Beware of Dog: Five Things You Need to Know

How in the world do we navigate the current state of dogs in our country? When did the innocent question, "How Much is that Doggie in the Window?" turn into "Do you get your dogs from puppy mills?" Once upon a time, it was perfectly acceptable to buy your precious pup at a pet store. Not anymore. And, how did we allow the number of homeless pets to jump into the millions and then decide that it was okay to euthanize them just because there was "no room at the inn." How did we take something so simple -- the joy of finding and caring for a dog -- and turn it into such a mess?!

Let me be clear. Doggies rule. I've always been an animal lover -- but a naive one. In the last eight months, since we launched our I'm Tired of Animal Cruelty campaign and began to work with our charity beneficiary, Best Friends Animal Society, I've learned so much and it's quite scary out there. So, armed with my new found knowledge and the soap box to pontificate, here are five big issues facing dog lovers today.

1. 99% of puppies sold in pet stores come from puppy mills, according to the ASPCA.

Pet stores that still sell pets are notorious for getting their puppies from puppy mills. Worse yet, they are not above lying to you about it by telling you they get them from "reputable breeders." And, they're also not above doing whatever it takes to entice you to buy that sweet face you see in the window and all the accoutrements that go with it, even though the puppy could be seriously ill.

For those who don't know, a puppy mill is typically a commercial dog breeding factory, complete with filthy and inhumane conditions. Adult "breeding dogs" are often kept in wire-bottomed cages to do nothing but continue to produce puppies. These poor animals have little human contact, little or no veterinary care and once their fertility is gone, they are typically killed, making way for new dogs to continue the barbaric cycle.

The puppies, themselves, are kept in similar conditions until they are sold. Thanks also to in-breeding and over-breeding, these babies often wind up with serious health or behavioral issues that may not surface until much later, like heart disease, blood disorders and respiratory illnesses. And, there are thousands of puppy mills in our country, producing about one million puppies per year. While there are laws regulating puppy mill conditions, the enforcement is marginal at best.

The bottom line: In this day and age, we can't buy that doggie in the pet store window, no matter how precious. It perpetuates the criminal behavior of those who run these puppy mills and the pet store owners who turn around and deceitfully sell them. If pet adoption isn't for you and you want a purebred with papers, then make sure you do your homework and get your dog a reputable breeder. If papers aren't important, but you want a purebred, there are tons of breed-specific rescue organizations, as well.

2. There are millions of homeless dogs and millions more who are euthanized every day.

According to Best Friends, in the late 1980s, roughly 17 million dogs and cats were being euthanized in shelters every year. Today, thanks to programs like no kill shelters, pet adoptions and spay/neuter efforts, that number is down to approximately five million a year, but there is still so much more to be done. Finding these poor dogs and cats homes is further complicated by all of the puppy mills and even respectable breeders out there, churning out millions of dogs a year, and by people who impulsively get pets, without seriously thinking through what pet ownership entails, and then abandon them.

So, what can I say about this. If you truly have the time for a dog, can afford it and can be a responsible owner, then please adopt these fur kids and help the cause. If you want a purebred, find out about rescue organizations in your area for the breed you think you want. If you have pets, get them spayed or neutered, so we cut back on the vast numbers of new animals coming into the world.

3. There are criminals, who train dogs to be vicious, and fear-based vigilante attempts to ban entire breeds that are, as a result, deemed "dangerous."

Prejudice is not just reserved for humans anymore. Now, there is a huge movement, called BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) seeking to ban specific "dangerous" dog breeds from communities, cities and even whole states. You can guess which breeds they are... Pit Bulls, Rotweillers, Doberman Pinschers and even German Shepherds... Why? It's because irresponsible dog owners and the "lowest of the low" of our human species train their dogs to fight for entertainment and money or to serve as attack dogs, which then gives rise to irrational fear. So, it's decided that the entire breed must be bad because of the actions of a few. Not okay in my book because we are dealing with the wrong offender. Why aren't we bringing the criminals who are training these dogs to be dangerous to justice or taking dogs away from abusive or neglectful owners, who foster the animal's poor behavior? Sounds a lot like racial profiling in my mind...

4. There is a conundrum between the controversies over leash laws and the lack of dog parks.

Battles rage in many cities every day over the lack of good and plentiful dog parks, so that owners have a place to let their dogs run free and play with other dogs. Some deal with it by illegally letting their doggies frolic in non-designated parks or school grounds. Others respond by taking their dogs for walks leash free.

