Boycott pet breeders!

[compassionategirl]

There is a difference between evil and irresponsible/exploitative. No, not all breeders are "evil" animal abusers. But commercial breeding is irresponsible (in light of the circs that have already been explained) and ALL is exploitative - breeders "produce" commodities or prize possessions that are to be sold for a profit.

 

Any human being that truly loves animals (as opposed to ONLY loving how animals make them feel ) would save one on death row - not indulge their own personal "wants". It is selfish and vain to go to a breeder and not to a rescue place.

 

I also dont see how one can "take a moral stand against domestication" on the one hand, yet still be in support of "commercial pet breeders" because they take really good care of their inventory.

 

I also see the sadness in producing and breaking up animal families for profit. It is sad that breeders breed animals and then separate the animal families by selling them off "piece by piece" (except usually the parents who are their inventory producing machines, but oh so loved?) How sad that offspring are separated from their mothers, and siblings from each other, to be given to their "new human family" in exchange for some green. Again, not necessarily the animals' choice is it? How do we know that the animal wouldnt have liked to stay with its mother and siblings longer, or forever even? We dont know. We cant ask them.

 

The commercial exploitation of animals is still commercial exploitation even if the producers of the "goods" and the consumers of the "goods" treat the animal like a prize possession.

 

We have exploited animals for centuries. Enough is enough!!!!!!!!!! We have a HUGE injustice to make up for and a huge debt we owe animals, and its time we start making up for it instead of trying to somehow rationalize and justify exploitation whenever it suits are fancy to do so .

 

Try walking dogs in a shelter, getting to know there sweet personalities, only to come back one day and realize that some have been euthanized for lack of space. And then try to NOT feel disdain for pet seekers who feel that that's not their problem.

 

And dont EVEN get me started on tail cropping, ear docking or whatever the f^%$k these kinds of mutilations for aesthetic reasons are called.

 

Breeders suck, and so do the people who create the demand for them (and that includes my own pathetic, so-called animal loving (what a joke) relatives who feel they are above somebody else's "leftovers" or "riff raff" animals). Animals in shelters are seen as "second class", unowrthy, not good enough, not new enough, not "puppyish enough', "used goods."

 

Breeding takes away homes that could potentially have gone to them. Period. Instead, they get the needle (or, if they're unlucky, gassed, or choked, or shot to death, or drowned) while another animal gets separated from his REAL family. A great scenario indeed - for the commercial pet breeder.

[veggymeggy]

I also dont see how one can "take a moral stand against domestication" on the one hand, yet still be in support of "commercial pet breeders" because they take really good care of their inventory.

 

You're quoting me from the domestication post, so I should clarify. I'm not personally against domestication, per se. In that post I was merely trying to convey that while I understand why one might be against it, being against it does nothing to cure the problems it has created (eg, an overabundance of pets without homes, etc).

 

To further clarify where I'm coming from (on most things AR related) - my blanket statement is: I'm against cruelty. Puppy mills are cruel, pet stores are cruel, commercial farming is cruel, docking tails and ears and whatnot is cruel.....I am against all those things. Well cared for dogs breed carefully (not inbred).....I'm not particularly against it. Having a pedigree isn't of particular value to me, so it's not something I pursue. But, I'm disinclined to agree that every dog from a breeder prevents one from being adopted from a shelter. I don't think the type to buy from breeders are likely to be the same sort that would go to a shelter. I could be wrong, but that's my perception.

[compassionategirl]

In response to the last two or three sentences above, no, not EVERY dog bred takes away a potential home for a shelter animal, BUT some would. In other words, some people who would go to a breeder wouldnt go to a shelter, but some would (if the breeder option was absent). And even if only a small fraction would, then that in my opinion is good enough to give the animals in shelters the benefit of the doubt by uniformly eliminating the choice of going to a breeder. As far as the rest of the people who would NOT go to a shelter in the absence of a breeder, I am not inclined to validate or legitimize people's shallow reasons for desiring animals from breeders. I AM inclined however to continue bringing the plight of shelter animals to the forefront on any discussion on commercial breeding, educating those who are considering going to a breeder, and speaking out against the practice of commercial pet breeding in general.

 

Furthernmore, with respect to the position of "being against cruelty." In my opinion, there are many defects with the position of merely being against cruelty. The most obvious one is that it isnt enough. prohibition against cruelty fails to address or account for the obligation to promote the good of other animals. Nobody saw this point better than St. Francis, who said: "Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them, but to stop there isnt enough. We have a higher mission - to be of service to them whenever they require it." And encouraging commercial breeding does a disservice to the millions of animals that are executed in shelters in North America alone.

