American Morning
Biden puppy haunts breeder
From CNN's Melissa Morgenweck
There was no need to ring a doorbell when we pulled up to the Wolf Den kennel in Chester county Pennsylvania. At least a dozen German Shepherds announced our arrival.
Linda Brown greeted us and introduced us to the pack including her favorite, 13 year old Hans. Most of the dogs in this section had once been breeders. Now she keeps them as her personal pets.
They are just one grouping of the approximately 80 adult dogs that she says live on her property. “German Shepherds look into the mirror of your soul. They are intelligent and protective and your animals for life.”
Brown told us that she had been up since 4am helping deliver a litter of puppies. “They like to give birth in the middle of the night when it’s quiet and still.”
As we toured the property Brown recalled the day last December when Vice President Biden came to pick out a dog. “He picked the puppies up and literally kissed them all over. And when he did finally select his puppy he just wouldn’t let him go.”
But Brown says she has paid a big price for the publicity. Soon after the visit she claims she received death threats from animal-rights groups. Dog wardens from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture also made multiple visits to inspect her kennels. (The state told one of our producers that inspections typically take place twice a year.)
Brown was cited for poor record keeping, dirty housekeeping and mistreating her dogs. Last month she was cleared of all citations. “It hurts the depth of your soul that they would even have the nerve to call me and tell me that I’m inhumane with my dogs. My dogs are treated better than most children are treated.”
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Stacey;
You are so right. The breeders I know
are good and care about their animals.
They are always in the hole.
Adopt a soldier I can give someone a few names. Privately.
You want to know whacked, the HSUS has something like 2 million in the bank and there are children and families without basic necessities and the SPCA and PETA think people should not own animals. The whole thing is crazy. Animals add far too much to our lives to ban them. Breeders perform a service and like any service, there are people that are better at it than others. There are also people that define good service differently than others. It is a topic that is very difficult to agree upon.
D.F Register, I have already adopted neglected kids and neglected dogs. If you have the name of a neglected soldier who wants to be adopted too, please post his/hers name and number here.
BTW, I assume you have already stepped up and adopted neglected kids too. Please let us know how many, and how they are adapting.
I can see if you were someone that saw this in the news and did not know about the breeder first hand. We purchased a dog from the same breeder and visit frequently and I can tell you that those dogs are the happiest and best cared for dogs on the planet. They have 2 indoor olympic in length pools in which they excercise. The average age of a GSD is 8-10 years old. She has several dogs up there that are 13 and 14 and in great shape. They have plenty of room to run and eat great, trust me. MM, Dog Lover
paul debraccio,
You are quite misinformed on these topics.
First thing I suggest you do is to research the difference between animal welfare and animal rights.
Animal welfare is the philosophy to end cruelty and neglect, and to ensure animals are treated humanely.
Animal rights is the philosophy that domestic animals should be extinct and that humans and animals should have zero interaction with one another.
Secondly, you obviously know nothing about breeders. A responsible breeder, doing things the right way, doesn't make money. Do you have any idea how much it costs to title dogs before breeding, properly raise a litter of puppies, etc? A LOT of money! They're lucky to break even; they often lose money. It's a very expensive hobby, not a job.
You are getting reputable, responsible breeders confused with puppymills, which is about the same as getting a pharmacist confused with a drug dealer on the street.
Reply to: paul debraccio's comment:
"Breeders care about money and people that love to say that animal lovers do not care for humans are simply ignorant.
One does not preclude the other."
Paul is only half right. The same can be said the other way around. Just because someone is a "breeder" does NOT mean they are only in it for the money and that they do not love and care for the animals. While I know there is no shortage of breeders that cut all the corvers and treat the animals like "cash cows", not all breeders are that way. The fact is that people ALWAYS seem to think that because someone breeds their animal (even once) that they are driven for profit and don't care for animals. That is just as bad as saying that all people that love animals, hate people.
If you want to see what I mean, go to and AKC dog show and talk to the folks there with dogs. Not the big handlers that show up with 10+ dogs. Look around at all the people that show up with 1-3 dogs and talk to them and see how "bad" they are.
Animal rights people tend to think all breeders are bad and that is just plain not true.
Something is wrong here. We have starving
neglected children. How about our senior
citizens and soldiers returning from war?
Priorities are out of whack with the card carrying people from Peta And SPCA.
All the money that is donated to these places (peta and spca)
could feed all the children in this once great
nation. Also would help our other needing citizens.
MO$.02 is they're wacked in the head.
Talk about going overboad.
I love the fact that people try to connect animal rights to lack of caring for humans. It is quite the opposite. Caring people care for all creatures in this world especially humans. Breeders care about money and people that love to say that animal lovers do not care for humans are simply ignorant.
One does not preclude the other.
I bought my first GS from this breeder. I could't have asked for a better dog. Our GS which was my baby, died the end of june. I will definately purchase another dog from this breeder. By the way, I have rescued dogs and cats.
I am surprised that many people here actually believe that pedigreed, well-bred dogs from reputable breeders do not end up in shelters, simply because the breeder's contract states the dog must be returned to the breeder if the owner can no longer keep him/her.
I'm sad that people believe this because it is NOT true.
Just because a breeder requires the owner to return the dog if things don't work out, in the contract, does not mean this actually happens. Most breeders don't keep in touch with their buyers for the lifetime of the dog, and many owners don't keep in touch with the breeder. Owners' life circumstances change – move, divorce, health, getting into another sport or interest – and dogs are dumped. It makes zero difference if the person spent $6000 importing the dog from Germany, and half a year on a waiting list for the puppy – when they no longer want the dog, it goes.
I work with German Shepherd rescue, and the number of very well bred dogs we've gotten in rescue is staggering.
We've pulled dogs from county kill shelters that had ear tattoos that could be traced to their breeders, but because they were owner surrenders, the shelter did not try to locate the breeder.
We've gotten dogs that people spent thousands on buying and importing from Europe, with their papers, in absolutely miserable conditions because their people stopped being interested in them.
We got a gorgeous male with German papers and Schutzhund titles that had no hair left on him, because his owners couldn't be bothered treating for a simple skin issue, and it then became too severe and caused him to loose all his hair. They didn't want to bother paying for it, so they turned him into the rescue, papers and all.
We've even pulled one dog that turned out to be a retired police dog – nice way for someone's partner to end up, in a kill shelter, at 9 years old!
