Dear Editor,
Common sense and much research tells me there cannot possibly be a home for every pup born. Ask yourself this question: what happens to the pups not sold? Female dogs come into season about every six months and most breeders will mate their dogs or cats every time. Many times this constant breeding will cause birth defects and future medical problems which result in large veterinary bills. Some breeders will use ‘rape stands’ and force breed their females.
The pups not sold are placed in cages in a dark, airless room without food or water and are allowed to starve a torturous death while their desperate cries go unheard. Some are ‘owner surrendered’ to the animal shelter where if they are not adopted they are killed to make room for other unfortunate pets. Some are abandoned into residential areas or on the highway by becoming the responsibility of some generous, compassionate person who is kind enough to take them in. These innocent, helpless animals become nothing less than a throw away.
Breeders will tell you they breed responsibly, but with the massive amount of homeless pets it is obvious if you’re breeding, you are definitely not a responsible breeder. Too many dogs and cats, including pure breeds, are being euthanized every day in animal shelters across the country.
Craigslist allows breeders and those giving away their pets for free to post ads along with photos. The danger in this way of finding a home is not investigating the possible future owner and more times than most the animal ends up in an undesirable situation. Fishermen use baby kittens for bait (which is against the law) by hooking the kitten through the nose and dropping them into the ocean for hungry fish. Dog fighters look for free puppies and kittens to train their fighting pit bulls. It is this practice that gives pit bulls a bad name, causing animal shelters to place breed bans on these animals, henceforth euthanizing them as soon as they arrive at the shelter.
How do we take control over the problem? Educating the public on spay and neutering their animals, even pure breeds, improve ownership laws and make them stronger, enforce the laws already passed and report breeders who breed several times a year to the Florida Department of Agriculture and dog fighting to the Dog Fighting hotline at 1-877-847-4787. If you are breeding for financial gain or if you’ve not had your pet spayed or neutered you are the problem.
A. J. Allen
Milton
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Insensitive breeders are the problem