeder AND her trainer (I know how to pick 'em) are both heavily involved in a puppy mill rescue this week.  120 different dogs (mainly small breeds like chihuahuas and yorkies, etc...) were rescued.  They are being distributed to dozens of rescue organizations this week in the area.  They can't find enough fosters.  This is slightly off topic, but AGAIN, it magnifies a big problem in our society.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Great rant Karen ...... I agree with everything you say.  I've used the "They don't come this way" comment many many times but you can just see in the peoples eyes that they have no clue what I'm saying!  I know when I got my girls, the DRC didn't exist, and sadly DK didn't either, and I'm not sure about IDOG!   I knew there were rescues, lab, shephard, retriever, etc., but at that time, when looking for a Doodle it would never have occured to me that there was a rescue for Doodles!  I tell everyone who asks me now about the DRC and how many Doodles there are available through rescue.  The one point about rescues that I find very difficult to get people to understand, particularly if you are trying to knock some sense into someone on Craigslist, is they think the rescue is trying to make money off of their dog.  They don't understand the whole expense involved with being a rescue.  It is like preaching to the wall.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Yep, I always warn about the training, grooming etc. that we put into Darwin. IMO, when you have a popular "designer" breed, it's your duty to not add to the mindset that doodles are the perfect breed, free of problems. That mindset that BYBs and puppy mills WANT people to have. Obviously I think that every breed takes work. My point is just that the view that designer dogs are the perfect mixes, free of issues is everywhere. And when they see a fluffy, well behaved doodle they think they just automatically come that way. We all need to be honest and educate people when we are approached.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

One more thing, a friend of mine in Memphis found a black lab wandering around. She kept him for 2 weeks trying to find the owner.  She kept posting things on facebook, etc...I called her and encouraged her that, in the event the owner doesn't come forward, she contact the lab rescue in Memphis - I even found contact info for her.  She had no idea that there were breed-specific rescue groups!

Luckily, the owner found a flyer and picked up their dog :) :) :)

[Michael Gurley]

I work at Petsmart, and I have heard all sorts of things about this. I live in North Carolina, one of the leaders in kill shelters, unwanted puppies, and backyard breeders.

 

A lot of people around here think that it's inhumane to neuter a male dog because then he will be a "sissy" dog. They want their pit bull mixes to be tough and look tough, so they don't neuter in the hopes that the extra manliness will affect the dog's temperament.

 

Another thing is that people keep their dogs outside with little care and hope that if they do have puppies, they will be able to make a little money off the dogs.

 

Spay/neuter around here is also a bit expensive. It's much less than one paycheck, but a lot of people around here balk at the thought of paying more than 100 dollars for a spay/neuter surgery. I've heard several people ask whether the dog really needs pain meds and bloodwork or if they can just give it a couple advil after the surgery. Come on.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I've also known people who didn't want to spay their female dogs because they wanted them to experience "the joys of motherhood". With all due respect to those whose dogs have produced litters, dogs don't experience "the joys" of motherhood. It isn't a wonderful, fulfilling experience for them, just like their pregnancies aren't a time of joyous expectations and planning. They don't know what the heck is going on, and even if they did, watching your babies go off one by one with strangers wouldn't be the happiest experience in the world for a human mom, either.

Then there are the men who can't bear to have their males neutered because "I wouldn't want anyone to do that to me." Um....would you want to eat from a metal bowl on the floor or walk down the street attached to a leash? If you're going to compare yourself to your dog, why not start setting a place for him at the dinner table and signing him up for Driver's Ed?

In the cruelty department, there's not much that beats still having those urges and not being able to do anything about it. Would these neanderrthals prefer that?

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Animal Advocay: described in Wikipedia

Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings. Advocates approach the issue from different philosophical positions, ranging from the protectionist side of the movement, presented by philosopher Peter Singer—with a utilitarian focus on suffering and consequences, rather than on the concept of rights—to the abolitionist side, represented by law professor Gary Francione, who argues that animals need only one right: the right not to be property. Despite the different approaches, advocates broadly agree that animals should be viewed as non-human persons and members of the moral community, and should not be used as food, clothing, research subjects, or entertainment.

The idea of awarding rights to animals has the support of legal scholars such as Alan Dershowitz and Laurence Tribe of Harvard Law School. Animal rights is routinely covered in universities in philosophy or applied ethics courses, and as of spring 2010 animal law was taught in 125 law schools in the United States and Canada. Toronto lawyer Clayton Ruby argued in 2008 that the movement had reached the stage the gay rights movement was at 25 years earlier.

Critics of the idea argue that animals are unable to enter into a social contract or make moral choices, and for that reason cannot be regarded as possessors of rights, a position summed up by the philosopher Roger Scruton, who wrote in 2000 that only humans have duties and therefore only humans have rights. A parallel argument is that there is nothing inherently wrong with using animals as resources so long there is no unnecessary suffering, a view known as the animal welfare position. There has also been criticism, including from within the animal rights movement itself, of certain forms of animal rights activism, in particular the destruction of fur farms and animal laboratories by the Animal Liberation Front.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

As you can see a BIG CAN OF WORMS.

My friend is deep into Animal Welfare - first line of defense in her book is Spay and Neuter. In her world there should be NO breeders, only adoptions. She tried very hard to sway be from purchasing a puppy. I have my reasons as do many others.

You are right - our first line of defense is TEACH and start with the young.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

A good thing happened in OHIO today:

 

***OHIO DOG AUCTION HAS CLOSED***
We are pleased to annouce that the Buckeye Dog... Auction has closed. We spoke directly with Harold Neuhart on April 6, 2011 and he confirmed there will no longer be dog auctions in Holmes Co Ohio.
To read more about dog auctions and puppy mills please visit: http://www.columbusdogconnecti on.com/PuppyMillBill3.htm