 

And, at any rate, even if merely preventing cruelty is the extent of any moral obligation we owe to animals in need (and nothing more), I think it is cruel and more than that - i think it is heartbreaking - to break up families, take babies away from their mother and siblings, as if the the seller was liquidating a business and selling it off in bits and pieces. I also wonder about people who have the heart to take a puppy away from his family. There is something sad and uncomfortable, to put it mildly, with that whole scenario FROM THE ANIMALS' perspective, in my opinion.

 

Everything else that I would have said can be found in the links I posted on the first page. There's no point on going on and on. I disagree and would not condone commercial breeding for reasons I have explained and that have been explained by others on those links. I am not just against cruelty, I am against commercial exploitation (because the animals do not necessarily consent to such exploitation and just because they havent the voice to express that, we shouldnt hold that against them). I am not just against cruelty but also in favour of serving animals in need and asking other responsible people to do the same.

 

end of story for me. [/i]

[madcat]

I think shelters are great for animals in need, but I see it like welfare. I all I’m saying is there should be a bigger focus on making the people who are responsible for animals being born being dedicated to them for life.

 

Of course buy from pets stores in bad. Animals being treated as breeding machines is awful. And you should assume if you do not see where the animal has been raised that there is a good reason for it (as a scene from Dante’s Inferno).

 

If new families were better educated and carefully screened there would be fewer animals ending up in shelter to began with. If every breeder made a vow to take an animal back, no matter how much later there would be little need for shelters at all. And yes responsible breeds do those things! And will turn down money if they do not like the potential new home!

 

Boycott pet stores! Educate everyone you know about why they shouldn’t breed there dog/cat. Send hate mail to people who let their unfixed cats wander the neighborhood and suddenly end up with a litter of kittens (probably not their first litter either).

 

There are many reasons to get a pedigree animal besides how an animals looks. First if the breed was breeding for the love of the breed they would have their animals screened so they would not be passing on hereditary defects (like hip dysplasia) lead to a happier healthier life for the animals. Also the new family could find an animal with the size, temperament, and energy levels that will fit with their life style… so it will work out and the animal will not have to end up in a shelter.

[compassionategirl]

Also the new family could find an animal with the size, temperament, and energy levels that will fit with their life style… so it will work out and the animal will not have to end up in a shelter.

 

Wooo! I gotta jump in here and say that the above is a WEAK excuse to go to a breeder I dont see how anybody can even make that argument with a straight face! Instead of researching breeders, you can EASILY research shelters and other rescue organizations for a dog that is the right size, temperament and energy level that fits with your lifestyle. And I think it is very wise, responsible and laudable to undertake such research instead of just blindly picking any animal, so the poor animal doesnt end up being returned to the shelter. Many animals have been in shelters for MONTHS, even years, and the staff know the animal's temperament, energy level, etc. very, very, very well. You dont need to go to a breeder for that!

 

The bottom line, folks, is that commercial breeding is NOT vegan. That isnt something that I have just made up in my own head. It is the general consensus among the vegan community.

 

AT the VERY least, for now, breeding should be stopped until the last cage in the last shelter is empty. Maybe AFTER we get to that point madcat your other plans on making breeders RESPONSIBLE breeders so no more shelters will be necessary is something that can be considered (if one is not against domestication, and has no moral qualms whatsoever with producing animal families only to break them up later for profit), but we are NOWHERE near that point. Not only do shelters not have ANY empty cages, they have to euthanize healthy, sweet, adoptable animals because more keep coming in faster than are adopted out, and there just isnt the space for them. It is irresponsible to support pet shops OR breeders under these tragic circumstances. The problem of shelter animals shouldnt only be left to a handful of caring, compassionate people to deal with, while others get to satisfy their "wants". That isnt fair. We need to ask society at large to carry its moral weight in that department too, not just on other vegan issues.

[madcat]

I have always thought that places that keep animals for months/ or years were a very small percent of the shelters out there. I know a shelter in my area (at least a few years ago) would only hold an animal for 3 days. There is no way the staff could know what kind of personality an animal has in 3 days. One because they haven’t send much time together, and also because the animals are going to be stressed out by there new surrounding and depressed from losing their families.

