Breeders

I was at the dogpark yesterday and overheard two young women excitedly discussing the breeder from which they got their chocolate labs. They discussed other places they checked out or tried, and why they decided on the one they did (and they were extra excited because it turned out they used the same breeder). They were talking about wanting to get more from the breeder, but when this and that happens.

I sat there and mulled over whether I should interrupt their excited conversation and tell them there were a couple of gorgeous labs down at the shelter where I volunteer, and that there’s no need to support breeders who contribute greatly to animal overpopulation.

THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL ANIMALS AT THE SHELTERS! (The animals I have pictured in this entry are all at ADOPT in Naperville.) And there are the breed rescues. If you want a purebred animal, you don’t have to go to a breeder. Save one that’s already alive and out there because someone gave him/her up. We don’t need more bred. We need to home all of the lives we’ve already created.

In the end, I decided not to be confrontational, as I wasn’t sure how articulate I’d be. I didn’t know how to start the conversation without being abrasive or self-righteous. But now I wish I had. I feel like I failed at what I’m doing here on this blog and by working in the shelters. I NEED to educate people and this was the perfect opportunity.

Lesson learned, I will take advantage in the future.

But how do we get the word out there that the animals in shelters are just as good as (if not better) than those from breeders? I have had many conversations with a coworker who was insistent on using a breeder for a Golden Retriever. He assumed all of the dogs at the shelter were given up for a reason - that they are somehow damaged goods. He said he wouldn’t know their background or temperament. I said you never know that from a breeder either. I think over time I got him to see that there are a lot of wonderful, perfectly normal, healthy dogs that come into the shelter through no fault of their own.  I shared pictures and stories with him and I could tell that he would consider this, even though he adamently refused before.

There are all kinds of dogs/cats/bunnies/etc at shelters who are the result of unforeseen circumstances or irresponsible humans. There’s all ages of purebreds and mixes; Poodles, Puggles, Golden Retrievers, Italian Greyhounds, Whippets, Labs, Yorkies, Bulldogs, Shitzus, Maltese, Huskies, Hounds, Labradoodles, Corgis. This, off the top of my head, is what I’ve seen come through.

With cats there are all ages and temperaments. There are short-, long-, medium-hair. There are Siamese, Himalayans, Maine Coons, Russian Blues…and again, breed rescues.

Next time…

Filed under Animals |