[ SHOWGSD-L ] Charlotte McGowan on "puppymills" a repeat
- From: Stormy435@xxxxxxx
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2008 11:24:10 EDT
What is a Puppy Mill
 by Charlotte Clem McGowan
 I cringe now when I hear the phrase "puppy mill." What I have to say may
not
win any popularity contests for me but it needs to be said.
1. What is a puppy mill? You have your definition I am sure. But there is no
LEGAL definition of a puppy mill. Because we in the fancy have freely thrown
this phrase around, we have actually aided the animal rights activists. As
far
as the animal rights activists are concerned, a puppy mill is anyone who
purposefully breeds ANY dogs, even a single litter! I will bet you do not
agree
with this definition. But take a look at Calif. AB 1634 and see what's going
on.
In terms of AB 1634, you breed a litter, you're a PROBLEM! That's the way
that
bill is framed.
2. If there is no legal definition of a puppy mill, should we be in favor of
preventing all breeding of dogs based on our own personal definition of a
"puppy mill?" I think not. People want pets. You and I donâ??t breed enough to
supply them. Think about that!
3. Can we agree there is a definition of a puppy mill? I think not. Ask 10
fanciers independently and you will get 10 different answers. So what does
the
public think? How does the public (not dog breeders) define a puppy mill?
Here
is where the AR's have used us. They talk about "overpopulation" and the need
to stop ALL breeding. We talk about "puppymills" and stopping puppy mills. So
the public is now confused since there is no legal definition of a puppy
mill.
The public is beginning to view breeders, all breeders, as puppy mills. We
have contributed to public perception. We don't breed enough to supply the
public's desire for pets but we oppose breeding by others who see a need and
plan to fill it for profit.
4. We need to stop buying into the "overpopulation" rhetoric. People want
pets and people will have pets. It is a matter of who will supply those pets.
We need to focus the public on the value of purebreds over the various
doddles
and poos and mutts imported from Mexico, Puerto Rico and everywhere else. As
long as we talk about "puppy mills" we are missing the boat. Talk about
substandard kennels if you like. Talk about conditions. No one approves of
dogs
badly kept. Talk about diseases brought in by mutts from tropical climates.
But
don't talk about puppy mills.
5. Petland and Hunte exist for a reason: people want pets. They are
commercial entities. We hobbyists don't like the idea of commercial
entitites.
That's been clear for ever so long. Does that mean that all commercial
sellers are
"puppy mills?" Well, there is no legal definition, please remember. Petland
and
Hunte probably do a much better job of selling commercial bred dogs than the
mass breeders of doodles and poos and the chances of a Petland dog being
healthy
are way ahead of what the chances are for the mutt imported from Mexico or
Puerto Rico. But the animal rights activists have been extremely successful
in
convincing you, the hobbyist, that all commercial bred dogs are bred in filth
and squalor. In fact, that's not true. The terible kennels of the 80's have
in
large part been weeded out by AKC's Inspections and Investigations
departmentand 5000 inspections a year along with the USDA inspections. There
are still
some bad kennels, but guess what, there are bad hobby breeder kennels! Does
that mean because you may personally know of a kennel where the dogs are not
kept well, that all hobbyists are bad? Of course not. We just don't like the
idea
of commercially bred pets. But definitions count!
6. Historical fact: Some of our founding breeders of our own Shelties, people
we all respect, made a lot of their living selling dogs including pets.
People like Dot Foster (Timberidge) chief author of the current standard,
Betty
Whelen, excellent and beloved breeder, etc. There was a time it was ok to
breed
lots of dogs and sell the non showdogs for pets, and do it proudly. What
happened? We all convinced ourselves we shouldn't breed too many dogs. We
left
the door open for commercial breeders and sellers.
7. The animal rights people have changed the landscape. If you help protest
"puppy mills" please remember there is no legal definition. Some of the
commercial breeders have state of the art kennels. I know you don't want to
hear
that, but it is true. Does a commercial kennel that is state of the art
qualify
as a "puppy mill?" Does your fellow breeder who breeds two extra litters of
puppies a year qualify as a puppy mill? Does your single litter quality you
as a
puppy mill? Depends on whose definition you use. And remember that as we
fight
bad legislation, we are ALL Puppy Mills according to the animal rights
activists!
Let's concentrate on the real enemy: the animal rights activists who want no
purposefully bred dogs at all.
Charlotte McGowan
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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