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people make me sick sometimes
I found a stray brindle boxer girl in the street today (near A.D. Barnes Park on Bird Road and S.W. 72nd Ave.) and she was in really bad shape...severely underweight with lots of cuts and sores on her body and paws. No collar or tag. It was obvious that she had been on the street for a looong time. I had no choice but to take her into animal services because I couldn't expose her to my dogs, not knowing what diseases she could be carrying and not knowing her behavior towards other dogs (even though she didn't seem to have an aggressive bone in her body). I prefer for her to be euthanized humanely at the shelter than to die in the street by getting hit by a car, starving to death, heat stroke, or God knows what else.
Anyway, I get to animal services and there is a line of 10-15 people with perfectly healthy, well-behaved dogs on leashes ready to turn them over. And for what? So that 99% of them will get put to sleep within 3 days. Maybe some of the puppies will have a chance to get adopted, but for the most part, they are all goners. Seeing those dogs being left there is seriously one of the saddest things I've ever seen in my life and it really made me sick to my stomach. Those dogs cannot understand why their owners, who they love more than anything in the world, are abandoning them there to die.
I'm sharing this because it explains why I and so many other girls on this board are completely against buying dogs at puppy stores, breeding your dogs so you can sell the puppies, giving away your dogs, etc. These topics come up on here from time to time and the poster get all defensive when they get flamed for wanting to get rid of their dogs or breed their dogs and they don't understand why some of us feel so strongly about this. To those people, all I ask is that you go down just once to animal services in Doral (on N.W. 74th Street, right off the Palmetto) and see all the dogs there who are left to die if no one comes along to adopt them. Then maybe you will understand.
First of all, SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR PETS. I'm sorry, but there is NOOOOOOO REASON for you to try to breed your dog and bring more puppies into this world. I don't care how cute, sweet, funny, smart, athletic, etc., you think your dog is and how great you think it would be to have a bunch of "mini-mes" of your dog running around. And I don't care how many hundreds of dollars you think you can make off selling the puppies. Don't do it. There are already more than enough dogs who need homes. By breeding your dog, you are basically killing a dog at a shelter - imagine how many lives could be saved if instead of buying one of your dog's puppies, those people were to go to the shelter and adopt a puppy or dog from there. Also, you have no way to control what is going to happen to those puppies you breed and either sell or give away. You don't know what those people are going to do - that dog might end up on the streets or at a shelter if the owners decide they don't want them anymore, or they may decide to breed the dog themselves, which just continuous the vicious cycle of too many unwanted dogs and not enough good homes to go around.
Second of all, before you get a dog, think long and hard about whether you can make a committment to care for that dog for as long as it lives. I understand that the economy is a piece of crap right now and I know that people are losing their homes, their jobs, etc., and that times are very tight. But please do not sacrifice your pet. Find a way to make it work. And to those people who think you have to get rid of your dogs because you are having a baby, or working long hours, or moving to an apartment without a yard, etc....believe me...your dog would rather stay living with you and only get 10 minutes of attention a day than to die alone and lonely in a shelter. If you absolutely HAVE to give up your dog, at least have the decency to keep it until you can find a decent home. Realize that if you drop off your dog at animal services, there is a 99% chance that he/she will be dead in a matter of days.
Finally, if you are thinking about getting a dog, please, please, please, please, please consider adoption. I know how much it means to people to get puppies and/or purebred dogs. My first dog was bought at a puppy store because DH and I wanted a purebred puppy, and we simply didn't know any better back then. But now that I am more informed and I know a) where the dogs in puppy stores come from (read about it here...if you have a dog from a puppy store, I guarantee you this is where it came from) and b) how many unwanted dogs there are out there available for adoption, I will never buy a dog again. I saw some incredibly adorable puppies today at the shelter that would make AMAZING pets. The shelters DO get purebred dogs from time to time (I saw several Labs and American Bulldogs today, and the dog I took in was pure Boxer), and even if you have your heart set on a certain breed, you would be surprised how a mix can capture your heart. My 2nd dog is a 10 lb. Daschund/Yorkie mix that we got through a rescue organization and she is the most adorable thing in the world. If you absolutely MUST have a certain breed, please go through a reputable breeder...steer clear of puppy stores and avoid backyard breeders.
Anyway, I'm sorry that this was sooooooo long, and I really hope I didn't annoy or offend anybody, but this is something that I feel very, very, very strongly about (as do many other Nesties on this board), and I feel like the least I can do is put this info out there for everyone here to read. If I change just one person's mind about adoption versus buying or about giving up their dog, then I'll be satisfied. Thanks if you got this far.
