People (especially dog rescuers) who defend dog breeders of any sort need to watch this in full, and think again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCRzgAWj7nI Every puppy deliberately bred by people’s profitable hobby activities means one of those dogs goes full cycle from horrifying imprisonment to their death by killing and into the refuse bin, as if those precious lives are garbage. Which only degrades people, not the dogs. It’s not about you and your wants, it’s about them, and getting them all out of all of those hells and into loving, responsible homes for LIFE.
” Every puppy deliberately bred by people’s profitable hobby activities means one of those dogs goes full cycle from horrifying imprisonment to their death by killing and into the refuse bin, as if those precious lives are garbage.”
Um, no.
Because there are simply people who WILL NOT go to a shelter or rescue group to adopt a dog. I’ve known good and kind people who just can’t steel themselves to walk into a shelter, knowing that half of the animals they see will be killed. I’ve known good and kind people who don’t *want* a shelter dog for whatever reason – they will not adopt, either. I’ve known good and kind people who are just in love with a certain breed for whatever characteristics they find there and they will not adopt from a shelter.
Are all of these people “responsible for the death of a shelter dog”? No, they are not.
You know who IS responsible? The shelter.
Animal shelters are the number one cause of death in America’s pets. Because our shelter system is broken, animals die. Because people accept shelter death as a given or a “necessary evil”, animals die. Because people blame breeders, the irresponsible public, the local economy, or any number of other things, animals die.
Because people who are otherwise well-intentioned and good and kind ENABLE THE KILLING OF SHELTER PETS, animals die.
If you want to end the killing of shelter pets, stop focusing on things that aren’t the shelter. Pets are dying AT THE SHELTER. Change that. Fix it. Fight it. And stop getting distracted by other issues that only scatter your resources. Yes, puppy mills are bad. Yes, people should spay and neuter, yes, there are monsters out there who abuse, neglect, and kill animals. But none of those things are standing over a dog right now with a needle full of poison in their hands…
There will always be a need for shelters. Let’s fix it so those are safe places that actually shelter, rather than kill pets.
Earth to the wonderful no-kill people:
You end the Dog Death Camp system by decreasing the numbers and eventually emptying the prison cages because dogs are very hard to come by out there and only the most loving and qualified homes will then have dogs in them. Every needy dog on our streets regardless of their “pedigree” will have people clamoring to rescue them because, again, dogs are hard to come by and only the most ardent of qualified dog lovers will make the effort to adopt and keep them. When people at last wise up and have actual compassion for dogs, they will never be bred by or for “breed fanciers” or bought or sold. And your AKC will no longer be supporting and funded by PUPPY MILLS through registration fees!!!
I can only wonder if any of you shelter aficionados bothered to watch the full documentary “12 Nights” to get a realistic experience of what each unique dog goes through from intake to death in prison because of people continually creating a surplus of them, deliberately.
Dog breeders have got to be stopped if there is ever to be a real and lasting solution to the horror of kill “shelters.”
If all breeders were STOPPED today, we’d still have many years to go before most homeless dogs in the world were in proper homes deserving of dogs. And many years following that before there were virtually no homeless dogs in the world. It’s not enough for “everyone” to spay/neuter their animals, because in a world of surplus, careless slobs will always have access to dogs and their will be breeding going on. The deliberate breeding for sale has GOT TO GO… no one should be able to make money selling dogs (or any animals for that matter…hah, now that statement should get a good tizzy going in here).
See, we’ll have all the dogs good people can realistically care for by dogs breeding on their own in backward homes and nations throughout the world, including those where dogs are horrifyingly tortured for the meat & fur trades. Look at the story of Chi Chi the rescued golden retriever in the news today: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/home/pets/chi-chi-the-dog-escapes-near-death-in-a-south-korean-meat-market-for-a-new-life-with-prosthetic-paws-in-arizona/news-story/ff61c8006b81f18ea2aa1e2ef3b48674 …Just one of many thousands of dogs in Asia every day horribly tortured by the “meat” industry. Chi Chi is safe now in the USA but with prosthetic legs because hers were destroyed by her torturers in Korea. Do you begrudge her coming here because she’s taking a home away from one of our own…while you’re defending our dog breeders?!!
