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| NADINE CHERSINI-
POINTS OF VIEWS AND BELIEFS ABOUT ABANDONED ANIMALS
www.stoppuppymills.com
www.puppybuyersguide.org
There are many things that I notice causing animals being abandoned and I wish I could change it all. Unfortunately things aren't that easy and animals around the world still get abused, abandoned, and put to sleep.
SOLUTIONS?
Yes, spaying and neutering helps, but it's not enough. If it was the solution then we should have the problem solved already...how many years have people been trying to get animals spayed and neutered?
People should stop breeding animals... how would you feel if you were told you should not have a baby because there is already an overpopulation in Africa that is dieing from hunger?
1) PET STORES NEED TO STOP SELLING DOGS AND CATS
IF we could have everybody stop buying dogs and cats from petstores, puppy mills would have to shut down.
Puppies and kittens at pet stores are kept by themselves for days some times weeks. They miss out precious socialization they would need with people and litter mates. The only socialization they get is from the pet store owners when they clean the cage or feed them. This can lead to behavioral problems.
The pets come from mills most of the time...do you have any idea in what conditions they or their parents were kept in there? Just because the pet store keeper shows you beautiful pictures and tells you lovely stories...doesn't mean all of it is true....can you go there in person and make sure the dogs are being treated as living beings? If not, don't chance it.
Often these pets are bred to just be sold, regardless personality or health. Genetical behavioral problems can occur as well as typical breed health problems.
Another problem about pet stores selling cats and dogs is that often the owner buys one of them just cause "he looks so cute behind that glass". Once again, pets are living beings, not barbie dolls. People buy them cause they are cute, and then have no clue about training, socialization, maintenance, problems, and often has even no understanding about the breed.
They end up with house training problems, dominance problems, too much shedding or just a dog that is "hyper", too strong or too big.
And, of course, once again we have some more pets left at the shelter.
2) BREEDERS NEED TO BE CHOSEN IN AN EDUCATED MANNER
Of course, blame it all on the breeders. Why so much hate against them...because they are making overpopulation worse?
I have absolutely nothing against breeders that will breed responsibly with passion, love and care. I have bought my last dog from a TRUE breeder that I admire. He has about 30 dogs(3 different types of breeds) and they are all kept free in the yard together, no kennels. They all get along with each other and the breeder has control over all of them at all times. In the evening or when he has to leave, he has his routine of dividing the trouble makers in separate rooms to avoid any fights breaking lose during his absence.
When he is there they are let out to spend time together, he goes through obedience training with all of them and takes them to dog shows, and agility competitions.
He does petsitting, and helps out shelter pets to find a home (he even keeps a couple at his place till he finds them a new home!!).
He does not ship any of his puppies to strangers, and rather keeps a pup then sell it to a wrong person. He breeds healthy dogs and pays attention to good personality.
So....should we look at him with an evil eye because he is a breeder? As I said, I admire him, because he is the kind of breeder that I wish to see around the whole world....breeding with passion, and not for money.
Like I mentioned before, I would never look at you with an evil eye if you decided to have a baby, just because there are 100 dieing of starvation. It's a choice of life everybody deserves to make.
Unfortunately there are too many breeders that are kennel breeders...their dogs are kept day and night in a kennel. Some breeders don't even give names to their dogs, some don't even dare to get close to the dog...they will just feed it day and night, and when it's time they will pick up the pups just the one day that they will be viewed by customers.
Some kennel breeders put more effort into breeding, they will actually try to breed healthy dogs, and they will try to take their dogs around to dog shows and events.
Make sure that person is doing everything out of love for the breed and not just for the show!
If I get a dog, I don't get one to leave him in the kennel, and to take him out only when it's time for training or conformation shows. I like to have my dog around me as a family member, and if left outside I like to see him have the chance of having space and playmates (and I would still devote time to taking him out for walks, to train him, to play with him, and so on )
If I have too many dogs and I'm having a hard time keeping up with all of them I WILL NOT get another dog.
HOWEVER, I will be open minded to keeping a dog in a kennel.
If the dog is getting cared for correctly, receiving enough physical and mental stimulation daily as well as enough socialization time and the kennel only being used as a time out/rest space, than I can't really have anything against it. I can understand that it's quite difficult to keep 30 dogs in the house with you.
But please be very cautious when buying from a breeder!!!! PLEASE!!
How to choose?
