Dog Adoption Vs. Breeders; A College Student’s View On The Controversy
In one of my classes at North Carolina State University we were assigned to write a paper about a political issue of our choice. Upon discussion I learned that two girls in my class decided to write about dog adoption. I was happy to hear this, as it is something that I am passionate about. Upon hearing their opinions, however, it was somewhat unsettling for me. Both agreed that buying dogs from breeders should be illegal and adoption should be the only means of getting a dog.
I understand where these girls are coming from. In order to have an opinion like this you must have a true love for dogs and I definitely respect and can relate to that. This is also a very popular opinion these days. It is undeniable that overpopulation is a huge problem with dogs worldwide. According to The Humane Society Of The United States, about 2.4 million healthy, adoptable cats and dogs- about one every 13 seconds- are put down in U.S. shelters each year. With numbers like this, how can a true dog lover not advocate for adoption? Buying a dog from a breeder can seem unethical with the number of dogs being killed daily.
This is definitely an issue that is close to my heart. I volunteer at the Wake County Animal Center every week. My job is to walk the dogs and socialize them. Some dogs spend many, many days at the shelter without getting adopted. People generally do not want to adopt older dogs or dogs with certain medical issues. Since these dogs are not getting adopted it is crucial that they are socialized. If they do not get human interaction they may become fearful or develop behavioral problems that will lower their chances of adoption even further.
Unfortunately, government run animal shelters sometimes have to euthanize. It is not something that they want to do, but it is necessary in order to keep operations running. These facilities have to take in any animal that is brought to them. They do not have an option of turning animals away when space is full. For this reason, animals will be euthanized in order to make room for new ones. Animals also are euthanized when they are sick and the shelter cannot afford to treat them, or if the animal has behavioral issues that are too extreme to handle.
I have worked closely with the shelter for a while now and I know that euthanization is not something that they ever want to do. People often like to incriminate the shelters for killing so many animals when this accusation is simply unfair. Euthanization is not something that they want to do. Ultimately, they do not really have a choice. The problem really comes down to the simple fact that we do not have enough homes for the number of dogs that exist.
So, if there are so many dogs in shelters in need of adoption, why should people be allowed to breed dogs and sell them for money? Dogs are dying every day and yet people are still making a profit off of them. The girls in my class came to the conclusion that this should be illegal. In view of the overpopulation problem it can seem very unethical. Being a dog lover, I can understand this viewpoint completely.
What these girls lack, however, is the understanding of the value of a purebred dog. When people buy from breeders it is because they want a specific breed of dog. Are the people that buy and sell these breeds dog haters? I would say quite the opposite. There is value in purebred dogs and I would argue that doing away with them would be a great shame.
The domestic dog is a creation of man. They have been bred for thousands and thousands of years based upon artificial selection. Whether it be for hunting, herding, or guarding, dogs have been bred in a way that fits our needs. For most of history the domestic dog’s purpose was to assist humans. It is only until recently that they have become a companion animal. The dog breeds that we have today have been preserved through the ages. To be rid of these thousands of years of work would be a shame.
You can still see the qualities that dogs were bred for originally in them today. Have you ever seen a corgi nip at a person’s feet while they are running? This is because corgis were originally bred for cattle herding. Even though it has been hundreds of years since they were used to do this, they still have this herding instinct within them. This is the same for all purebred dogs. You can see their instincts in the way that they behave and it is engraved into their genetics. This is something that I really find amazing.
I have always had a love for the Newfoundland dog. They are gigantic and sweet dogs that were bred for water rescue. This breed is fairly rare and is very expensive. For my birthday this past year my boyfriend brought me to meet a Newfoundland breeder in NC. This was such a great experience. It has always been a dream of mine to meet a Newfoundland and to maybe someday own one. I got to meet six 140-pound female newfies and I got tons of big newfie kisses! I also got a chance to sit down and talk with the breeder. She told me about the practices of a breeder and what it is like to breed newfies.
After talking to her I have nothing but the utmost respect for her. She has a true love for the Newfoundland breed and is well respected. Breeding is not just about making a profit; It is about improving and maintaining the breed. Reputable breeders carefully select the dogs that they mate in order to keep the litters free of genetic disease. They also try to only breed dogs of the temperament that is desired by the AKC. Truly responsible breeders care far more about this than the money they make from selling their litters. In fact, it almost seems that the majority would rather keep the puppies for themselves if they could!
I am not denying that there are some breeders with bad motives. In fact, these people are the reason that many purebred dogs have health problems. There was an outrage in 2008 over a documentary exposing the health problems of purebred dogs. The documentary by BBC shed light on unethical dog breeding practices and the tragic results. Purebred dogs would develop diseases such as hip dysplasia at very young ages. This is because many breeders cared only about making a profit or competing in dog shows and not about maintaining breed quality.
As a response to this uproar many kennel club dog shows banned certain breeds with major health problems from competing until the problems could be fixed. Breeding has been taking steps in the right direction since this incident and there has been a push toward regulation and improvement. People are becoming more educated on breeding health and making wiser purchases as well from more reputable breeders and not the ones that just want to make money.
I have a deep love for many purebred dogs. A few of my favorites are golden retrievers, Newfoundland dogs, Pembroke welsh corgis, and Labrador retrievers. I think that it would be a great shame to do away with breeds and the thousands of years that have gone into preserving them. The real solution to the overpopulation problem is not to do away with breeders. People who make this argument do not have a good understanding of purebred dogs. If they did, they would know that getting rid of them would be a true tragedy.
When I was young my family adopted a sweet lab named Amber from a lab rescue organization here in Raleigh. I grew up with Amber and she was the only dog I have ever owned. Amber was not a pure bred dog. She looked like a black lab with a long snout and was very obviously a mutt. Even though she was a mutt I loved her with all my heart. Amber passed away just a few short months ago and I am so thankful for the years I got to spend with her.
Looking at my many amazing years with Amber and my volunteering hours at the shelter I could never tell someone that a purebred dog is better than a rescue dog. I could also never say that a rescue dog is better than a purebred dog when I think of the sweet newfies that I got to meet. All of these dogs are amazing and you will develop a deep bond no matter where the dog came from. Every one has a great capacity to love unconditionally, and that is what really matters. Choosing to adopt or to buy a dog is a personal choice, and neither option should be condemned. If a person finds it in their heart to own a dog and to love it the way it deserves, it should always be supported.