How on Earth do you justify people having dogs as things to buy and sell?
See, I don’t give one freaking fig what breed or bizarre or “ugly” mix any dog might be whom I have the privilege of having as a lifelong companion whenever one of my current dogs passes on, although I tend to focus on smaller dogs because of my living situation. But I’ve never had the chance to get one from a shelter because there’s always a desperate stray or other miserable situation (and many more) on the streets well before then. Things should not be like this.
Now, you all in this forum sound like animal rescuers who are also animal exploiters. And exploiters are not operating based in true love and compassion for the animals. This needs to change. YOU need to change. Or you’re only continuing a situation of zero hope for all these death prisons to become actual shelters. Get out of the animal exploitation mindset, then you’ll be on to something good.
Loading...
Ah. I see. Pets should only live with those who are worthy to have them.
So… who decides who is worthy?
I feed raw – am I worthy? What about the lady next door who feeds her dog Purina? Is she worthy? Do you have to let your dog sleep in bed with you to be worthy? Are you not deserving of a pet if you can’t pay that emergency $5,000 vet bill? What if you work all day? Are you deserving of a pet, even if you can’t be with them 24/7?
I admire your idealism, I truly do. But I live in the real world where humans are flawed and imperfect and ignorant and cruel and kind and generous and loving and hateful. And you know what? I have absolutely no control over them. Not a one. I can’t make them be kinder or more thoughtful or more empathetic or selfless. In short, I can’t fix humanity. It’s an ongoing process to which I do my best to contribute, but my range and power is limited to one – me.
So I do my best to keep my little corner of the world a kind and gentle place while reaching out to help others as needed/wanted.
And in this real world, there are animals who are homeless. For whatever reason. And they need help and a safe place to land until someone gives them a home. That place should be an animal shelter. And some of them ARE safe places of light and hope. But far too many are not. And that’s what needs to change.
Because I can’t fix humanity. I can fix the dog meat markets in China. I can’t fix the farmer who beats and starves his horses. I can’t fix the man who likes to kill cats in the neighborhood. I can’t fix dog fighting rings. I can rail against these things. I can report them to the authorities. But I can’t fix the humans responsible.
So I do what I can. Part of what I can do is advocate for shelter reform. Because it’s needed now and it’s POSSIBLE. It’s so close! And something that is within our reach, well… we should reach for it.
As for pure bred dogs and all the rest… if you want to change that, I wish you well in the trying. But any plan that hinges on controlling other people through righteous indignation is not very likely to succeed. And in the end, you and I want the same thing – pets to be safe and loved. I believe that the way to begin making that happen is to have those in authority set an example – veterinarians, shelter workers, ACO’s, dog wardens, etc. should all (in my mind) behave as if animals’ lives have intrinsic value. Because if they don’t, it’s kind of hard to expect those who are supposed to be instructed by them to do so.
Animal shelters should be SETTING THE EXAMPLE for responsible pet ownership. Instead, the majority of them are behaving as if pets are a throwaway commodity. As if they are *things* without intrinsic worth. And then they slam the community they serve for being “irresponsible”? When instead they should have been reaching out, educating, making services available – working WITH the community instead of against it.
You hate the abuse in shelters, so you are angry at the people who put animals there. I hate the abuse in shelters, so I am angry at the shelters who abuse. My point is, there will ALWAYS be assholes. Always. It’s just a fact of life. I just don’t want them being the people in authority.