I currently have two shelter dogs of my own: My German Shepherd came from a very well known Virginia breeder with a great Schutzhund training facility. She was dumped in a county animal control facility because she barked when left home alone. My Belgian Malinois has been worked in Schutzhund, was seized by Animal Control because she was locked in a garage with 10 other dogs, starved, and bred over and over.
If you seriously think only puppy mill, backyard bred, and pet store dogs end up in shelters, THINK AGAIN. Shelters are FULL of purebred dogs needing good homes.
I'm a dog rescuer and previous foster home, so I'm not a fan of breeding. I understand those who breed uncommon breeds to keep the line going, such as a Vizla, but those are the kind of people keep the dogs in their homes as if they were their own children, and only breed once every year or two and only if they have buyers. They do not breed their dogs to the point of sagging bellies. And they do not have 80+ dogs that are kept outside. This does NOT demonstrate love for dogs or love of a breed....this demonstrates GREED.
To PETA: How can you people have children of your own, when there are so many crack babies awaiting adoption? Look at your precious child....he/she was really a death sentence for a crack baby! Come on, people....quit watching your Sea Kittens and listening to the Rescue Shop Boys long enough to truly educate yourselves for a change.
I'm so glad with the news of Obama's and Biden's puppies that the PETA/HSUS whackos are exposing themselves for the idiots that they are. Most of them seem to be psychologically damaged and attempt to bolster their self esteem via all the kudos they get from other psychologically damaged individuals for "rescuing" the animals. When did this country start believing that bringing a potentially dangerous/badly trained dog (as many in the shelter are) into a home with young children was the politically correct thing to do? In addition, a lot of these shelters are charging $300 to $500 for the privilege. I've seen at least one shelter dog auction bring in $1000 per pup (since when did we start auctioning off dogs in the shelter???). The shelter people will tell you they "screen" these dogs before they go to a new home. Most wouldn't know how to screen a dog if their life depended on it; many can't even tell the difference between a pure-bred and a mutt.
I now refer to the shelter as the clearing house for puppy-milled and backyard bred dogs. These are the dogs that end up there. These dogs rarely come from health-screened parents. Who knows if they were socialized as pups or what the mom ate while in whelp with the pup?? Dogs that come from responsible breeders (where the parents are health-tested and socialized, where the mother eats premium dog food, where the littermates are socialized as pups, etc...) DON'T end up in the shelter because these breeders REQUIRE that a dog (at any point in its life) be returned to the breeder if the buyer cannot keep the dog FOR ANY REASON. That's the person I'm supporting by buying a puppy from them. They run their OWN defacto shelter (without government subsidies) by requiring that their dogs that cannot be kept by the owner be returned to them.
And lest anyone think that I'm a cruel person for talking about the shelter dogs, my first dog came from the shelter, a male buff-colored Cocker Spaniel. He was 9 months old when I got him, had probably been abused by his prior owners and had a not so great temperament. I worked with him and also had a trainer work with him. His temperament did not get much better. At one point in the past, he was sleeping on my bed. I sat down next to him startling him. He bit me on the face. He still lives in my house as had I returned him to the shelter he would have been euthanized. He is now 12 years old and is a very loving dog most of the time, but if I had a small child in the house there is no way he could have stayed here. With this experience I will never again buy a shelter dog. My other dogs have all come from responsible breeders breeding for health and temperament.
If the AR people hope to keep dogs out of the shelter, they better start realizing who the problem is: (for the most part) irresponsible dogs owners who put little thought into the purchase of a dog and think little of dropping off a dog they no longer want at the shelter. THEY bought the dog. If they bought it from an irresponsible breeder who doesn't take their dogs back, it's THEIR responsibility to find the dog a new home; not the taxpayers via the shelter.
There is no reason any should ever buy a new car.
They should all go to the classified section of the newspaper, to buy a used car.
Need a Pick-up truck to haul a trailer?
–Sorry, we have a lovely Yugo that will get crushed in the compactor if you don't buy it. It's only had "one owner" *wink* *wink*
Looking for a small, red 2-seater?
–Sorry, how about this lime-green, rusty conversion van. It will need a new transmission in a year, but don't buy a new car with a warranty, or these cars will die!!! >.<
Maybe if people took the time to get the right dog for them, instead of whatever caught their eye at the shelter, there would be more responsible pet owners, instead of returns and strays at the shelter.
I bought a dog from this woman and it has congenital bilateral hip dysplasia. She is a great dog but needs two pills a day to keep from limping (she is currently one year and 5 months old).
Also we were told our AKC papers would be sent via mail and we never receieved them, despite repeatedly contacting the breeder.
Ms. Linda Brown deserves some of the criticism coming her way.
I meant to include also my firm belief that if God didn't want us to eat animals he would not have made them out of meat.
I probably should have disclosed this in one of my earlier posts but I am actually a member of PETA and felt it was important to divulge that.
As an omnivore since birth It was a no brainer for me to join PETA – People Eating Tasty Animals!
dog/cat breeders are very rarely making money. They are NOT the problem for shelter animals!
This woman was cleared of the citations so the AC didn't have a leg to stand on for their harrassment.
Its obvious in all I have seen and read that she is a decent breeder and she didn't twist Biden's arm to buy her dog.
For PETA lovers: DO THE RESEARCH! PETA IS A KNOWN TERRORIST GROUP AND HAS MURDERED THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS THAT WERE ADOPTABLE! They collect all those dollars you send and live very nicely on their salarys and save zero animals.
HELLOOOO!!!!!!!
Also people have a right to buy from any cat or dog breeder just as the idiots that support PETA type groups have a choice to stay stupid and uneducated and be a lover of a known TERRORIST group!
The biggest myth in the animal community is that if only cute, well-bred puppies were not being brought into the world by dedicated breeders, all the adolescent pit-bull mixes in the shelters would suddenly be adopted. WRONG. By eliminating the lovingly home-bred puppy from your community, you simply send people to pet stores. The WORST place to adopt an animal from.
If you went back 50 years and told the folks running orphanages that in the year 2009 people would have to go to a third-world country in order to find a healthy baby human to adopt, they would have thought you were insane. What has changed? Spay/neuter services should be free and in every community. Non-surgical feline and canine contraception is in the late stages of development, thankfully. Foster homes for unwanted pets should get government funding and tax breaks. Shelters need to be eliminated, except for the euthanization of unadoptable animals. It is simply too convenient to abandon an animal.
