Debarking the Animal Rights Myths
There are literally thousands of sites on the internet that proclaim the evils of the commercial breeding of companion animals. TV news programs and magazine articles echo the sentiments of radical animal activists. Their claims run the gamut from being just slightly silly to absolutely ridiculous. This page is dedicated to a reasonable and rational explanation of why you should not believe every thing you read/see/hear about the commercial breeding of dogs.
Dogs should not be bred to make money, dogs should only be bred to improve the breed.
This has got to be one of the world's dumbest statements, since the one about the world is flat. Every day, people risk their lives, and everything they own in the pursuit of the almighty dollar. People are mugged and murdered in the street for the change in their pockets. Nothing is sacred. To hold dog breeders to a standard so high than no one in the human race is capable of is ridiculous at best.
Commercial breeders don't care about their dogs, and treat them like puppy making machines.
There is no way that a person who does not like dogs can raise them for a living. Raising dogs takes a great deal of hard work and dedication. Long hours, and living on the dogs schedule, not yours, makes the love of dogs an absolute necessity in this profession.
Dogs are raised in filthy living conditions.
Anyone with any knowledge of animal husbandry knows that it is not possible to keep an animal healthy in unsanitary conditions. Pups in particular, are delicate newborn creatures, that could in no way survive in conditions often described in animal rights propaganda. If an animal is not healthy, it will not reproduce. It is therefore necessary for a breeder to maintain his facility in a clean and safe condition or no pups will be raised.
Dogs do not receive adequate veterinarian care.
Again, if dogs are not in the absolute best of health they will not breed. Routine wormings and vaccinations are not cost prohibitive, and the benefits are great, so breeders know better than to skimp in this department. Daily observation of the dogs is also standard procedure, so any problems are usually quickly noted and treated. Maintaining a herd of healthy dogs is of upmost importance to the breeder, his livelihood depends on it.
Dogs receive poor quality feed, the cheapest available.
No breeder will argue the need for getting the best price available for dog food, but unless a nutritional feed is used, pups will not be produced. The dams need high quality feed to complete gestation and lactation, pups need it for proper growth.
Dogs are crammed in tiny cages where they cannot move around.
Commercial breeders are regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture, which has standards for minimum space requirements. Most breeders go far above and beyond these minimums because they have learned to avoid whelping problems in their females, exercise plays an important role in the muscle tone of the females, resulting in easier whelpings and a lowered incidence of C-sections.
Dogs do not receive human attention.
A good dog breeder observes his dogs every day. Many hours are spent daily working in and around the kennel, dogs are handled frequently, bathed groomed, vaccinated, move to clean pens and other routine work that makes it necessary for the dogs to be sociable for ease of handling for the breeder. Antisocial dogs are not welcome in a breeding kennel, they make work more difficult and are generally avoided.
Dogs are forced to walk on wire flooring.
Wire flooring has received a great deal of undeserved criticism from animal activists. In reality, it is one of the finest innovations in the industry. It allows fecal matter and urine to fall away from the dogs, resulting in very clean conditions for the dogs. It protects them from contamination from coming into contact with fecal matter and the host of problems that is caused by such contact. Regulations require that the wire be coated, therefore it is smooth and not injurious to the feet or legs, also it must be small enough to prevent feet from going through, so leg injuries simply do not occur. It must also be braced to avoid any spring in it, so it actually does provide a stable surface for the dogs to walk on.
Dogs are bred at every heat cycle, never allowed to rest between litters.
There is no scientific proof that it is unhealthy for a dog to be bred on consecutive heats. Actually, proof exists that the uterus is damaged more by the heat cycle itself, then the pregnancy. Many females will simply miss an occasional heat cycle.if they are in need of rest. If they are healthy and well maintained back to back breedings are not harmful to them.
The USDA does not do it's job.
Ask any breeder who has survived an inspection, and you can bet they will tell you otherwise!
Commercial breeders produce pups that are genetically defective, sick, or do not adhere to the breed standard.
In order to run a profitable business, one must have a quality product to sell. Commercial breeders sell the majority of their pups to a dealer, who, in turn, sells them to a pet store. The dealer (broker) has all pups examined by a licensed vet prior to purchase. Pups that do not pass will not be purchased, or in the event that the pups are not of sufficient quality, a considerable price cut will be given to the breeder. Therefore, breeders strive to produce the best quality pups possible.
Much Ado About Poo