Re: people make me sick sometimes
I whole-heartedly agree Jen. It's so sad that all of these poor dogs are overflowing at the shelters because there are too many breeders/bad owners/people who won't spay/neuter their dogs. It's heartbreaking.
Both of my dogs are shelter rescued and they are the most loving sweet dogs ever!
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I guess it was my post that brought this up.
I agree with you and have adopted I the past twice which ended up once with my God son in the hospital with 16 stiches to his face because the dog would attack any children (this was a boston terrier). I would observe his behavior with children and something must have happened in his past with his previous owners that has scared him.
After haing a scar like this one and other scars with someoe elses behavior i really want a dog that I am the first owner. yes i do think its soooooooo wrong and cruel those puppy stores that do all sort of things that are terible and breeders that mate there females non stop.
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This is the one set back with rescue, you never really know their history. I'll admit, most of our dogs were all purebreds from breeders, but we've also had a few rescues. One rescue we did have to give back because he bit the neighbors son
Sometimes, though, it's better to go through a specific breed rescue, as they usually have an idea of the dogs history.
Good luck on your search for the perfect pup, though
It is always a fun one!?
no no no no no...it was definitely not your post that brought this up. it was the heartbreaking experience i had today with the stray and going to animal services that brought it up. like i said in my response to you, i really commend you trying to go the adoption route first, and i understand how important it is sometimes to want a purebred puppy. i don't blame you at all. i really hope you try as hard as you can to find a puppy through adoption, but if you can't, i completely respect your decision to go through a REPUTABLE breeder (instead of a puppy store or a backyard breeder). sorry if you thought i was referring to you. we've had a lot of posts over the years here of people wanting to breed their dogs, or saying that they have to get rid of their dogs, etc., and that's more of what i was referring to.
p.s. i think miami dade animal services has an option where you can put your name on a waiting list and if they get a young dog from your particular breed, they will contact you.
if you ever come across this, and I know it would probably be a big drive for you, but there is a no-kill shelter in Boca.
on a side note, all of my dogs (except Bunker) have been rescue dogs. I actually 'rescued' Bunker from a pet shop that was mis-treating the 2 dogs as it wasn't a dog shop yet an exoctic bird & fish store. It was hard for me to not adopt, but I coudln't bare to leave him there. With that guilt, I always make sure to make my donations to the Humane Society and bring food/toys annually. When we finally sell our condo and get a home, adopting a 'big' dog is one of the first things we will be doing.
Jenn....I admire your passion!
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It's Beshert
I am completely with all of you.
Moe and Todd are both rescued and they are the most loving, caring and happy dogs. We are the first owners of both of them. Both were puppies when we got them. But we did have some problems with Todd at the beginning. He had a little attitude that we had to work on.Not a big deal, we figured out that he has sensitive legs and if you touch those places he is going to growl to let you know that hurts.
So, I myself don't think it matters when you get the dog. Take it to a trainer and/ or obedence classes and let the trainer being out all of the sides of the dog.
Also, the shelter that you get the dog from should have already told you about all the signs that they see in the dog. They are supposed to have a trainer work with the dog before he/she is adopted so that the new parents know what the dog can and can't be around. IE: like on petfinder.com it says right by the dogs picture no cats, no kids, no dogs. Those are the places you want to adopt from, if the shelter doesn't tell you about those problems, first ask, second if you really love the dog and they don't have that info, take it to a trainer. They will show you and tell you how to deal with any problems that they might have.
Ugh I totally agree!
I was able to save my own doggy just on time. The previous owners were a bunch of jerks. The girl had the pomeranian, but she had recently gotten married. Her new husband had cats and couldn't stand having dogs. He gave her two choices either give away the dog or put her to sleep. I happened to casually be talking to a friend of mine, and I was telling her I was ready to have a new dog but it had to be small. She told me about this case. I immediately made arrangements to go pick her up. The poor dog was in the worst conditions living in her own filth and tied up. I was so disgusted.
An year later and she is the most spoiled and happiest little doggy ever. We all love her, and can't imagine our lives without her. Can't believe those idiots were going to put her to sleep. Ugh, idiots!!
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This is why we have Todd. He was the last one of his sisters and brothers and no other dogs were in there at the time. I felt so bad that he was by himself I didn't leave without him. lol Its hard to look at their little faces and walk away.