Underlying Issues
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In many parts of the country and even the world, there is a stigma against shelter animals. Some view them are barbaric or untamed, a threat or a danger. To some, they are genetically impure. We need to break this stigma against shelter animals and against adoption. We must realize that these are the animals that are most at risk.
These are the animals that do not have a voice and rely on us to speak for them. These are the animals that have suffered the most and must be given a second chance at life; they must be given hope at a time when darkness prevails in their lives. I want to spread awareness about the importance of adopting dogs and solving the issue of animal homelessness and overpopulation because, for every dog that finds a loving home, there is another one facing the cruelty and brutality of homelessness.
Animal Overpopulation & Homelessness
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Animal overpopulation is an extremely important and pressing issue, yet it has historically been quite overlooked. Animal overpopulation leads to animal homelessness, and homeless animals are not provided adequate medical attention. Therefore, they are not neutered or spayed. When a relatively large population of fertile dogs has the ability to reproduce uncontrollably, this leads to the rampant growth of offspring with no guaranteed home, creating a chaotic scene of lost, neglected, and abandoned dogs across the country. In fact, one unspayed or unneutered homeless dog can be the forebearer to 370,000 more unspayed and unneutered dogs living on the streets throughout the course of seven years, which illustrates just how impactful one spay or neuter surgery can be. Widespread, unsanitary populations of homeless dogs serve as a breeding ground for potentially deadly zoonotic diseases, or diseases that spread from animals to humans. One such example is Lyme Disease, which can easily spread from deer to dogs to humans, and, if left untreated, could kill the human host. Through the simple act of adopting a dog, you are supporting the effort to get animals off the streets and into loving homes. In addition to the risk of disease outbreaks, homeless animals are often hit by cars, and commonly fall victim to cruel attacks by other animals and humans. Lastly, homeless dogs must face natural elements, such as whipping winds, relentless blizzards, blazing heat, and extreme temperatures.
Overcrowding in Shelters
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Another important issue that is addressed through adopting is overcrowding in shelters. Due to the fact that many dogs are not spayed or neutered, they are able to reproduce multiple times throughout their lives, and many shelters across the country do not have the financial means or space to care for all of these animals. There are as many as 70 million animals living in shelters each year, due in part because of the fact that owners abandon their companions. This staggering statistic is also a result of the uncontrolled and unmitigated reproduction of more dogs without enough homes. As a result, animals that are deemed "unadoptable", which are usually injured/physically impaired or of old age, are needlessly euthanized, and sometimes in unethical ways. In fact, according to the ASPCA, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized annually. Some shelters turn away animals when they are brought to the door; they simply do not have the resources to care for them. Consequently, these animals are left to roam free in the streets, forced to fend for themselves. In addition, they are able to reproduce multiple times, which only leads to a greater number of homeless animals.
Puppy Mills
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First-time dog owners, purebred enthusiasts, and dog lovers in general may look at pet stores and puppy stores as a reputable source for their new furry companion. However, what most people don't realize is that these puppy stores seem well-kept and trustworthy from the outside, but are covertly participating in an underground dog trading operation. By purchasing a dog from a pet store or puppy store, you are participating in this operation, as well. Puppy mills are, as the name implies, large-scale enterprises in which a massive amount of dogs are bred, and an even more massive amount of litters are produced. These puppies lack the necessary socialization, exercise, and veterinary care required for dogs their age. These dogs are kept in cramped and unsanitary cages and are eventually shipped off to pet stores and puppy stores to continue their life in another small and crowded cage until they are purchased by an unsuspecting customer such as you. Female dogs, after being bred multiple times, are usually deemed "useless" and put to death. Many dogs endure their last days battling raging infections and malnutrition and live with genetic mutations and genetic predispositions to many common health conditions.
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Undercover investigations are difficult to conduct, due to filming and photography restrictions. Nonetheless, successful investigations in the past have revealed the inadequate nutrition these dogs receive, in addition to the fact that their health conditions go unregulated and untreated, often resulting in death.
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Ultimately, puppy mills are unethical and irresponsible, and the primary concern of puppy mill owners and operators is quantity over quality. Purchasing from a pet store or from a puppy store, no matter how harmless it seems, serves to perpetuate the aforementioned issues of animal homelessness and shelter overpopulation, so it is imperative that you avoid these sources at all costs.
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Breeders
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Breeding and purchasing dogs from breeders are wrong for many reasons. Firstly, many breeders, whether or not they are deemed "reputable", are simply concerned with making a profit. They are not concerned about the health of each of their dogs or where their dogs go once they are purchased. Many breeders and breeding facilities mass-produce dogs as if they were goods to be traded. Secondly, purchasing a dog from a breeder perpetuates the issues of animal homelessness and overcrowding in shelters. Each time a dog is purchased from a breeder, one less dog is spared from enduring another day in a gruesome shelter kennel. For each dog purchased, the chance at a better life is ruthlessly taken from a shelter animal. In addition, puppies sold at breeding facilities are almost never neutered or spayed, which means that they will be able to reproduce in the near future, further exacerbating the issue of overpopulation.
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Throughout hundreds of thousands of years, the appearance of domestic dogs has changed dramatically. The variety of breeds that exist today, however, hasn't come without repercussions. Through inbreeding and breeding simply for appearance, specific breeds have developed genetic predispositions to common but potentially deadly medical conditions, such as hip dysplasia, deafness, epilepsy, and even some types of cancer such a lymphoma, oral melanoma, and osteosarcoma. Some breeds even have anatomical and physiological deficits. For example, the brachycephalic skull of the French Bulldog makes it difficult for these dogs to regulate their breathing and to exercise. The massive size of the Great Dane creates a strain on their hearts, and the excessively long spine of the Dachshund often results in disc abnormalities.
In short, purchasing a dog from a breeder means denying a shelter dog a chance at life, and it
means taking on the responsibility of caring for a dog who is possibly at an increased risk of
developing serious health conditions, and even premature death.