fighting a loosing battle - responsible breeding vs rescue

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abb123

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I'm a life long veggie and I really love veggie and vegan food so am a member of a few vegan sites on facebook.

One of the members put up a post about dogs being killed in rescue centres and saying that anyone that buys a puppy is basically evil.

I know that I shouldn't have, but it is just like a red rag to a bull for me, so I replied saying that perhaps her energy should be put into preventing the irresponsible breeding of the dogs in the first place. To which I was told that taking advantage of any animals womb and selling her babies for our own selfish need is evil and wrong.

Head wall bang..

So I've given them all a lecture on how much it costs to breed a litter and look after them properly. That the only way to make any money is to cut corners which is where puppy farms and back yard breeders come in. That until these are stopped then the steady influx of unwanted dogs to re-homing centres will continue. I've pointed out various campaigns for responsible breeding. That a responsibly bred staffie costs around £700 but you can pick one up for £80 and which one did she think would be more likely to end up in rescue centre??

Do you think any of it will get through? I doubt it but at least I tried :)
 
Your post might not get through to the one you responded to but others may see it and may think about it.

I agree with you that responsible breeders should be supported. They are, in the main, knowledable and passionate about breeding to a high standard.

Some rescue centres have such strict re-homing policies that they pts dogs rather than compromising a small amount on their criteria. I wonder how many people who are turned down for a rescue, turn instead to a byb or puppy farm?
 
I hadn't thought of that point!

Actually had a sensible debate with a couple of people on there which was quite surprising! I think I may have got through to a few..
 
You'll never get through to those types. I have just stopped igniting their fire cause they are so focused. Well for them, but in my view if you are more willing to cull an entire species because they are exploited you are no better than the people breeding them for money. And they in effect want to end dogs and cats as they are pets and as we all know would not survive in the wild - but they don't seem to realise that.
 
A1fie said:
Your post might not get through to the one you responded to but others may see it and may think about it.

I agree with you that responsible breeders should be supported. They are, in the main, knowledable and passionate about breeding to a high standard.

Some rescue centres have such strict re-homing policies that they pts dogs rather than compromising a small amount on their criteria. I wonder how many people who are turned down for a rescue, turn instead to a byb or puppy farm?
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VAST vast vast amounts. I know personally of at least three. My uncle had a dog who was a boxer cross (bought off gumtree) and he had enough of it when it got bigger and noone would walk it blabalbla and he surrendered it. He felt guilty the next day so went back for it and they wouldn't give it back so he went out and bought another dog off gumtree. Still has that one though.

Another case: someone i know who is probably one of the most responsible, good, genuine dog owners i have ever met was refused because she lives in a flat (which has a communal garden) so she had to "rescue" one off gumtree and it is the best little dog ever and very well cared for and loved.

Another similar case as above and they ended up buying a well bred puppy instead because the rescue wouldn't rehome to him cause he had a staffy.
 
There are hard nosed people in every camp, there are people who think rescue dogs are damaged goods and are very vocal about it, funnily enough these people have no experience of rescue but they hear stories etc and put 2 and 2 together and make 5.

Not all people who apply to rescue to adopt are suitable, having fostered dogs and seen and spoken to some of the applicants I wouldn't let them have a hamster, living in a flat wouldn't worry me either if the people walked the dog regularly but I know some rescues are not so reasonable.

If responsible breeders stopped breeding it wouldn't bring down the numbers as the demand for puppies would still be there and the unscrupulous would still continue to breed. When we wanted a Lancashire Heeler puppy we went to a responsible breeder and believe it or not being a rare vulnerable breed there are people out there still breeding unregistered and unhealth tested dogs.
 
Dobiegirl said:
There are hard nosed people in every camp, there are people who think rescue dogs are damaged goods and are very vocal about it, funnily enough these people have no experience of rescue but they hear stories etc and put 2 and 2 together and make 5.

Not all people who apply to rescue to adopt are suitable, having fostered dogs and seen and spoken to some of the applicants I wouldn't let them have a hamster, living in a flat wouldn't worry me either if the people walked the dog regularly but I know some rescues are not so reasonable.

If responsible breeders stopped breeding it wouldn't bring down the numbers as the demand for puppies would still be there and the unscrupulous would still continue to breed. When we wanted a Lancashire Heeler puppy we went to a responsible breeder and believe it or not being a rare vulnerable breed there are people out there still breeding unregistered and unhealth tested dogs.
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I agree. It is a hard job working in a rescue centre and I can understand staff wanting to make sure that the home a dog is going to will be forever. I can also appreciate that there are some dogs who are so traumatised that they need a very particular type of home. BUT there are some who are so inflexible with their policies, that they lose out on perfectly good owners and I think that is awful. Afterall, the kennels where they are living, are hardly a perfect enviroment for them.

Difficult to know what the answer is re breeding.
 
My SIL was turned down by a rescue because she worked one hour per day five days a week in the primary school at the end of her road . They where experienced dog owners had rescues in the past, had another dog for company , fenced garden , people who do a lot of walking .
I was aghast, (until I went through the RSPCA rehoming check for a cat ).
So they went and bought a puppy and a rescued dog missed out on a forever home
 
There are some rescues which are unrealistic but a lot who try to look at what sort of life the owner will offer.

I have nothing against a proper breeder who maintains the standards and tries to improve. It's the backstreet breeders who I detest with a vengeance. Latest addition to my "pack" ..my Stafford (x) pup was born on Xmas Eve, dumped in a kill pound 5 weeks later. No prizes for guessing why she was bred or dumped. Battersea always have a big influx of unsold Xmas pups as well. 2 of mine, while presented as staffords are deemed to be a x by Stafford welfare as not true to breed standard. Welfare are trying to draw a line. It's not a comment on the dog, more an attempt to try to redefine what a Stafford actually is. Friends of mine have just bought a Stafford pup through a rescue with some help from other friends of mine. They were going to buy a well bred Stafford boy at £700 as one rescue had told them they should only have a puppy (husband is frightened of strange dogs, wife is more pragmatic). Different rescue, lot of conversations and result. One rescue made it out and into a wonderful home.
 
Rescue Centres and Breeders, both ethical and otherwise are entirely dependent upon their client, the End Buyer. Educate the buyer and both irresponsible breeders and all so often the equally irresponsible rescue centres, will both be out of business.

It sounds simple, doesn't it? It won't be!!

Alec.
 
abb123 said:
That a responsibly bred staffie costs around £700 but you can pick one up for £80 and which one did she think would be more likely to end up in rescue centre??
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they are likely to end up in rescue as one another IME, we had 2 british bull dogs about 3.5 months old if my memory is right dumped at work a few years ago, they had cost 2.5 k each but one had cherry eye so owner dumped them both-from what we heard he went on a paid a couple of grand for 2 french bull dogs puppies straight after he did not want damaged goods. both from reputable breeders
 
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