I’m just spinning with the comments I see in here. I wrote about the torture of K9’s by their handlers (which I witnessed at my workplace, and which IS widespread), and I got responses from people who are more interested in defending their beloved Schutzhund clubs than in condemning (and never mind helping to stop) the torture. Then we have those who want to blame all the killing of dogs on the pounds (while encouraging breeding, so they may still have their preference of designer dogs) but deny that breeding has anything to do with the overpopulation, and dogs being treated like disposable items. I know I don’t want dogs and cats to die out, I just want the ones that are here to be respected as individuals, and valued as living beings, which isn’t happening over-all, obviously. And then there is this alert about “some horrible person drove a snowmobile into 2 teams in the Iditarod.” This seems to imply that the Iditarod itself is a wonderful and honorable event. Before anyone drove a snowmobile into the teams (and yes, that IS horrible, too), there have been dogs dying (ya think making them run for 1,000 miles, after keeping them tethered on chains the rest of the time, might have anything to do with it?) during the races. I’ve been aware since the 1970’s of the “culling” (killing) of sled dogs AND puppies deemed ‘unfit’ for use in current or future races. Various means are utilized for this, but I remember one case where a hatchet was the means by which the ‘useless’ dogs were destroyed. There is so much more that goes on behind the scenes in the Iditarod, too. One musher admitted in an interview that laying the whip on heavy is the only way to keep the dogs going past their comfort zone. There are a lot of details furnished in http://www.helpsleddogs.org.
And then there is this alert about “some horrible person drove a snowmobile into 2 teams in the Iditarod.” This seems to imply that the Iditarod itself is a wonderful and honorable event.
Or maybe it implies the opposite. Or maybe it implies nothing about the event itself and simply focuses on the fact that someone drove a fucking snowmobile into dogs intentionally, resulting in death and injuries. Geez.
Loading...
Seriously. Whatever you think of sled racing or the Iditarod, you have to react with horror at the intentional injuring/killing of dogs during a race.
Loading...
You already tipped your hand Sue, you said you think all dogs and cats are abused. That taints anything you post as proof.
Some sick bastard drove into a group of dogs intentionally. Someone who wanted to do that would find a dog park to drive into if there wasn’t dog sledding around. Take away one “source” of victims, sociopaths will find another.
Loading...
With the discussion of how to end the abuse and killing of dogs in shelters, I was struck especially hard by this beautiful FB post from the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter in Texas.
The dog in question, Mister, had spent his life outside with 12 other dogs, so some might say he had been “abused” or that he never should have been born in the first place. He had to be taught to walk on a leash.
But he landed in a shelter that is compassionate. A volunteer was photographed spending the night in his kennel with him on an air mattress, and her write-up about him was posted to go with the photo. It was a fantastic description of him.
It took 24 hours for him to be adopted.
IMO, it’s about instituting high standards and transparency/accountability for shelters, innovative programs (like http://dogsplayingforlife.com/), respect for the animals once they enter the shelter for whatever reason, and marketing-marketing-marketing.
Sue, I appreciate your comments about police dogs being abused, and I’ve been putting the link you provided in the comments section of Facebook posts about police dogs.
You end the Dog Death Camp system by decreasing the numbers and eventually emptying the prison cages because dogs are very hard to come by out there and only the most loving and qualified homes will then have dogs in them. Every needy dog on our streets regardless of their “pedigree” will have people clamoring to rescue them because, again, dogs are hard to come by and only the most ardent of qualified dog lovers will make the effort to adopt and keep them.
Laura, If you truly believe this and are not simply trolling us, you are deluded. If this sad world vision of yours, where dogs are a rare commodity, ever came to be, history tells us that it is not the most loving people who will have them but rather, the richest and most well connected. Some dogs will be auctioned to the highest bidder, others will be exchanged as status symbol gifts among the 1%. Dogs will be stolen quite often, either for resale or ransom. The mentally and physically challenged, the elderly, the poor and countless others for whom the daily love and companionship of dogs provides lifesaving benefits, will suffer.
You claim to hate dog breeders and yet your hope for the future is to embody the very traits you say you loathe: treating dogs as a commodity, driven by profit. Your vision is cruel to both animals and people. You are not welcome here.
I can’t help but agree, and honestly while some people don’t treat their companion animals well most do. And are better people for it. I can’t imagine how low we’d be without the love and compassion that caring for animals in our heart and homes brings out in us.
I am a better and more caring human because of non human animals that awakened empathy in me, I have a long way to go but at least they gave me a helpful head butt in the right direction.
People (especially dog rescuers) who defend dog breeders of any sort need to watch this in full, and think again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCRzgAWj7nI Every puppy deliberately bred by people’s profitable hobby activities means one of those dogs goes full cycle from horrifying imprisonment to their death by killing and into the refuse bin, as if those precious lives are garbage. Which only degrades people, not the dogs. It’s not about you and your wants, it’s about them, and getting them all out of all of those hells and into loving, responsible homes for LIFE.