THAT is what worked for unwanted humans. It will work for unwanted pets as well.
The breeders are the ones who preserve a particular breed. Many of you blame the breeders, how about the owners? The breeders are the ones who keep the breeds in existence....are you saying that the stray dogs and cats are worth saving, but the pedigreed ones aren't? That is narrow-minded. All dog's and cats deserve good homes and care, not just the pound animals. Besides that, do you think that no one should have the choice but a shelter animal? Many people like the look and personality of a certain breed. However, I do agree there are bad breeders. The ones who need to be chastised are the ones who don't spay/neuter their pets, and have no responsibility for the puppies/kittens.
Saying that no one should be allowed to breed because there are dogs available in shelters is like saying we shouldn't be able to have children because there are so many homeless and unwanted children in the world. Maybe that is a good point... Maybe anyone who wants to be a parent should be required to adopt a child (not baby) who was neglected or abused BEFORE they are allowed to decide if it is okay to bring another life into the world. In fact, maybe we should stop people from reproducing until ALL children have found good homes.
Being responsible is about being accountable for your actions. If you have an animal that is not intended for breeding it MUST be altered. You don't find very many reputable breeders who have their animals end up in a shelter. Shelter animals come from irresponsible individuals who don’t have their pets spayed or neutered and end up having unwanted offspring. There are also those who get animals but are not responsible enough to care for them and allow them to run free, neglect them or just plain change their mind.
I would love to see a world where people could choose the breed / temperament they want in a pet and be able to adopt that animal as a lifelong companion. In a perfect world, the only animals in shelters would be those who were given up because owners were no longer able to care for them and wanted the animal to have a better life.
If you want to change the world, stop judging and start educating.
Reputable dog (and cat) breeders are not the problem. The problem is people who don't spay or neuter their pets or just let "Spot" have one random-breed litter, without well thought out plans for the puppies. Reputable breeders spend much of their time planning breedings based on health, temperament and type. Many will not breed a litter until they know they have homes for most of the pups in advance.
The idea that PeTA says "buy one, kill one" is total rubbish! Why don't they spend their time and resources educating people on not letting their animals run free, unaltered, to have unplanned breedings. Heck, PeTA kills more animals in their VA shelter than they help. Their real goal is to end pet ownership entirely....... get the facts.
Anyone who has ever owned a purebred animal should feel the hairs standing up on the back of their necks as they realize their ability to do so in the future is threatened. Too many refuse to recognize that animal populations in shelters is a multi-faceted problem that in no way can be blamed entirely on any one cause. And the solution is not one size fits all. Some areas have high shelter statistics while others are importing dogs from out of the country. Mandetory spay neuter has raised shelter turn ins and euthanasia rates. Some shelters have such stringent adoption policies that nobody meets their standards, and then they decry the public for not supporting them. It is a huge complicated problem. I am appalled by the way this breeder has been treated and the Biden and Obama families vilified for choosing a dog that is the best fit for their families. If more families did this, there would be less animals in the shelters overall. Blaming breeders for a problem that is a reflection on our overall society's responsibility is focusing on the easy target that contributes little to the overall problem.
Those of you who support PETA and HSUS. Go and educate yourselves by inspecting their financial statements and the records they have published of just how many dogs and cats, not to mention rabbits, birds etc. they have actually "rescued". See how many were adopted out and how many were just killed by these groups. Often, they are euthanized the same day, without even trying to find homes for perfectly healthy, lovely animals. Ask yourselves, where does all that money they bring in really go, why are the kill rates so high? Start questioning the real motives of these so called Animal Rights groups. They want to deprive you of your rights. First, ownership of animals, then all pets of any kind. Instead of blindly sending them your money so you can feel good about "helping" animals, expose them for the frauds they are and go to your local rescue groups who practice humane, Trap, Neuter/Spay and Release programs and support only those organizations who really do help animals. As to the breeders of pedigreed animals, they aren't the real problem, every single reputable breeder will take back at any time any animal they have bred and re-home it for the lifetime of the animal. If they won't, don't buy from them. Simple as that.
I am so disappointed that this whole story is going down the PeTA drain of, "Biden should have adopted. Shelter animals are dying. Don't buy from breeders."
There is nothing wrong with purchasing a dog from a breeder, as long as the person is a REPUTABLE breeder and not a puppy mill or commercial facility in it for nothing but a profit.
This breeder has been scrutinized by the world press, animal organizations, and people around the world. And for good reason. This is not about adopting vs. breeders. It's about good breeders vs. bad breeders, and Linda brown's kennel is a commercial puppy factory. She is NOT, by any stretch of the imagination, a reputable breeder.
There is a blog that has done some in-depth research back when Biden first purchased his puppy from Linda Brown, and cites a number of links to public complaints about her kennel, past and present inspection reports, and the like. Many of them made long before the breeder came under public scrutiny when Biden purchased from her. You can read it all yourself at –
http://abbyk9.blogspot.com/2008/12/breaking-news.html
This is NOT a reputable breeder and she needs all the scrutiny that is put on her. Maybe this will help educate others looking to purchase a German Shepherd on how to find a reputable breeder, what to look for, and what to avoid.
There is, however, no excuse for issuing death threats to anyone!
I think it is astounding that so many people are so willing to tell others what they should do. It seems people have forgotten that this IS the USA where a person can choose the animal they want for a pet.
Furthermore, to say that 80 dogs proves a person is a bad breeder is ridiculous. Having 80 animals does NOT mean that all animals are bred all the time! Having 80 animals does NOT mean they are receiving poor care. People who have no knowledge of appropriate animal husbandry procedures are making comments based on a total lack of knowledge or based on an animal rights agenda against breeding animals.
Most people breeding any type of animal who approach their animals in a professional manner are ORGANIZED in their work, FOCUSED on the animals' proper care and welfare, and DEDICATED to maintaining healthy, quality adults and young.
It is a shame that so many people in the US have become the victims of animal rights propaganda. This constant refrain that the shelters are full is contradicted by the fact that street dogs are being imported from Puerto Rico and Taiwan to be sent to shelters for "sale" (which they call adoption). Why are not dogs from other parts of the US being sent to these empty shelters in the East? Likely because those other dogs are NOT desirable adoption candidates...being pit bull mixes, dogs with behavior problems, and such.
The constant attacks on anyone breeding dogs or other animals is the result of a successful animal rights campaign against breeding. What the public don't seem to realize is that the END goal is the ELIMINATION of pet animals! That is the real goal of the animal rights organizations.
