So You Want to Breed Your Dog?

Over 15 million pets end up in shelters all across America every year. Nearly one third of these animals are pure in breed. More than half are adult dogs that lived in a home for more than a year. So you want to breed your dog?

Romeo-

Romeo came to the humane society with cigerette burns over his body. Upon first inspection it was ruled that Romeo was not adoptable. Although he was friendly when the officers picked him up, when a vet tech took him into a private room he immediately became aggressive. For the safety of others it was decided that he had to be put down. It was later discovered that the owners of this dog had him for almost five years and gave them to a friend (where he received the burns). The owners purchased him from a pet store for $700. After the friend got bored with the dog he dumped him near railroad tracks. Romeo was an AKC registered Standard Poodle.

Maggie-

Maggie was found tied to the door of the humane society. A beautiful and huggable American Bulldog or possibly Boxer mix, which is what we would of passed her as. Maggie was scanned for a microchip when brought in from the cold. To everyone's surprise she had one. The owner listed was called several times. When the director finally reached the person listed he told her that he had not had the dog for more than two years. She was stolen from his yard. When asked if he wanted the dog, even after we explained to him the situation, he answered "no". He informed us that Maggie was in fact a UKC register American Pit Bull Terrier. Our volunteers worked hard at finding a rescue to take the beautiful brindle girl but to no avail. Unfortunately, due to Ohio laws against placing Pit Bulls or Pit Bull type dogs up for adoption, Maggie was put to sleep.

Tucker-

Tucker's owner dragged him in on the end of a leash. We explained to the owner about him having to pass our temperament test and that he would only be allowed in the shelter for 90 days, if he did not find a home he would be put down. The owner claimed he would pass the temperament test with no problems. We explained that the dog would not act the same at the shelter as he did at home. She still wanted to sign him over. She claimed that he was just to large of a dog. Our director shook her head as she looked at the Great Dane. How come these people did not know this when they purchased him for $800 from a breeder? Luckily Tucker passed his temperament test with flying colors and was placed on the adoption block. Yet, everyone passed the large black dog up. He was just too big, or he wasn't that pretty, or he was referred to a home without small kids because of his size. He was nearing his ninety days and rescues were full to capacity. Tucker was on his last day when a young woman came in with her two small children. She took Tucker out and he slowly lay down to lick the little girl's face. It was love from that moment on. Last year Tucker had to be put down because he was diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia, which a proper breeder would have tested their stock for.

Bo, Tie & Lady

An animal control officer responded to a call about a whining box on the side of a main street. He returned with two tiny but really adorable puppies. The volunteer vet tech pegged them as Boston Terrier mixed with Chihuahua and guessed their age at three weeks. The puppies were covered in fleas and had worms. The next day a different animal control officer brought in a Boston Terrier ho had obviously recently had puppies. Curiosty got the better of the shelters staff and they placed the Boston Terrier with the pups. It was more than obvious that the pups where hers by her behavior. The odd thing was that the mom dog was found nearly twenty miles away from where the pups were found. Since she didn't have a microchip or any tags she was given three days for an owner to attempt to find her. When one didn't she was put through the required health tests. She tested positive for heartworm. Because heartworm treatment is expensive the staff tried to find a rescue to take her in. After a week of no responses one of the volunteers had pitty on her and took her in to give her the treatment she needed. The pups were not allowed to accompany her because of the medication. Unfortunately the heartworm was so severe that Lady had to be put down. The largest of the two pups was put up for adoption and adopted to an older couple. They named him Bo. When the couple had to move to a nursing home Bo was returned to the shelter when he was three years old. He failed his temperament test and was sadly put down. Tie was placed with a relative of a worker at the shelter and still lives with them to this day.

All of these dogs were brought to the shelter in the same week. The shelter receives thirty dogs a week. One or two get picked up by their owner. Seven or eight are a breed which the shelter can not place up for adoption. Another five to seven will not pass the health test or temperament test which is required. One will be too old to be put up for adoption. One out of nine dogs return at least once to the Humane Society. Four of the adoptable dogs will not be adopted and have to be put down. There are NO follow up visits to the homes of the dogs that are adopted out. The shelter has only word of mouth in that the dogs actually found a good home. In fact when a perspective owner comes to pick out a dog they need only fill out one paper and have the adoption fee to take the dog home that day. All it would take is a simple lie to release a dog to an abussive home.

Every day there are dogs taken to a shelter. Every day your dog's puppies could be found on the street. You have to stop and think about your dog's puppie's puppies. What happens when they are thrown in the freezer and shipped off to the dump with the other hundreds of dogs that are euthanized each month?

Please Spay or Neuter your pet, lives depend on it.