Just answer one thing. Is your ideal “end goal” all dogs and cats dying out. No more pets for any human. Yes or no.
” Every puppy deliberately bred by people’s profitable hobby activities means one of those dogs goes full cycle from horrifying imprisonment to their death by killing and into the refuse bin, as if those precious lives are garbage.”
Um, no.
Because there are simply people who WILL NOT go to a shelter or rescue group to adopt a dog. I’ve known good and kind people who just can’t steel themselves to walk into a shelter, knowing that half of the animals they see will be killed. I’ve known good and kind people who don’t *want* a shelter dog for whatever reason – they will not adopt, either. I’ve known good and kind people who are just in love with a certain breed for whatever characteristics they find there and they will not adopt from a shelter.
Are all of these people “responsible for the death of a shelter dog”? No, they are not.
You know who IS responsible? The shelter.
Animal shelters are the number one cause of death in America’s pets. Because our shelter system is broken, animals die. Because people accept shelter death as a given or a “necessary evil”, animals die. Because people blame breeders, the irresponsible public, the local economy, or any number of other things, animals die.
Because people who are otherwise well-intentioned and good and kind ENABLE THE KILLING OF SHELTER PETS, animals die.
If you want to end the killing of shelter pets, stop focusing on things that aren’t the shelter. Pets are dying AT THE SHELTER. Change that. Fix it. Fight it. And stop getting distracted by other issues that only scatter your resources. Yes, puppy mills are bad. Yes, people should spay and neuter, yes, there are monsters out there who abuse, neglect, and kill animals. But none of those things are standing over a dog right now with a needle full of poison in their hands…
There will always be a need for shelters. Let’s fix it so those are safe places that actually shelter, rather than kill pets.
Earth to the wonderful no-kill people:
You end the Dog Death Camp system by decreasing the numbers and eventually emptying the prison cages because dogs are very hard to come by out there and only the most loving and qualified homes will then have dogs in them. Every needy dog on our streets regardless of their “pedigree” will have people clamoring to rescue them because, again, dogs are hard to come by and only the most ardent of qualified dog lovers will make the effort to adopt and keep them. When people at last wise up and have actual compassion for dogs, they will never be bred by or for “breed fanciers” or bought or sold. And your AKC will no longer be supporting and funded by PUPPY MILLS through registration fees!!!
I can only wonder if any of you shelter aficionados bothered to watch the full documentary “12 Nights” to get a realistic experience of what each unique dog goes through from intake to death in prison because of people continually creating a surplus of them, deliberately.
Dog breeders have got to be stopped if there is ever to be a real and lasting solution to the horror of kill “shelters.”
If all breeders were STOPPED today, we’d still have many years to go before most homeless dogs in the world were in proper homes deserving of dogs. And many years following that before there were virtually no homeless dogs in the world. It’s not enough for “everyone” to spay/neuter their animals, because in a world of surplus, careless slobs will always have access to dogs and their will be breeding going on. The deliberate breeding for sale has GOT TO GO… no one should be able to make money selling dogs (or any animals for that matter…hah, now that statement should get a good tizzy going in here).
See, we’ll have all the dogs good people can realistically care for by dogs breeding on their own in backward homes and nations throughout the world, including those where dogs are horrifyingly tortured for the meat & fur trades. Look at the story of Chi Chi the rescued golden retriever in the news today: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/home/pets/chi-chi-the-dog-escapes-near-death-in-a-south-korean-meat-market-for-a-new-life-with-prosthetic-paws-in-arizona/news-story/ff61c8006b81f18ea2aa1e2ef3b48674 …Just one of many thousands of dogs in Asia every day horribly tortured by the “meat” industry. Chi Chi is safe now in the USA but with prosthetic legs because hers were destroyed by her torturers in Korea. Do you begrudge her coming here because she’s taking a home away from one of our own…while you’re defending our dog breeders?!!
How on Earth do you justify people having dogs as things to buy and sell?