Where you do those of you who want people to quit breeding, so dogs in the pound can be adopted, think the pound dogs came from. All dogs that are born are the result from a breeding and if you would require every mutt is spayed or neutered including the "designer dog mongrels" you would have less in the pounds and people could buy from breeders who actually know the attributes of their breed. I don't want to own a black lab mix from the pound
The vast majority of dogs in shelters are pits or pit mixes along with lab mixes. Do any of you realize the concept of RESCUE was started by purebred dog breeders and when it became PC to rescue it was taken over by the ridiculous animal rights nuts who turned it into a religion. If there are so many dogs being euthanized at shelters, why have the euthanization numbers gone from 13 million twenty years ago to 3 or 4 million now? If we have such an overpopulation problem why does the CDC report that over 300,000 puppies were imported from foreign countries to SHELTERS last year? Hmmm – not adding up.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with either the Bidens or the Obamas getting a dog that will fit in their lifestyle, with the health issues of their families (Malia allergic) and getting a healthy, well bred dog. That's two more dogs that WON'T enter the shelter system.
Ridiculous concepts are being discussed – there is no relationship between dogs bred and sold by reputable breeders and the shelter populations. If there were, the vast majority of shelter occupants would be purebred puppies, not mixed breed adult dogs. Try some critical thinking, people.
There are so many here vilifying the buying of a purebred dog. Begs the question, how many dogs have you adopted from a shelter. I have Great Pyrenees dogs and I chose the breed for a particular purpose. I raise dairy goats and a responsible way of protecting my herd from predators is this breed. Mixed hertitage dogs do not do this. I know that these dogs will behave a certain way as it is genetically encoded in them from CENTURIES of selective breeding by humans (mostly shepherds of the human kind), I did have to trian them to do this, instinct and the olders dogs do the teaching. The alternative is to poison and shoot predators which I will not do instead I have these wonderful canines that are my work companions on my farm. They chase away the predators instead of the alternative methods. All of my dogs (4of them) have been spayed/neutered, they are fed the best foods (I have been know to cook for them and make my own treats out of healthy ingredients) They also protect their human pack as well as the goats and chickens on my farm, you can walk anywhere on my 40 acres and you will have a companion or two walking with you. BTW the most trouble that I have had with predation has been from the nieghbor hood pet dogs/mutts that hunt livestock as a sport, they almost never eat thier kill but go home and enjoy a bowl of dog food.
It's all fine and dandy to say that you should only adopt...but has anyone with kids under the age of 10 tried that lately? I would pay someone who would find a rescue group for us that would actually let us adopt one of their dogs. Once they find out we have kids they won't even TALK to us. It doesn't matter that we have a fenced backyard, or that my husband makes decent money, or that I'm a stay at home mom and the dog would hardly ever be alone..all of those things prove we have the time and means to support an animal properly. They won't even let our kids MEET any dogs to see if they are gentle and respectful! All that matters is that these fanatic rescue groups have decided that dogs should really not be in homes with children..either the dog is too big for kids, or too small for kids, or too mellow for kids or too old for kids or too young for kids. We are at the point where we have HAD to reserve a puppy from a breeder because no one will let us adopt our desired breed (a miniature schnauzer..a breed that has been hailed as great with kids ironically). These rescue groups have got to get a clue and relax a little if they want people to turn to them instead of breeders.
If you just went by what you see on the internet or general media on this situation you would have nothing but negative thoughts about this breeder.
I had the opportunity to go up and walk through this "farm" and see all of the Shepards, they are the happiest dogs on earth, trust me. She has 2 Olympic in length indoor pools for them to swim in and the biggest jucuzzi I have ever seen that says "DOGS SWIM ONLY".
We bought the best dog I have ever owned from Linda last year (we named him "RUGER"). He is the best animal we ever had, we currently have 2 dogs and 2 cats. We go back with Ruger to visit the farm and see his relatives several times a year. Linda is a "peach" in my book-she gives back more than she takes trust me.
I agree that we shouldn't breed dogs but we should adopt them from the shelters. Many of them are suffering and need a home!
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I wonder if all the anti-breeding people wear only used clothing, drive used cars, use used furniture and don't believe in giving birth to their own kids. Please, spare me the boo-hoo about animals in shelters dying. Yes, there are animals in shelters dying and the majority of those animals are not fit to be pets. And wait–save your breath–spare me the "oh there are plenty of wonderful dogs". Just as your ideal car isn't one that back fires every 100 feet, your ideal clothing, isn't holey and worn out, and your ideal kid isn't one that needs massive medical assistance and or psychological help, many American's ideal dogs are not out of control, hyper active, often aggressive, unsocialized, lab mixes who are more of a danger to the people forced to live in the same neighborhood than they are a benefit.
Do good dogs come from shelters...sure....I've found great deals at the thrift store too. Doesn't mean when I shop for an interview my first stop is the five and dime for a six dollar bag sale.
And if there are SOOOO many adoptable animals in the shelters...riddle me this. WHY are tens of thousands (according to the CDC) being IMPORTED from the streets of foreign country (breeding for generations as wild dogs) to be adopted here in the USA??? Why are dogs being IMPORTED by rescues to meet the DEMAND for "puppies"...rescues who often place these imported rescues at prices that would pale in comparison to a well bred dog....
Using the facts from the Animal Rights groups themselves, the number of dogs euthanized today in the shelters is LESS than 4% of what it was just 25 years ago. And the old, infirm, and unstable animals are INCLUDED IN THAT NUMBER.
And yes. I have done rescue. I've rescued upwards of 25 dogs in a single year, out of my own pocket, and I am hear to tell you while some of those dogs went on to make great pets, many of them had problems. Problems that were the SOLE responsiblity of the person who owned them and CREATED by the individual who was both irresponsible and neglagent. It was not the breeder's fault, rather it was OWNER ERROR.
So all this "blame dog breeders" is about as ridiculous as blaming TV, internet, and or any media venue for making kids into irresponisble and sometimes dangerous teenagers or adults. Or maybe some of you do think that reading Harry Potter will ensure that you grow up to ride broomsticks and turn little kids into frogs.