Owning a dog is a responsibility and leash laws exist to protect your dog, other dogs and people. While I strongly advocate for more dog parks or designated dog park hours in existing community centers, unless there is a designated area for a dog to run off leash, they simply shouldn't be allowed to do it. My dog has been attacked three times by careless owners who believe it's okay to let their dogs off leash when they're out in public and he has the scars from puncture wounds to prove it's not okay.

There are also those, who aren't involved in the dog park issue, but who let their dogs go without a leash because, in their mind, their dog is so well trained that nothing bad could ever happen. I think that, no matter how well trained your dog is, one quick distraction from a cat, for example, can cause them to bolt across the street with the risk of getting hit by a car. In my mind, the dog's safety should always trump the need to prove how well trained he or she is.

5. The doggy health care system has gotten incredibly expensive and pet insurance seems to mirror our own human health insurance issues. (Where's Obama when we need him?)

Veterinary healthcare has come a long way. Today, our pets can have MRI's, radiation therapy, root canals...and even organ transplants. Along with these advances come higher costs. I can't even take my dog to the vet for a minor issue without spending more than $100 for the office visit. On the other end of the scale, my dog has been unlucky enough to contract cancer with astronomical treatment costs. According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), veterinary care leads the way in owner spending for their pets, predicting nearly 10% growth to $12.2 billion in spending on veterinary care alone for 2009.

Pet insurance is also projected to grow from its current $271 million level into a $500 million business by 2012, largely due to the growth in pet healthcare costs. My experience with pet insurance has not been positive after two tries, so I abandoned it. If you are considering it, make sure you do your homework to find a reputable insurer and read all the fine print. The older your dog, the higher the premiums and pay attention to deductibles. You also want to avoid things like "limited payout per condition" or no coverage for breed-specific or hereditary types of disorders. Some companies have huge lists of conditions they don't cover. I've also read horror stories where an animal came in for an illness one time and when the policy was up for renewal, the insurance company excluded that illness in future coverage.

So, where is that "doggie in the window?" I want it back!

Carrie Pollare is the co-founder of the "I'm Tired of..." campaign, which was created to fight against the world's issues that we are all tired of, like animal cruelty, discrimination, world hunger, global warming, cancer, diabetes and so many more. I'm Tired of... raises money for many charities via fashionable eco friendly bracelets, made from recycled tires and metals, (creating a fun play on the word, tired), which cost just $10, so anyone can afford them. www.ImTiredOnline.com

Comments

[sixyfivepercentwater]

Most of the issues outlined in this article also apply to cats. I strongly believe that no store should be allowed to sell live animals of any kind, and I boycott any store that does. I would also like to see better insurance for pets. In the UK there is very good pet insurance, which costs about $20 per month. It provides 50% to 80% coverage for routine visits and vaccinations, as well as chronic health problems. Pet insurance in the US is an expensive joke.

We need to pass laws stating that unless a person is a licensed breeder (and that should be a very difficult license to get) they must have their pet spayed or neutered. The fine for not doing so must be very high. It's obvious from the problems in this country that many people are not going to spontaneously become responsible pet owners.

In the meantime, all any of us can do is to do the best for our own pets. One day I hope all humans will view animals not as extensions of themselves or as toys, but as the wonderful individuals they are.

[guard]

I have been sickened by the dog thing for years. There is no excuse for adults to owns "pets".

[JohnFromCensornati]

I have been sickened by the dog-hating thing for years. There's no excuse for anyone but adults to own pets. My dog doesn't steal food from any starving kids. You are bizarre. Kids are just as optional as pets.

[sisterdebmac]

Huh?

[luziannagirl]

Except that scientific studies have shown that stroking pets reduces blood pressure, pet owners live longer and recover quicker from illness, and the presence of a barking dog (of any size) deters burglars. Some scientists are now even suggesting there's evidence that humans and dogs co-evolved. Yep. You always knew it, didn't you? That sweet "hound dog face" is more than just empathy.

It's symbiosis!

[onwisconsin]

I have pure bred yellow labs. Love them. Wouldn't have any other kind of dog. I use a reputable breeder who only breeds once a year for a few years and then retires the dogs. But I have also participated in fostering/­rehabilita­ting dogs for Lab Rescue. There are many people out there who get labrador retrievers/lab mixes who have no idea of the exercise and mental stimulation needs of this breed. If understimulated they can/will be destructive. They need to run everyday, even when their people are tired. It takes commitment to own a Labrador, just like any other pet or child. Too many people throw these animals away because they don't take ownership in teaching the dog to behav/ e nor do they give them the proper amount of exercise. No matter how busy we are, our dog gets a run at the dogpark for at least 45 minutes. On good days, he gets 2 hours. My husband or I bring work with us if we have to. It doesn't matter if it's raining or snowing, he has to exercise. That's the key to a happy dog. If we could only convince people that this is their responsibility.