 

I have a German shepherd/ husky mix that I adopted from a shelter. She is eleven now and starting to show signs of her hip dysplasia. My guess is that she is going to have to be put down within the next year… maybe two. Being a mix makes her no less then any other dog, but I wish but I wish that however had had her parents would have had enough smarts to have their dogs checked so that their off spring would not have to suffer later in life.

 

I know that some of the animals in shelters are puppies and kittens but most are adults. I don’t understand how so many people can give away a part of their family like that. The more home an animal has to go through the less likely it is to be well adjusted and be a good companion. I think the largest problem leading to animals being put down is because of the people who take them in. An animal is FOR LIFE!

[veggymeggy]

an animal is FOR LIFE!

No shit. See. that's what I don't understand. My parents asked me that when I first left for school: "Oh, aren't you going to give up your cats?" Hell no! I took them in, and I will care for them till the day I die, nomatter the inconvenience to me. It's not their fault someone ditched them once upon a time. and I will love them forever.

[compassionategirl]

an animal is FOR LIFE!

No shit. See. that's what I don't understand. My parents asked me that when I first left for school: "Oh, aren't you going to give up your cats?" Hell no! I took them in, and I will care for them till the day I die, nomatter the inconvenience to me. It's not their fault someone ditched them once upon a time. and I will love them forever.

 

Totally agree. The problem is with people's mentalities - that animals are objects to be "gotten rid of" when inconvenient or "given away."

 

And let me tell you that commercial exploitation of animals only reinforces the notion that animals are commodities: to be bought, sold, or given away like an old vaccuum cleaner once they become inconvenient.

 

Certainly it wouldnt be enough to ban breeders, but I think it is a necessary step. We also need to change people's perceptions of animals as property, to be given away or gotten rid in the face of inconvenience.

 

Madcat: yes, some animals dont stay in shelters very long. Some shelters are quick movers, but not all shelters. That is why I suggested RESEARCHING extensively - there are so many different rescue options.

 

Here at the Toronto Humane Society, some dogs have been there for months, a few even years. Others last only a few days or weeks before they are euthanized.

 

[Purrpuss]

I wasn't even talking about the money specifically. I understand why they charge alot of what they do (shots, neuturing, bording fee paperowrk, etc). I don't know if it's the same other places, but here they do a freakin background check on you and every other animal you own. You have to provide vet records, shot records, prove you have a stable source of income, that you've never committed a felony, stupid crap like that.

 

As a home checker for the animal sanctuary I support, I can appreciate a lot of this list (we don't ask for a criminal record check though ).

A lot of people are initally a little affronted that they have to be checked to take in an animal, but generally after a chat I can get them to see why, explaining why there is need to ask questions that on the surface can seem a little invasive. A lot of it is to make people think of all sorts of issues that (esp first time carers) may not have occured to them as they are not immediate issues, in all the excitement of taking in this new and usually very cute furperson.

 

Sinister, if you do get a news addy animal, will you encourage the human to neuter the parent ?

 

Breeders, oohhhh don't get me going As well as all the obvious problems with them, something I've come up against is that their existance and the money they make is seen by back yard breeders, who then think I'll have some of that, and then sell the pups of cheap to whoever will have them and so on and so on. A lot of these pups then end up in shelters and the breeding stock is then dumped as well when they are knackered

[violet13]

Guest said "most people will even shop around for months between different breeders till they get a dog they really like."

 

When millions of sheltered animals are waiting to be executed or turning to vivisection tools while other millions of stray animals are starving on the street, who is heartless enough to say to these animals "I am sorry but you are not what I want. I only want perfect pure bred animal."??

Have heart for animals who are crying in pain instead of being selfish cold hearted status seeker.

I respect people who adopt animals who are suffering most and need to be saved.

I feel like throwing up when I see dog show and cat show on television and turn off quickly.

Rich people who have nothing to worry about and having pet breeding as their hobby anger me greatly.

Why these people don't contribute $$$$$$$$ to spay/neuter program or save homeless animals who are crying in pain?

I think I know answer to this question.

They are too selfish and don't care anything about suffering and death of animals who die on the street KNOWING NOBODY CARED FOR THEM!!!

True animal lovers NEVER breed animals knowing horrible pet population explosion problem and animals are crying in pain.

[violet13]

madcat and veggymeggy, please stop and think.

Every kitten or puppy people breed is adding up already pet population explosion problem.

Every kitten or puppy people breed is taking away home from sheltered animals who are waiting to be exeucted or starving animals on the street who need homes desperately.

Don't you have any heart for these animals?