*1*
Make sure the breeder loves and cares about his breed.
Make sure the breeder cares of to who he's selling the dog. (When I
sold my pups I made sure on if the owners knew about the breeds pro's
and contra's and if he knew what he would be going through, I have
everybody's addresses and phone numbers, and everybody keeps in touch
with me and lets me know how the dogs are doing...).
What I'm trying to say is that TRUE breeders will actually care about
their activity, they won't just multiply dogs to make money, and they
will be selective on who they are selling their dogs to. If breeders
were more selective, we would have less cases of people just buying for
looks, but more for personality and characteristics of a breed.I'm personally against a breeder that will ship his/her pup to a complete stranger. Some breeders say "if they're willing to pay that much for a pup, they usually take good care of it"....I just can't sell a pup to somebody unless I see them in person first. Also take in consideration that there is always a risk in shipping a pup, it can traumatize a dog (some even say it can be permanently traumatizing), and there always is a risk of something to go wrong (deaths have occurred and still occur).
*2*
Ask a lot of questions and keep your eyes open. See how
the breeder behaves, and see what he has to say about his dogs. Let him
show you his dogs and tell you about the breed. If he immediately shows
you the buying contract or asks you which one you have chosen, be sure
to just say thank you and walk away...that person is already assuming
that you are there to buy.*3* Look at the parents health condition, and personality,
if one of the parents is kept in a crate or isn't allowed to come greet
you because of aggressive behavior...walk away...a responsible breeder
should socialize dogs properly (especially towards other people) and
should not breed a dog that is shy/skiddish or aggressive towards
people...it can lead to behavioral problems in the pups.
*4*
Look at the puppies health. Coats should be clean with no crusts or parasites. They should be up to date on shots, and a good breeder usually also gives you a health certificate.
Look for clean ears, healthy breath, clean eyes and genitalia.
Pups should be social/playful (of course there are always some more submissive and quieter pups). If you see that all of them run away from you/avoid you then something is wrong.
Pups should allow you to handle them, pick them up, very good sign to see pups running to you and wanting to meet you and play with you.
I usually like breeders that raise the pups indoors in the house with them, so to me that's always a big plus!
3) BUY A DOG IN AN EDUCATED MANNER
If you are getting frustrated cause you can't find the breed you like....just don't give in to people that breed/sell for money. That would be a selfish act towards all the other pups that suffer out of it...this needs to stop and it can only stop if you are capable of saying NO.
I know it is hard to find a specific breed sometimes, but personally I choose not to get it , if it means that the only way I will get it is by buying from somebody that just multiplies with no love. I'd rather wait, keep on searching or even remain without that breed, or look for another breed. That is all I can say...people are often too selfish, with the excuse that HE IS THE ONE. You get that one, and another one dies or suffers because of it....why? because you might be responsible and care for this one, but another one might have been sold to somebody irresponsible, and by feeding him with the money the breeder wants, he gets to continue selling to just anybody. (not to mention puppy mills, of course)
Also...PLEASE read books. Read about the breed, read about maintenance, education, training...visit breeders to see the breed in person. Don't just choose a breed out of looks.
I see people making wrong choices all the time. You have to be sure you can handle the choice you make.
4) SPAYING AND NEUTERING
Yes it partly is a solution, but I don't think it's working on it's entirety.
Not everybody is going to spay or neuter their pet, and if people are responsible in avoiding accidents than that wouldn't be a problem.
The main problem is people that just don't care. If it's a pure breed they get money out of it, if it's a mixed breed they just get rid of the litter.
Everybody that cares about the situation is altering their pets if they know they won't be breeding them....but you forget that there are many that don't care or aren't conscious of how important it is if they aren't capable of watching out.
I have heard too many times of people complaining about not having any money in spaying/neutering their pet, and many people just can't be bothered to do so even if they were given the money for it.
So don't go blindly blaming all breeders...blame all irresponsible owners instead. If we could change the community, and raise children to become more caring and loving and, most of all, responsible...things will finally start changing. Like with everything in life, it all starts from proper education. A person that grows up knowing stealing to be normal will not stop stealing just because you put up a banner saying "please become honest!"...in the same way people that don't care about dogs will not change just because you put up a banner saying "help the shelter pets! Neuter your pets!".
It's a long way to go, but it starts by showing the love that pets give us. It starts by showing that pets are living beings and deserve the respect we would like to have if we happened to be in their place.
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