The fact that Bide, Obama, and millions of other Americans choose to buy a pure bred animal, from a quality breeder, speaks volumes. And no it doesn't say "Kill more dogs" what it does say is I WANT TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE AND MAKE IT A PERMENANT CHOICE SO THAT MY DOG DOESN"T WIND UP IN A SHELTER! because it gets too big, too hairy, too slobbery, or what ever. Most people who go to a dog breeder with a particular breed in mind KNOW what they want and need. By purchasing from a breeder they are less likely to have to take that animal back because it turns out to be something they did not expect.
And if I couldn't own a well bred, purposely produced pure bred dog, I simply wouldn't own a dog. So the so-called dogs I am killing by choosing to buy only from a breeder, would still die, because I still wouldn't adopt them. Maybe some people feel it's their duty to live a miserable existence with a pet, but personally I want to enjoy that time...and that is impossible with the majority of mixed animals of unknown origin, found in shelters.
80 dogs is not a lot of dogs. Even with 80 dogs a person can be a reputable breeder and even win Best in Show. I know of at least one person that has more than that who has won BIS on more than one breed. I think there are others that have more than 50 dogs. If it is a full time job for you, you have enough time and help to be able to have that many dogs. The people that work for my friend are extremely dedicated and knowledgeable about the breeds. I have been to her kennel on more than one occasion and found it to be in order. I know she has several kennel assistants and two office assistants. It can be done and done well. All the dogs are always friendly. I have even been there when her vet was there.
Juliet,
Where do you get your numbers?? Not even in the worst shelter do more than 6 out 10 dogs get killed. The only people that kill 95% (9 out of 10) of the animals they take in are PETA. Most local shelters are less than 2 out of 10. The national average is 6 out of 10. Some of those animals are killed because their owners turned them in to be killed, either they were too old, too sick, too injured, or too mean. Not dogs that are going to be adopted if they live long enough in the shelter anyway.
You should also know that 8 out 10 dogs turned into the shelter were originally adopted from the shelter. So what does that say about the ability of the shelter to find appropriate homes?? A good portion of the pets that are turned in are turned in because they have behavior problems, and most of those have never been to a training class.
So why is it that people should not breed dogs?? I think people that buy dogs need to understand there is a commitment and that you have to train the dogs in order for them to live in your house harmoniously. I also think it is wrong to include in shelter numbers the dogs which are actually just being given a humane death because their owners cannot afford to go to a vet. Pet ownership should not be only for the wealthy.
Juliet is exactly correct. There is NO need to breed dogs. Until our shelter and pounds are empty and all animals are spayed and nuetered, we do not need to breed. When support breeders ( greedy money grabbers, in it solely for the cash) you are putting other deserving animals to death. Aren;t we really all just mutts anyway?
Poor Ms Brown,
There is NO EXCUSE for the harrassment she has had to endure just because the puppy she sold got her name in the news! Purebred puppy purchases do NOT, as some extremists claim, sentence a mixed breed or shelter dog to death. Euthanasias of healthy adoptable dogs have been dropping steadily over the last 10 or so years. Most shelters aren't replete with puppies (pure or mixed). Some even IMPORT dogs from other countries or states to meet local demand that neither they nor local breeders can fill.
EVERYONE should be so lucky and intelligent as to get a well bred, well raised, well socialized, health and temperament tested puppy or adult dog from a reputable breeder.
Most people spend more time researching the type of car they buy, and that car will sit in their garage for a few years. But, they think they can go get any old dog from any old source (shelters) – dogs of unknown heritage, health history, temperament history and unknown training, and it will fit into their family and can sleep in bed with the kids for the next 10-12 years just like magic. Sheesh.
The politically correct mantra of going to a shelter confuses me. You are not supposed to get a dog from an irresponsible breeder or commercial breeder, but you ARE supposed to "save" those very same dogs after they've been in the wrong home and gotten even more messed up. I just don't get it.
PTW
OK, Kate,
Do you not agree that 80 adult dogs is indeed approaching puppy mill capacity? That is what I view the outrage here to be largely about.
Some one who has one, maximum two, litters per year , screens potential buyers, and guarantees to take an unwanted dog back is not a problem and I have no issue with them.
The moron who has a dog and wants his/her children to "experience the miracle of birth", the blithering idiot who thinks having one litter will make the bitch healthier, those who are opposed (for one ignorant reason or another) to spay and neuter, the greedy pig who wants to breed his Rottie/Pit/etc. for money, and the totally repugnant self-centered consumer who buys from the pet store are the problems.
Would like to learn more about Gentle Giants and any other scams pretending to be rescues. Those of us who are truly in it for the animals need to know about these, like PETA, they make us look dubious when we are for real.
Liz W. -Considering I am on the Board of the shelter, I am sadly aware of just how many euthanizations occur. I also know that we are not alone, many shelters do thorough behavioral testing. That is why I feel confident adopting from our shelter.
It bothers me that so many are quick to state that shelters do not know what they are doing and have no way to determine a dog's temperament.
Certainly there are different levels of screening, usually dictated by financial constraints. But our shelter is not unique and every effort is made to learn the history of the dog if it is surrendered and all animals are given tests to determine their suitability for adoption. The kennel staff, who interact everday with these animals are also available to give feedback on them.
Please don't give the uninformed more reasons not to adopt and let's all stand unified in exposing and shutting down the puppy mills and backyard breeders. Best of all, SPAY AND NEUTER!!
For all those people saying adopt. Please do your research and stop listening to peta, hsus, and all those groups. They really brainwash you. I used to be one of them, but the more I learned on my own, the more I felt like I had betrayed my love of dogs.
Puppy mills produce millions of dogs a year. Responsible breeders might and yes MIGHT produce one litter after their dog reaches 24 months of age if it has won tittles and championships in working or show. They then have to pass their health and genetic testing to make sure they will also pass along good genes and minimal health issues. The breeder never gives a puppy on first come first serve basis. The family/person is evaluated, signs a contract that will be enforced including for all pet quality a spay/neuter agreement. Out of a litter of five, there may be one to two show potential pups picked out. With all the health testing, cost of showing, etc, the purchase price of a puppy might make the breeder break even, rarely do they make a profit.