When millions of SUPPOSEDLY responsible pet breeders breed animals, millions of homes are taking away from animals who desperately need responsible loving guardians.

THERE IS NO SUCH PEOPLE CALL RESPONSIBLE PET BREEDERS!

When people use word 'responsible pet breeders' I get so irritated because decent people NEVER breed animals in our society where millions(if not billions) animals are mercilessly killed because there is not enough homes for these unfortunate animals who were born to be killed.

Both of you need to think about horrible suffering of starving and dehydrated stray animals before using the word 'responsible pet breeders'.

Please think about millions of cats and dogs who are killed and thrown in freezer in animal shelter.

Some times, live animals are thrown in freezer because of carelessness of shelter employees who never check animals if they are completely dead or not.

How would you like to be shot to death by bullet or drowned to death in water?

Believe me or not many unwanted surplus cats and dogs were killed by bullets or drowned to death in water!

I wonder why some people have casual attitude about ing immoral pet breeding.

[veggymeggy]

madcat and veggymeggy, please stop and think.

Every kitten or puppy people breed is adding up already pet population explosion problem.

Every kitten or puppy people breed is taking away home from sheltered animals who are waiting to be exeucted or starving animals on the street who need homes desperately.

Don't you have any heart for these animals?

When millions of SUPPOSEDLY responsible pet breeders breed animals, millions of homes are taking away from animals who desperately need responsible loving guardians.

THERE IS NO SUCH PEOPLE CALL RESPONSIBLE PET BREEDERS!

When people use word 'responsible pet breeders' I get so irritated because decent people NEVER breed animals in our society where millions(if not billions) animals are mercilessly killed because there is not enough homes for these unfortunate animals who were born to be killed.

Both of you need to think about horrible suffering of starving and dehydrated stray animals before using the word 'responsible pet breeders'.

Please think about millions of cats and dogs who are killed and thrown in freezer in animal shelter.

Some times, live animals are thrown in freezer because of carelessness of shelter employees who never check animals if they are completely dead or not.

How would you like to be shot to death by bullet or drowned to death in water?

Believe me or not many unwanted surplus cats and dogs were killed by bullets or drowned to death in water!

I wonder why some people have casual attitude about ing immoral pet breeding.

 

To reiterate:

Right or wrong, not everyone will accept a shelter puppy. Status symbol, specific size, temperament needs, whatever, some people are looking for specific things in a pet. These people will never get one at a shelter!

Pet stores are oh so wrong. They don't care about where the animals come from, how they're treated, or whether they're healthy or even inbred.

The breeders that are showing their animals, for the most part, would never harm them. They're far too valuable monetarily, and most breeders are also attached to them. They do things like background checks on potential owners, draw up contracts to guarantee the animal will never be in a shelter, and enforce spaying/neutering after any intentional breeding is done. I don't have a problem with this, as the people that get their animals from these types of breeders are the same aforementioned people that wouldn't go to a shelter anyway! Plus, these breeders maintain breed diversity and protect against genetically inherited diseases caused by inbreeding, etc.

 

I do have a heart My animals, again, are from the shelter. I also understand that not everyone sees things my way, and there are shades of grey in the world.

[violet13]

veggymeggy, I did research on pet from breeders and found out that about 35-40% of animals in shelters are from breeders.

I know you are going to argue with me by telling me that responsible pet breeders never let their animals to end up in shelter.

Where is proof?

Is it kind to separate puppies and kittens from mother animals who love them so much and cry when their babies are sold for $$$$$$$?

How responsible supposedly kind person can cause so much emotional pain to mother animals if they really love their animals?

Something doesn't match.

I never can exchange puppies and kittens with $$$$$$$$ to hurt mother animals and sleep peacefully like pet breeders are doing.

If somebody take your baby and sell in black market, can you still love a person who sold your baby for $$$$$$$$$?

I don't think so.

Animals are innocent and don't hate people who hurt them doesn't mean it is nice to sell baby animals for $$$$$$$$$ and make mother animals to cry and desperately look for their babies.

While mother animals are crying and looking for their babies, what supposedly responsible pet breeders are doing?

If only animals could speak, I am sure animals beg pet breeders to not to sell their babies.

Do you remember about cat who went in burning garage 6 times to rescue all her kittens?

Her ears and face are burned badly and it was very painful to look her but she and her kittens survived and adopted.

[veggymeggy]

veggymeggy, I did research on pet from breeders and found out that about 35-40% of animals in shelters are from breeders.