See, I don’t give one freaking fig what breed or bizarre or “ugly” mix any dog might be whom I have the privilege of having as a lifelong companion whenever one of my current dogs passes on, although I tend to focus on smaller dogs because of my living situation. But I’ve never had the chance to get one from a shelter because there’s always a desperate stray or other miserable situation (and many more) on the streets well before then. Things should not be like this.
Now, you all in this forum sound like animal rescuers who are also animal exploiters. And exploiters are not operating based in true love and compassion for the animals. This needs to change. YOU need to change. Or you’re only continuing a situation of zero hope for all these death prisons to become actual shelters. Get out of the animal exploitation mindset, then you’ll be on to something good.
Ah. I see. Pets should only live with those who are worthy to have them.
So… who decides who is worthy?
I feed raw – am I worthy? What about the lady next door who feeds her dog Purina? Is she worthy? Do you have to let your dog sleep in bed with you to be worthy? Are you not deserving of a pet if you can’t pay that emergency $5,000 vet bill? What if you work all day? Are you deserving of a pet, even if you can’t be with them 24/7?
I admire your idealism, I truly do. But I live in the real world where humans are flawed and imperfect and ignorant and cruel and kind and generous and loving and hateful. And you know what? I have absolutely no control over them. Not a one. I can’t make them be kinder or more thoughtful or more empathetic or selfless. In short, I can’t fix humanity. It’s an ongoing process to which I do my best to contribute, but my range and power is limited to one – me.
So I do my best to keep my little corner of the world a kind and gentle place while reaching out to help others as needed/wanted.
And in this real world, there are animals who are homeless. For whatever reason. And they need help and a safe place to land until someone gives them a home. That place should be an animal shelter. And some of them ARE safe places of light and hope. But far too many are not. And that’s what needs to change.
Because I can’t fix humanity. I can fix the dog meat markets in China. I can’t fix the farmer who beats and starves his horses. I can’t fix the man who likes to kill cats in the neighborhood. I can’t fix dog fighting rings. I can rail against these things. I can report them to the authorities. But I can’t fix the humans responsible.
So I do what I can. Part of what I can do is advocate for shelter reform. Because it’s needed now and it’s POSSIBLE. It’s so close! And something that is within our reach, well… we should reach for it.
As for pure bred dogs and all the rest… if you want to change that, I wish you well in the trying. But any plan that hinges on controlling other people through righteous indignation is not very likely to succeed. And in the end, you and I want the same thing – pets to be safe and loved. I believe that the way to begin making that happen is to have those in authority set an example – veterinarians, shelter workers, ACO’s, dog wardens, etc. should all (in my mind) behave as if animals’ lives have intrinsic value. Because if they don’t, it’s kind of hard to expect those who are supposed to be instructed by them to do so.
Animal shelters should be SETTING THE EXAMPLE for responsible pet ownership. Instead, the majority of them are behaving as if pets are a throwaway commodity. As if they are *things* without intrinsic worth. And then they slam the community they serve for being “irresponsible”? When instead they should have been reaching out, educating, making services available – working WITH the community instead of against it.
You hate the abuse in shelters, so you are angry at the people who put animals there. I hate the abuse in shelters, so I am angry at the shelters who abuse. My point is, there will ALWAYS be assholes. Always. It’s just a fact of life. I just don’t want them being the people in authority.
Some horrible person intentionally drove a snowmobile into 2 teams in the Iditarod. One dog was killed, several others injured:
http://bigstory.ap.org/f3215005a31c4a90a710aa91f118dd50
I’m just spinning with the comments I see in here. I wrote about the torture of K9’s by their handlers (which I witnessed at my workplace, and which IS widespread), and I got responses from people who are more interested in defending their beloved Schutzhund clubs than in condemning (and never mind helping to stop) the torture. Then we have those who want to blame all the killing of dogs on the pounds (while encouraging breeding, so they may still have their preference of designer dogs) but deny that breeding has anything to do with the overpopulation, and dogs being treated like disposable items. I know I don’t want dogs and cats to die out, I just want the ones that are here to be respected as individuals, and valued as living beings, which isn’t happening over-all, obviously. And then there is this alert about “some horrible person drove a snowmobile into 2 teams in the Iditarod.” This seems to imply that the Iditarod itself is a wonderful and honorable event. Before anyone drove a snowmobile into the teams (and yes, that IS horrible, too), there have been dogs dying (ya think making them run for 1,000 miles, after keeping them tethered on chains the rest of the time, might have anything to do with it?) during the races. I’ve been aware since the 1970’s of the “culling” (killing) of sled dogs AND puppies deemed ‘unfit’ for use in current or future races. Various means are utilized for this, but I remember one case where a hatchet was the means by which the ‘useless’ dogs were destroyed. There is so much more that goes on behind the scenes in the Iditarod, too. One musher admitted in an interview that laying the whip on heavy is the only way to keep the dogs going past their comfort zone. There are a lot of details furnished in http://www.helpsleddogs.org.