[luziannagirl]

Onwis, we have a championship show line Doberman who dropped out of the ring before age 1. She is one of the sweetest, most obedient, sensitive, and tolerant dogs I've ever been around.

Yet, if need, she readily assumes the "Make My Doberman's Day" posture so often depicted in movies. Quite an awe-inspiring transformation. How she senses when to turn it on, I'll never know. And all it takes for her to turn it off, run to a "heel" position, and re-assume her goofy, silly, never-meet­-a-strange­r self, is a word from us. It' s something to see, and it's not so much a result of our superb training skills as much as some quality intrinsic to her.

However...­even as longtime dog owners, we were rather unprepared for some of the special characteristics we'd always heard about this breed, but not quite believed . (For those who suspect psychiatric neuroses and personality disorders are a bunch of hooey, just spend some time with a Doberman and you'll change your mind). I now suspect that much of the trouble with breed-profiling and banning and misbehavior comes from dog owners unwilling or unable to accommodate the requirements of the specialized, high-energy breeds, not the least of which is daily, regular exercise and a "job" to do.

Perhaps in urban areas there needs to be some sort of licensing and training process for dog owners of certain breeds, instead of banning them entirely.

[lyndabd]

About #2 - a huge number of dogs are relocated from the South, Puerto Rico, and even China to the NE and then adopted out by rescues. Is it fair to the local dogs in the shelters? Three years ago I was looking for a dog, and most of the rescues in easy driving distance was offering imported puppies and strays.

[optimage]

It's not dogs that need a license, but people that need one to have a dog.

To have a child, too!

[JohnFromCensornati]

My dog has never bought a license. It's me that does that so that I can legally have my dog.
My guess is that you mean there should be hoops to jump through above and beyond paying the fee.
I doubt it would work. It would just result in fewer people paying the fee and our society does not value enforcement of animal laws.

[optimage]

An electric collar quickly (weeks) and humanely teaches your dog what is and isn't acceptable. Over time the "leash" is the wireless connection between the collar and you, but by then, the "vibrate" mode is all that's needed to keep your pet from other ideas. Not cheap but they avoid the tangles and heightened agression most dogs feel they can get away with when they sense the leash.

[HalfBakedSushi]

Regarding pet health care, I see the industry is moving toward insurance similar to the human system in the US and I staunchly refuse to participate. I'm sticking to single-payer vets as long as possible. My doggie is a 13 year old rescued Shih Tzu who suffers from (among other things) Cushing's disease. After his initial diagnosis (4 years ago), the prescribed treatment from our vet was Lysodren - which is chemotherapy and very expensive, and can cause more harmful side effects. Thankfully, we had an open-mided vet who did not cringe when we decided to treat his Cushing's holistically and homeopathically ... and much, much more inexpensively.

Since then, we have moved and had to find a new vet. It took over a year and two stop-gap vets, but we located a vet who is similar to our previous vet AND who allows patients' parents (and by that, I mean pet owners, but most pet owners know there's no "owning" to it, lol) to pay in installments. That option made a recent surgery MUCH more affordable. Additionally, our new vet was initially unconvinced my doggie had Cushing's b/c the dietary modifications and supplements he's on work so well.

My advice is to shop around for a good, open-minded vet. There are still those out there who will work with patients' parents to make high-cost procedures affordable. AND seek alternative treatments. One wonderful resource I've found is Native Remedies: http://www.nativeremedies.com/petalive/index.html

[luziannagirl]

HalfBS, we've also had a good experience with a vet who's very into what I call "home remedies". It's amazing what can be accomplished with the right diet, exercise, hygiene, minimal obedience training, and a fairly regular daily schedule.

[hasheville]

Thank you! Thank you! Also when NC considered limitations on breeders to try to stop puppy mills the AKC lobbied against it! You would think they'd want breeding more regulated but apparently they are against any regulation. Another problem - chaining dogs. Here in Asheville we have worked to stop this practice but run into stonewalling from the city government so at best volunteers try to befriend chainers and ask to build them a fence with donation money. Another problem - inappropriate mixed use of parks.
Too many parks are dominated by racing bicyclists, often unsupervised children, who don't realize dog walkers and pedestrians may not hear them coming and dogs may feel surprised and threatened.