I know you are going to argue with me by telling me that responsible pet breeders never let their animals to end up in shelter.

Where is proof?

 

I imagine that's where defining responsible comes in, on behalf of the breeders and the owners. I suppose I could scan and post the contracts that both my parents and my sister have from when they bought their dogs....they're quite explicit, and of course my parents/family would honor them if for some reason they weren't able to keep the dogs.

 

Again Violet, I'm not heartless, but I'm also not particularly emotional....I don't think I see things quite the way you do

[madcat]

Wow, I thought that we had dropped this. Violet, I know we do not see eye to eye on this. Your 35%-40% of shelter animals statistic does not change my mind… if they have come for responsible breeders then they never would have ended up in a shelter. And also not that I matters, but last year I did a report on pet over population and my resources said 25% of shelter dogs were pure breed, not 35%-40% of shelter animals. I have also stated that I got my dog from a shelter. All I am getting at here is there is a demand for puppies and kitten… that is not going to change. I would just like to see a switch for getting those animals from pet stores/ back yard breeders to breeders who care about were the animals are placed, and are willing (and have the means)to take them back if their new homes do not work out.

 

I am not heartless!

[violet13]

Only thing I can say is I respect people who save starving animals on the street and rescue animals who are waiting to be executed because these people have true love for animals.

People who are looking for special pure bred animals are telling to starving animals who are crying in pain or sheltered animals who are waiting to be executed "I care less about your suffering because you are not what I want."

No honest person can deny the fact that each kitten or puppy 'supposedly responsible pet breeders' bring to this cruel world is taking away home from animal who desperately want to live!

Supposedly responsible pet breeders are indirectly responsible for execution of animals in shelters and also starving stray animals on the street.

Of course many people are heartless enough to think these unwanted surplus animals are not good enough for them.

I wonder exactly what kind of people don't mind to snatch baby animals from mother animals for $$$$ without feeling guilt.

Of course no matter how much we hate to separate babies from mother animals, sometimes we have no choice, but having pet breeding as business is so sickening and immoral in our society of pet population explosion problem and millions of animals are crying in pain.

I don't believe there are such people call responsible pet breeders becaues responsible people never breed animals knowing harsh reality.

[compassionategirl]

Um...no I guess we havent dropped this.

 

To those who keep insisting that some breeding is "responsible" breeding-- I dont understand how you can assert that the commercial exploitation of animals is responsible, ethical or acceptable, even if the breeders take care of their inventory. It is still commercial exploitation, and it is one that costs at least a few shelter animals their lives. Therefore, it is NOT "benign exploitation" either, as some of you seem to think.

 

 

For those who just would not go to shelter even if there were no "brand new breeder animals" - f*&k' em. I am not about to pander to people's superficial and vain desires at the cost of animal lives. If breeding was banned, and the only choice was shelter animals, and if only ONE person out there that would have gone to a breeder would under these circumstances go to a shelter for a dog, then the universal ban on breeding would be worth it. Without hesitation, I value even only a handful of animal lives over the "superficial wants" of millions of humans.

 

What makes meat-consumption, animal testing, animal wearing, and all these other activities possible is the mentality of commodification. It is a root cause for the current plight of farm, lab, etc. animals. And it is that mentality that needs to be dislodged. The acceptance of commercial pet breeding doesnt help disloge it - it only reinforces it.

 

Breeders - all breeders - are jerks for breeding animals (especially with the pet overpopulation problem) and profiting from the break up of animal families.

 

Boycott breeders, ask others to do the same, and raise awareness of about the facts on shelters instead. Join the fight to end animal exploitation and commodification for profit. Respect animals' rights. It is so disheartening to hear ethical vegans defend commercial breeding. It really is.

 

Why should only some humans have to carry the burden and the moral weight of rescuing animals while others get to indulge their "Ooo I want a cute golden retriever" fanstasy?

Edited February 18, 2006 by compassionategirl

[compassionategirl]

All I am getting at here is there is a demand for puppies and kitten… that is not going to change.

 

So what? Just because there is a demand for a certain "commodity", that doesnt make the production or sale of that "commodity" morally right! Should we give people what they want, just because they want it, regardless of the ethical implications?

 

And this is especially the case when the "commodities" in question are not inanimate objects and have no say in the matter!

 

C'mon now madcat you know better than that. That was a really weak argument. Frankly, most arguments in favour of animal exploitation are, once scrutinized, untenable.