[accmemberdiscussion] NAIA Feed Bag: 1.2.11 - National Animal Interest Alliance
- From: Baba Monk <babamonk@xxxxxxx>
- To: accmemberdiscussion@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2011 10:57:17 -0600
NATIONAL ANIMAL INTEREST ALLIANCE For the welfare of animals, to safeguard the
rights of responsible animal owners.
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01/02/2011
NAIA Feed Bag: 1.2.11
We get thousands of letters, emails, and phone calls each month -- and some
have absolutely nothing to do with cheap Viagra or changing our long-distance
provider.
We have also received several interesting, thoughtful replies to our blog that
deserve more than a quick response in the comment section, but rather an entire
blog post dedicated to the issue(s) they raise.
With that in mind, welcome to the first Feedbag Edition of the NAIA Blog. This
will be a regular Sunday feature where we look back over the previous week's
posts, and respond directly to reader comments.
So let's get started! Here's a comment from Brent in last week's "Adopt... or
else!" post:
Here's the deal (as I see it). As a society were a killing somewhere around 2
million dogs every year in this country because they find their way into our
shelter system (I'll spare the discussion on how they get there, which could be
lively).
Meanwhile, the vast majority of people who are looking for a dog are merely
looking for a pet-quality dog. They're not going to use the dog for any time of
working function, and they're not going to show the dog -- so instead of
picking something "cute" (and they're all cute in their own way), they should
be more concerned about things like temperament and energy level.
For the vast majority of these people, there are plenty of great dogs in the
shelter that would suit their needs just fine (and most would be far better off
with an adult dog vs a puppy).
So long as a prospective owner does his or her homework beforehand, finding
that perfectly good dog in a shelter is a great approach. Unfortunately, the
cloud of misinformation and hypocrisy surrounding this entire issue leaves us
more than a little exasperated.
Here's one curious observation: in 2011, conscientious pet-buyers have all
been warned not to buy dogs from pet stores and that it's important to screen
their breeders (if they must go to a breeder) before buying a dog. The list of
warnings associated with such purchases is endless:
you don't know a thing about the dog's background and what you're getting
you're supporting puppy mills
it's probably an impulse buy, which is irresponsible and more likely to end...
poorly
the dog will be sickly
the dog will be hopelessly inbred
the dog will be impossible to socialize
etc., etc., etc...
Aside from the first warning, these have all been applied to breeders (though
to a lesser extent), as well.
Yet warnings of the potential issues that come along with shelter dogs are
often whispered or poo-pooed among the "think adoption first (and only!)"
crowd. In fact, it's politically incorrect to speak too loudly of the
challenges a potential owner may face. This is something we deal with ourselves
all the time here: make a derisive comment about purebreds or pet stores, and
all is well... but one peep about the potential behavioral challenges posed by
shelter dogs and you're a modern-day Hitler.
Nowadays, people know (and rightly so) that it's a horrible idea to
impulsively buy a Jack Russell Terrier just because you fell in love with Eddie
on some Frasier rerun... but there are precious few warnings for the person who
sees a sad face on TV and feels an intense urge to run out and "save a dog."
And this kind of impulse buy isn't being discouraged -- it's being actively
promoted!
The truth is, all dogs come with a set of baggage, regardless of the source,
and it's dishonest and irresponsible to warn the masses of the potential
pitfalls of one set while pushing another without qualification. The type and
quality of dogs available vary from shelter to shelter, state to state, region
to region, and even day to day. The professionalism and personal philosophy of
the people in charge has a great deal of effect on this, as well. Regardless of
where you get your dog, buyers: be aware.
But that's enough exasperation for one night. Big thumbs up for pointing out
the importance of focusing on temperament and energy. As much criticism as he
receives (much of it from within the dog community), Cesar Millan deserves a
lot of credit for popularizing and "mainstreaming" this hugely important aspect
of owner responsibility over the last decade. It's something people who are
involved with dogs -- even casually -- oftentimes just know as common sense,
and forget to mention to prospective owners.
And regarding puppies vs. adults... we're not ready to make a blanket statement
about adults vs. puppies, as the proper type and level of challenges to be
taken on are entirely dependent on the adoptive family, the puppy or adult dog
involved, and about five billion other factors. But of course, adult dogs can
be the perfect choice -- plenty of adoptive owners will attest to this!
By and large I think the breeding community has had little sympathy for the
rescue community and the real issues they're facing. And I think many have even
done worse by trying to undermine the shelters by belittling the quality of
dogs there and trying to scare people AWAY from adoption (in fact, 2 weeks ago,
there was a post here that tried to blame the increase in adoptions for a
mythical surge in dog bites).
Meanwhile, the rescue community has been very good at trying to treat anyone
who breeds as if they are a criminal.
And in reality, each can be a great option for the right person and we'd kill a
lot fewer pets if both sides would be a little more considerate of the other
side -- it's a shame there are even "sides" at all.
Oh my. We certainly chose a great time to come back from vacation, didn't we?
Sorry, but this is a can of worms unto itself, crying out desperately for a
topic of its own. Stay tuned, folks!
Posted at 11:59 PM | Permalink ShareThis
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Adult v puppy. If I'd known all these years that I might be able to get a full
grown, raised by knowledgeable breeder, dog or even a retired older dog from a
breeder; I might have been looking to breeders all these years instead of
fumbling around as a newbie, inexperienced owner trying to train a different
breed puppy each time or an adult with an unknown history or known poor
history. Yes, we newbie owners muck up that training and I suspect that's a
bigger issue in the biting stats than is realized. I also suspect that those
who want to "save" a dog are excessively indulgent of them which also leads to
inappropriate behavior from the dog/owner.
On the other hand, a grown dog from a breeder would have a known history, have
been raised/trained around other dogs (if shown, LOTS of socializing with
dogs/humans), be coming to me from someone who has a vested interest in the
dog's future so willing to advise, and a backup home should something dire
happen to me.
If casual owners should be getting adult dogs rather than puppies, that would
argue more for getting them from breeders than from shelters to me. Once the
average shelter hands over the leash, they are DONE except for maybe a
replacement if that one drops dead.
Posted by: PJBoosinger | 01/03/2011 at 12:33 AM
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