With puppy mills you have hundreds of dogs impregnated every heat from their first at 6 months of age and on until they can not get pregnant anymore. After that, they are dumped at a shelter or killed. Puppy mill dogs are never properly socialized with their litter. Most are weaned at four weeks and shipped out to where ever to be sold as that puppy in the window. It is a business first and foremost. Dogs are money to these sick people and these people do not ever heath test, genetic test, require spay/neuter, evaluate potential buyers, etc. I am 100% against puppy mills but until laws are ENFORCED, not new laws passed, the ones we Already have in place enforced, the over population will continue to grow. Recently a mill bust resulted in 1500 dogs estimated being produced. That estimate is if each preggo dog has three pups. Any more, and you get up to a possibility of 3500 dogs to rescue. All from a mill. Stop supporting mills and that is your answer to the horrible over population, not stopping every breeder, but the ones cashing in on our love of animals. The ones producing 3500 pups in one pop, not maybe one litter of pups every two years.
Responsible breeders are always there to answer your questions as well. Try that with the petstore, byb, or mill.
Gentle giants rescue is a puppy mill just so every one knows.
2 comments per minute for 6 hrs.
Apparently people think they have something to say!
Here is another thing to think about when thinking about PETA. They believe the the Iditarod and Yukon Quest are inhumane races. Yet I do believe they have never read the rules for either race. I born and raise around these races and I can tell you a few things about the races:
1. There is an absolute MUST to carry a certain weight of dog food on the sled at all times as well as drinkable water. This weight is NOT for the human but for the dog.
2. Dogs are checked by vets or certified race personnel at every checkpoint. The musher CANNOT go to sleep, eat or relax until the dogs have been checked and fed.
3. I have seen mushers dropped dog because they look like they are limping but continue the race if they have the flu. The dogs hate this by the way, they are born to run.
4. Dogs get fed first. Dogs get water first. The sled gets fully resupplied. Then the musher gets to relax.
Yes, mushers have sponsors and it looks great if the musher at least finishes, but, guess what, a sponsor would drop their musher like a hot rock if they did not pay attention to their dogs. These dogs are their family, livelihood and friends. They are not going to harm them anymore than they are going to harm their children. I think if PETA really wants to label those races as inhumane they should have the same volunteer at every checkpoint and see how those people care and love their dogs.
Liz W – you are spot on. The entire time I was reading your post I was telling my puppy "this poster says it all so perfectly she must be in the field."
Keep up the good work! (I mean that in terms of both doing all the good you do, as hard as it must be, at the shelter and also in terms of keeping ir real. If bad logic were ever permitted to take over it'd be one slippery slope to something like house pets being limited to aardvarks or something else just as absurd.
Wow!
If taking care of 80 dogs is "impossible" (and I do mean taking care of them well, properly) than what's missing here?
I'll tell you what's missing. I know a neighborhood (just up the street from me where I walk my pup) in which there are well over 80 dogs. Is that wrong? And you would probably say "Yeah, but that 's with many people, not just ______" What exactly IS the _________ ? Do you know what the ratio of people to pets is? NOTE: The owner described them as more like her family members so I am doing anything other than being generous here by saying "pets". You don't know what the ratio of people to pets is there? Wow, and yet you assume somehow it is inadequate?
Wow!
Chaiah
Yes, a good breeder will tell you all the negatives, in fact on our questionnaire (which was bout 10 pages long) all the bad stuff was on there!
I got a giant breed dog and my breeder specifically outlined the costs of the shots as well in comparison to smaller breed dogs.
A good breeder will do whats best for the dog and not for the human owner!
While I am in sympathy for all the poor animals in shelters, I would like to address the necessity of pure breeds of dogs. If you study history, certain dogs have certain functions, that is why we have seven different Groups registered with the American Kennel Club.
I am an infrequent breeder and I also show my dogs. Dog shows demonstrate the best the standard of each breed has to offer. Some of the dogs I see at shows have more letters before and after their names than most famous docs! Not to mention the thousands of dollars we spend for the love of a certain breed. Without people like me, where would a person go for a pure breed? We don't all want mutts. (not that mutts aren't lovable, I've had plenty!) I try to breed for health, type, and temperament.
My point being, we need pure breeds for all sorts of reasons:
hunting, guardians, herding, etc. I dare say that shelters cannot offer what hundreds of years of work which conscientious breeders have tried and are trying to do. Love, yes; function, no.
Pure breeds also give consistent personality traits. Shelter dogs do not. I am totally opposed to puppy mills and I do not make a living breeding dogs. I think that is where the problem lies. When a person decides to breed for money, the quality and sincerity is lost.
Parent clubs demand that breeders take responsibility for puppies which they produce and take any and all unwanted puppies back.
I believe the burden lies with owners who do not spay or neuter their dogs, and do not control them from running around unsupervised. Puppies I sell have spay/neuter agreements and while people are really only as honest as they want to be, I have so far been successful, and I have taken a dog back at three years of age when the owners were going to dump her.
In closing I would like to say: Shame on PETA for that horrid and cruel ad saying that for every pure breed purchased, a shelter animal dies. If you would all take the time to actually meet and talk with respected breeders I believe you would have a change of heart.
Thank you,
SBH
I would like to defend Rhonda and the other RESPONSIBLE breeders who wrote in above. I am a dog owner who has had dogs from a variety of backgrounds: 1 shelter dog, 1 puppy mill dog (not initially aware of where it came from, was acquired through a friend who got it from there), 1 irresponsible breeder and 3 responsible breeders. My best experiences have been with the 3 I got from responsible breeders. I do not fault anyone for going to rescue organizations and shelters to give a life to a homeless dog. Obviously these animals need homes, and it's great if you know that you have the time and endurance to deal with the baggage that dogs who may have had horrendous former lives come with. What the people who discourage breeding and buying from breeders forget is that many RESPONSIBLE people who want a purebred dog are looking for some kind of predictability with regard to temperament and health. They have researched the breeds and decided on a particular one because that breed fits into their lifestyle. Then, they also want to be sure that this is a dog healthy enough to expect a reasonable lifespan with as few medical issues as possible. I personally do not want the dog or puppy that came from the chance mating of some poorly socialized pit bull that roamed through someone's neighborhood and some other dog who may have had genetic disorders. Responsible breeders look at temperament and do not breed dogs who exhibit aggression, or other undesirable qualities. It's just plain bullcrap to say that you are assured of avoiding genetic and health problems just because you choose a mixed breed. I know of someone who has 2 mutts he took in, and both have hip displasia, one so severely it can only stand for short periods of time. He was not aware of this until after he had owned them for a while. He is not the only individual I've known who has owned mutts with health problems. The reality is you don't know what you're getting. You are taking a risk, and it's fine if you want to do that, but not everyone wants to go by the luck of the draw. Responsible breeders do testing so as to avoid at least some of the issues that can be avoided through knowledgeable breeding. For the record: My shelter dog I re-homed because her behavioral issues were beyond my expertise in solving. My puppy mill dog lived for a long time but suffered greatly from epilepsy which got worse as he aged. My purebred from the irresponsible breeder ended up having diabetes which shortened his life & which the breeder had in her breeding but apparently refused to acknowledge as my dog was not the only dog from her lines to have it. Two of my dogs from responsible breeding are elderly (12 & 14 years old), but doing as well as can be expected with common old-age problems like arthritis & aging liver issues. My other dog, a Boxer, lived to be 11, but had to be put down due to degenerative myelopathy , a genetic disease which only recently became testable through DNA, and many responsible breeders are now testing for to determine which dogs not to breed. All 3 of my dogs from responsible breedings have had great temperaments and were very trainable. Another thing that people don't talk about much is that dog owners and potential dog owners are also responsible for continuing this cycle of homeless dogs by not really researching what they are getting into with dog ownership, whether it be from a breeder, shelter rescue or otherwise. Once they realize how challenging a puppy or a dog with behavioral issues can be, they often give up either because they cannot afford the time or perhaps the money involved in training, or because they did not choose a dog that would fit in with their lifestyle (as in the dog I chose from the shelter which I foolishly bought on impulse in my younger years). People need to remember that for a well-behaved, socialized dog, it's not enough to just get the dog and let it EXIST in your household. A lot of time and effort go into owning a dog that can peacefully coexist with its family and the rest of the world. ALL that being said, I am suspicious of the fact that the Biden's breeder has sooo many dogs. Perhaps she also serves as a rescue operation and also has a large number of employees to help her take care of all those dogs. One can only hope.