[dsws]

"no matter how well trained your dog is, one quick distraction from a cat, for example, can cause them to bolt across the street with the risk of getting hit by a car."

If that's true, how can they possibly be acceptable as guides for blind people?

[JohnFromCensornati]

Those dogs are normally not loose.

[sisterdebmac]

...and that's a whole other level of "well-trained".

[ang ellie]

thanks for bringing up some of the issues we tend to forget or mask when we think about getting that precious new puppy. these are problems that people need to be aware of! one of those dogs in the pictures is absolutely adorable, completely pulled on my hearstrings!

[thebigbike]

Keep up the good work, all three of our dogs were "rescue" dogs, two mixed breeds and one purebred, they are all different and neither background is "better " than the other. They all love us just as much as they can.

[cbennett139]

I have 4 dogs, 3 of which are rescues. One of the rescues is a pure-bred shih tzu, with AKC papers, and he has so many health problems he could be a poster child for the campaign against puppy mills. At the age of 9 he is totally blind from cataracts, has severe allergies of unknown origin, and is almost completely anti-social (that might be due to his blindness, I'm not sure since I only got him about 2 years ago and he was already like that). I fondly refer to him as my pet cactus.

I have spent more on him at the vet's than my 3 other dogs combined, and most of the expenses are for treatments and medications just to keep him comfortable. It is unconscionable that puppy mills and backyard breeders--and the pet stores that support them--have no regard whatsoever for the potential quality of life of the animals they produce. Unfortunately, it is not illegal to run a puppy mill. It's going to take consumer education and awareness to put them out of business and we're a long way from that.

Just the other day I was talking to someone who was interested in getting a puppy...I recommended a few local shelters and rescue organizations and he asked about pet stores. I told him to stay away from pet stores as most of those pups come from puppy mills. He said, "What's a puppy mill?"

[idealisticNM]

oof, bummer. A friend of mine has gotten rescue Rotties in the past, but recently told me that his next Rott was going to come from a breeder, because he didn't want it to have bad hips (like his current one)! Ok, whatever, that's what you think.

But really, more and more folks know about puppy mills now and the awful conditions they have. There are still too many out there, but IMO, more folks know about them and avoid them.

[elbzee]

I too appreciated this post.
As for Dog Parks, they are WONDERFUL!!! It would make sense for any town/community to find a spot of green and fence it to allow dog recreation. While I walk my dog several hours per day, it's nothing like the excercize and mental stimulation she gets playing with other dogs.

Great article & excellent talking points. Thanks!

[onwisconsin]

Agreed. We couldn't live without our dogpark! Our 15 week-old lab puppy thrives on the socialization with other dogs and the room to run he gets in our off-leash park. It's 11 acres and only about a mile from us. For people who live in cities and like having big dogs who need a lot of exercise, dogparks are a must.

[Downeast]

Puppy mills are active in more than just pet stores. We see lots of ads in our local newspapers and in place like Craigslist or Uncle Henry's here in the NE for what are clearly puppy mills. How do you know? If you see one place that is advertising more than one (or at most two) different breeds of dogs, they're churning out puppies for profit.

Most responsible breeders take enormous pride in focusing on one breed and understanding both the breed's positives and negatives and incorporating them into their breeding programs.

If you can't find a perfect fit with a rescue or shelter dog, do your research. Know where your dog came from.

[JM35]

This is a great article. I am a lover of all animals but I'm partial to all things dog. It breaks my heart that there are dogs out there not receiving the love they deserve. I wish I could take care of them all! All I can do right now is take care and love the one I've got. He means the world to me:)

[sisterdebmac]

Right there with you, JM. I've been lucky to have a bunch of dogs and one cat come through my life over the years as rescues that literally dropped into my lap. I couldn't possibly keep them all, so I've taken care of them until I could get them adopted into good homes. I'm kind of an accidental foster mom for dogs. I did keep the elderly cat who took up with me about a decade ago. He was very sick, but I nursed him back to a semblance of health before he was suddenly stricken with by blood clot in his stomach and I had to let him go after 8 months of him being happy, well-fed, much-loved and safe in my home.

I also dog-sit for all my friends. Most recently, my friend Casey's puppy, Bodhi --- a gorgeous, brilliant, rescued Royal Bahamian Potcake...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2543/3702067311_852865edab.jpg

http://www.potcake.org/

I've completely fallen in love with him after having his 13-day visit.

These have been wonderful ways to have lots of doggie-love in my life without taking on more than I can handle. If I ever won the lottery, I'd move out into the country and have a big pack of all kinds of rescued dogs.