Sue wrote:
Or maybe it implies the opposite. Or maybe it implies nothing about the event itself and simply focuses on the fact that someone drove a fucking snowmobile into dogs intentionally, resulting in death and injuries. Geez.
Seriously. Whatever you think of sled racing or the Iditarod, you have to react with horror at the intentional injuring/killing of dogs during a race.
You already tipped your hand Sue, you said you think all dogs and cats are abused. That taints anything you post as proof.
Some sick bastard drove into a group of dogs intentionally. Someone who wanted to do that would find a dog park to drive into if there wasn’t dog sledding around. Take away one “source” of victims, sociopaths will find another.
With the discussion of how to end the abuse and killing of dogs in shelters, I was struck especially hard by this beautiful FB post from the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter in Texas.
The dog in question, Mister, had spent his life outside with 12 other dogs, so some might say he had been “abused” or that he never should have been born in the first place. He had to be taught to walk on a leash.
But he landed in a shelter that is compassionate. A volunteer was photographed spending the night in his kennel with him on an air mattress, and her write-up about him was posted to go with the photo. It was a fantastic description of him.
It took 24 hours for him to be adopted.
IMO, it’s about instituting high standards and transparency/accountability for shelters, innovative programs (like http://dogsplayingforlife.com/), respect for the animals once they enter the shelter for whatever reason, and marketing-marketing-marketing.
The heartwarming marketing of Mister:
https://www.facebook.com/WilliamsonCountyAnimalShelter/photos/a.376822479233.158602.371509239233/10153622192349234/?type=3&theater
Sue, I appreciate your comments about police dogs being abused, and I’ve been putting the link you provided in the comments section of Facebook posts about police dogs.
Laura wrote:
Laura, If you truly believe this and are not simply trolling us, you are deluded. If this sad world vision of yours, where dogs are a rare commodity, ever came to be, history tells us that it is not the most loving people who will have them but rather, the richest and most well connected. Some dogs will be auctioned to the highest bidder, others will be exchanged as status symbol gifts among the 1%. Dogs will be stolen quite often, either for resale or ransom. The mentally and physically challenged, the elderly, the poor and countless others for whom the daily love and companionship of dogs provides lifesaving benefits, will suffer.
You claim to hate dog breeders and yet your hope for the future is to embody the very traits you say you loathe: treating dogs as a commodity, driven by profit. Your vision is cruel to both animals and people. You are not welcome here.
Never mind what it would do to dogs as a species to have the gene pool reduced that small…….
Here’s my very similar take: if you want to know what the market would be like should dogs & cats become rare, look to the exotic pet trade.
Thank you, Shirley. Laura was too sanctimonious by half, as the saying goes.
I can’t help but agree, and honestly while some people don’t treat their companion animals well most do. And are better people for it. I can’t imagine how low we’d be without the love and compassion that caring for animals in our heart and homes brings out in us.
I am a better and more caring human because of non human animals that awakened empathy in me, I have a long way to go but at least they gave me a helpful head butt in the right direction.
Mister is so fortunate to have been at that shelter. This sets a great example of the power of love and marketing.
If you are in the Edmonton Canada area and are missing your Livestock Guardian dog the Edmonton HS has her labeled as a Malamute: https://www.edmontonhumanesociety.com/adoptions-and-admissions/lost-and-found/lost-animals (#91683)
Additional photos of the dog here: https://www.facebook.com/MorinvilleVetClinic/posts/1028604523849984?pnref=story (at least Akita cross made sense……)