Wow, folks don't know how to discuss issues very rationally.
What in the world does abortion have to do with this issue. When folks choose whether to give birth to their own kids or adopt them, or choose to abort because they are not capable of caring for/giving birth to a child they are making a personal CHOICE. When a dog is bred, it has NO CHOICE. They are apples and oranges.
That said, I'm not a fan of dog breeding, but if there is a strict certification process and they are inspected regularly to insure they are a "reputable" breeder.... fine, this is America after all.
Regarding the article, I have a hard time understanding how anyone can care for 80 dogs properly without a raft of employees. From the superficial facts available here it seems irresponsible. Puppy mills should be outlawed. PETA and repulicans are not mentioned in this article so who knows who is responsible for the harrassment/investigation of the breeder. PETA does some stupid stuff for sure, and don't even get me started on republicans, but that has NOTHING to do with this article. Folks commenting here may have just as strong an opinion about abortion, which actually might coincide with your own, but they are commenting elsewhere.
I have a very happy dog and a cat, both from shelters. The holocaust of animals in our shelters falls on the puppy mills, irresponsible owners AND irresponsible breeders. Want a particular breed... hooray... just be sure to spay or neuter them. The millions of animals executed every year is a horrible tragedy we should all be ashamed of.
I've got a solution!!! Give each one of the 4-20 million shelter pets to an illegal alien as we send packing to their home country. In a couple years, both problems will be solved.
The problem is not the breeders. The problem is the human pet owners. There are far too many completely irresponsible people. They either purchase or adopt dogs (or any other pet) that is wrong for them or their family. Breeders simply supply that demand.
People need to be better educated about the pets they are considering and make sure they adopt appropriately. Once you adopt, you are responsible for that pet for life. It's a living creature - you can't just dump them off at some shelter because it chews on something. Nor if your living arrangements change. If you get a pet and move, you need to move into a place that your pet can live too.
The reality is good breeders who check out those adopting and make sure they know what to expect, and who take back their dogs, are the solution. Education is key. Choosing wisely is key.
A dog is not a cute present to be taken lightly. It is a life long companion that deserves you making a serious evaluation of your life before bringing into your home.
My God there are a bunch of loonies in this world . Prove that a single purebred dog I have raised has resulted in the death of a shelter dog . You AR freaks are nuts . Rhetoric and more rhetoric . Euthanasia rates are one-third what they were 25 years ago , through education . Stop your whining and go enforce existing cruelty statutes and rescue a dog . Make the world a better place and stop complaining .
JB - probably the reason why your shelter dogs are "fine good-tempered dogs" is either pure luck or, more likely, your local shelter is rigorously applying behavioral testing to the dogs it puts up for adoption - and euthanizing those that don't make the cut.
Shelters do not like to advertise how many dogs they purposely euthanize because those dogs don't make the cut in behavioral tests. it would make them seem so much more cold-hearted than the warm and fuzzy public image everyone wants to believe.
The public does not realize, and there is probably no reason to think they would, that shelters regularly make difficult and intellectual decisions to euthanize many dogs who would require too much time and attention to rehabilitate into safe and dependable pets. If they do not do this, they are put the adopting family at risk and it increases the likelihood that the dog will be returned or dumped on the street.
Oh and I love all the posters who claim that their "found puppy" is just the best pet they ever had. Yup, when you get them younger than three months old, the likelihood that they will turn into a well-adjusted and socialized member of the family goes WAY up - regardless of breed mix orwhere you get them.
I was like many of you until I volunteered at a shelter as a behaviorist (not just a dog walker or helper). Shelters make very difficult and heart wrenching decisions every day and it is not only based on space and numbers. It is more often than not based on a sudden (or expensive) illness, the dog's temperament tests and the length of time the dog has been at the shelter. The much older dogs get the worst of it since they are usually given up from loving homes and end up staying beyond the time the shelter has to give them for a chance for adoption.
Johana from the Great White North April 14th, 2009 4:03 pm ET said:
When I was researching my breed I contacted several breeders, some wanted to give a dog right away. No reference checks, no vet references
The breeder I went with made me sign a contract to give him the dog back if I can’t keep him and called up 3 people who knew me as dog owner, and he did not want a letter from my vet, he wanted to speak to my vet.
That is a good breeder! And thats what everyone should look for in a breeder of purebreds and mixed breed dogs!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Exactly. We had to fill out a several page questionnaire, give references, meet with the breeder, and the breeder spoke to our vet. I continue to have a good relationship with the breeder and even owners of littermates of my dog – and she is now over 2 years old. We, too, had to promise to return our dog to the breeder if for some reason we could not keep her. They rehome dogs or keep them to play with the dogs they have (and we met them all – not that many, LOL). My dog was not an inexpensive purchase but we also did not have the problems that we have had with our rescue. We don't love either any more/less than the other. However, we do recognize the work that our rescue has required. Many people would have given up and had him put to sleep – but we had the where with all to help him. Some people are not equipped for that...
