The Truth Behind Dog Breeding

Have you ever seen one of those sad puppy commercials on television with the hungry dogs in the animal shelters? Whenever I see one of these commercials I feel a sudden urge to grab my dog and hug him. My eyes begin to water and heartache begins to take over my emotions. Sadly we humans are doing much more than we may realize to contribute to the high numbers of hungry dogs on the streets and in shelters. One aspect that plays a major role in this issue is the support of dog breeding. Throughout this piece of writing I hope to inform my readers of the unethical and immoral aspects of dog breeding. I will be explaining the great lack of responsibility being displayed when choosing to breed or to buy from a breeder over making the choice to adopt, especially when there are easier alternatives available. I will discuss the overpopulation crisis that many dogs in the US face every day. I will also go on to explain why these dogs are overpopulated in the first place, as well as provide ways that anyone, even you, can help this cause.

Something that is clear today is that there are far more dogs in need of a caring family than there are kind people willing to provide them with a good, permanent home. According to oxfordpets.com, there are about 6 to 8 million cats and dogs entering U.S. shelters each year. Of these animals, 2 to 3 million of them, most of them being perfectly healthy and adoptable, are euthanized.

Most people may think that supporting “no-kill” shelters is helpful because they may serve as a good alternative to euthanization. However, what these people aren’t aware of is that these shelters bring an even worse fate upon the animals than death. These animals are warehoused in these shelters that, according to an article titled Companion Animal Overpopulation, “confine animals to cages for weeks, months, or years on end,” leaving these dogs to suffer far more than they would have if they were just euthanized.

Beyond the shelters, there are numerous more unwanted dogs that are abandoned on the streets to suffer and die or are even “neglected in backyards without companionship, exercise, or, in many cases, even basic necessities such as food, water, shelter, or veterinary care.” According to PETA. So, why are there so many unwanted dogs in the first place?

There are a three main causes of this overpopulation. Firstly, many people purchase animals from breeders or pet stores instead of adopting homeless animals. This thus supports the breeders and puppy mills that supply the animals, making them one of the most popular ways to get a new dog. For every puppy produced by a breeder, a dog hoping to be adopted has lost their chance at finding a home and will most likely be euthanized. Simply put, breeders eliminate the chance for shelter dogs and cats to have a life.

Another cause behind the overpopulation of dogs is one that some people may think is harmless. Many people make the decision not to neuter their dogs. This decision is usually made by the pet owner because they want to breed their dogs for sell or in order to keep the offspring as a new pet. Many pet owners like the idea of breeding their dogs with dogs of friends in order to create a “cute” breed or to extend the dog’s family while getting a new pet for free at the same time. The pet owners usually only want to keep one of the dog’s offspring and then decide to sell or give away the rest, again creating enormous numbers of dogs who have now just lost their chance at life, and believe me enormous is not an understatement. Just a single female dog who has not been neutered along with her offspring can produce 67 thousand puppies in only six years. According to PETA “Spaying and neutering are routine, affordable surgeries that can prevent thousands of animals from being born, only to suffer and struggle to survive on the streets, be abused by cruel or neglectful people, or be euthanized in animal shelters for lack of a loving home.”

The third main cause for the overpopulation of dogs is that many people get these pets without taking into consideration the real commitment and responsibility required for caring for them. People like this tend to get the “cutest” small purebreds like yorkies and shih tzu’s for their child or “cool-looking” purebreds like huskies or german shepherds, using physical characteristics as a guide in choosing the “perfect pet”.

Most likely, debating on which purebred dog to choose from or deciphering which breeder is the cheapest to buy from is the only thought process and decision making that goes into the acquisition of these pets. These people tend to forget to weigh in the most important factor that comes with acquiring a new pet, whether or not you are responsible enough or even have the ability to properly care for the animal. Eventually, many of these pet owners either decide to get rid of their pets by whatever means possible or sometimes decide to leave them tied up in backyards, alone and neglected. So, what can we do to stop this maltreatment and overpopulation of dogs across the U.S.?

You may be thinking that there isn’t really much you can do, well actually quite the opposite is true. The first step to reducing the overpopulation of dogs is as easy as ABC—that is, Animal Birth Control. Firstly, if you or anyone you know is a pet owner, you should advise them to get their dog neutered right away. This is a surefire way of preventing them from producing offspring who would likely be denied the right to a happy life.

Utilize alternative methods for bringing a new dog into your home. According to PETA, “Virtually any breed of dog can be found in a shelter or in a breed-rescue group.” PETA even mentions that “purebreds make up at least 25 percent of the dogs in animal shelters.” Petfinder.com is a great place for anyone looking for a new pet. This website is as simple as entering some basic information such as your location, the breed of dog you are interested in, the gender, and even desired characteristics. After this, you will be directed to a page that lists numerous shelter dogs that meet your criteria, all in your area!

Another thing that anyone can do, even those of us who aren’t seeking to adopt, is to reach out to any friends or family members who are planning to make a furry addition to their family. Let these people know that the best choice they can make is to refrain from buying from pet shops or breeders and instead search for their new dog at a local shelter. Informing dog lovers about the harsh realities of dog breeding is a very effective way to spread the message and truly make a difference because once they know the truth, they will not want to waste any time before sharing what they now know to other dog lovers.

Lastly, I want to reach out to anyone who is or is planning to breed. The breeding of dogs is one of the core causes of the overpopulation of their species and the more we fight to terminate this practice, the closer we come to eliminating the overpopulation crisis these poor creatures face. Hopefully, I have convinced readers that even if they may not have had any mal intentions doing so, breeding dogs for whatever purpose is immoral and should not be practiced under any circumstance. I hope that now I have made clear the harmful effects of breeding and hopefully my message will convince someone to choose not to breed.

Throughout my writing, I had intended to bring to light the irresponsibility of people who breed or to buy from a breeder and how that relates to the overpopulation crisis faced by dogs all over the US. By explaining how we humans have created this crisis, and by choosing to adopt, neutering our dogs, and spreading the education on the reality of breeding, I hope to encourage readers to take part in reversing the damage that we humans, have caused. Anyone who has an animal's best interest in mind would not want this immoral money-hungry practice of breeding dogs to continue. So please, do your part to help end this crisis once and for all.