I am with you 100%. Make sure you get a good breeder! Ours is so good that she even told us about the possible negatives with the breed and didn't just give us all the rosy stuff.
Yes, we have the same overpopulation problem with horses. That's why hundreds of thousands of American horses are slaughtered in Mexico and Canada. Same problem, irresponsible breeding, backyard breeders, not enough homes...not much problem with unplanned pregnancy among domesticated horses.
Difference between cattle, pigs, etc. is that they are raised for meat, milk, etc. not as pets requiring socialization, interaction time, so the comparison of 80 dogs to 80 hogs is ridiculous.
Difference between domesticated animals kept as pets (dogs,cats,horses, etc.) and unwanted children is that the children are not gassed to death or slaughtered.
Like anything else, a bit of moderation can cure many ills.
BTW – I am fairly liberal, but I believe in spaying and neutering, anything that leads to irresponsible breeding, even the crack moms and their ilk, but my suggestions have fallen on deaf ears...at least I'm not a hypocrite.
You are appalled at the numbers of dogs (and cats) euthanized in shelters each year ? Great. This is just one of many issues in our society that needs to be addressed. Here is what you can do:
1) Donate your time or $$ to the local shelter – go online now and submit a donation today!
or
2) Volunteer your time and support in order to get your State and Local governments to outlaw puppy mills and require strict licensing of ALL breeders, either home or professional
or
3) Actively lobby your politicians for sufficient local tax dollars for animal cruelty law enforcement and enforcement of dog tag licenses – including much higher fees for unfixed dogs and cats. Our county of over 3 million human residents has five, yes five, animal control cruelty investigators who have no authority to confiscate animals from an abusive situation – the police must come and do that.
or
4) Support your local groups which rescue dogs and cats and especially those who catch/fix/release stray cats - your donations are always welcome
or
5) Insist that your local communities provide low cost spaying and neutering for all domestic pets (our county just discontinued this service last year due to the budget shortfalls)
or
6) Go out and adopt a shelter dog or cat
Otherwise – put a sock in it. All this outrage without productive action to address the roots of pet overpopulation is a waste of time.
Why can't the general public understand that there is a BIG difference between puppy mills and breeders who care about the health and welfare of the dogs. I would also dare to say that "backyard breeders" those whose have a purebred who want to make a profit or to breed to show little Susie or Tommy how life begins.....Yes that happens a lot. That's another reason for all the pups in shelters.
So they breed and they feel like they will have no problems finding homes for the puppies But when the time comes everybody backs down so WHAT HAPPENS? they are sent to the pound or if one is placed in a home the first time it pees on that oriental rug it's no longer that cute lil' puppy but that damn dog and off it's sent to the pound.
There are great breeders out there who REALLY do want to find the best homes. ALSO America... wise up about PETA & The Humane
Society of America...do your homework
To Lynn and all you other yahoos:
Puppy mills are not reputable breeders! I wish people would realize the difference between a puppy mill and a reputable breeder! And, yes, shelters make money too or they wouldn't be in business hello! If people wanted to do the decent thing, they would have their animals fixed. Did you see the conditions you described at the Amish place in this video, nope, didn't think so! It is not always in the name of money. Reputable breeders are very selective and shelters are not! And as for your comment "to whoever described why they want a purebreed, bet you love telling people how much you paid, and I bet it makes you think it is worth more, and you can't put a price tag on love or on doing the right thing"....You are outta your mind! However, you are right about not putting a price tag on love or the right thing, so why does it matter if it was a mere fee from a shelter or $100s from a breeder?!?!
Why do we not just tell all the horse breeders and cattle breeders and chicken breeders and turkey breeders to stop breeding their animals because they are doing it for money. They are animals just chattel in the legal term. Property to be used as the owner sees fit. Should you abuse them no. But breeding done responsibly is not abuse.
PETA – wasn't that the organization that not long ago wanted to Ben & Jerry's to stop using cow milk in their ice creams and replace it with breast milk?
This organization is a JOKE and they take away from the organizations that do good like the rescue shelters and Humane Societies.
http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=11993
What with all the unwanted children in the world, why are humans still breeding?
PETA, SCHMETA!!! I am NOT affiliated with them in any way.
BUT:
80 Adult dogs is NOT a responsible breeder!
And as for dogs becoming extinct if all breeders were to stop breeding, OMG, do the math! That is impossible!
My dogs are all purebreds, from shelters and breed rescues. Those from the breed rescues were from breeders and given up by those who bought them for one reason or another, yes, including poor temperament. Those from the shelters, we don't know their origin, but they are very fine, good-tempered dogs.
I have never owned a dog and have never had a cat I paid for and I am kind to all animals. I think PETA is acting a little crazy here. I don't trust anyone around animals who make death threats to people and I think animals have the instinct not to trust those kind of people regardless of what they say they protect...they are just nut cases.
Leave this poor woman alone. Hope the people of that area vote the jerks out of office responsible for pestering her because she sold or gave a dog to the VP. Although I personally would not get an animal from a breeder they have a right to exist and serve an important function. Have people ever thought about breeds becoming extinct? There are a lot of "crazys" who need to get a life and some education.
When I was researching my breed I contacted several breeders, some wanted to give a dog right away. No reference checks, no vet references
The breeder I went with made me sign a contract to give him the dog back if I can't keep him and called up 3 people who knew me as dog owner, and he did not want a letter from my vet, he wanted to speak to my vet.
That is a good breeder! And thats what everyone should look for in a breeder of purebreds and mixed breed dogs!
Someone want to explain to me how its ok to pick on the breeder and throw them under the bus as murders of anumal shelter dogs with the line "one pure breed dog is a death sentance for a shelter dog." Please stop and look in the mirror and actually read what your saying. You are blaming Breeders of murder, but you let the people who either a.) bought the dog and abandoned it becasue they didnt want it anymore or b.) mistreated the animal and now it is in the shelter. Stop blaming the Breeders and look at the real casue. The people who put dogs in the shelters in the first place. And finally, Who are we to judge people on wanting dogs that are of pure breed or puppies. Most people like to have dogs grow with them and each breed brings its own uniqueness that certain people like. Lets start working on keeping dogs out of shelters instead of worrying about getting them out...