For better or for worse, puppy breeding is a big business in this country. It’s there because there is a demand for pure bred dogs. While there are the horrible stories that show up ever too often in the news, it’s worth noting that there are good breeders who are humane and seek what’s best for the animal. Unfortunately, amateur breeders can cause a slew of problems due to their inexperience in the process.
Case in point to an article reported by WYFF in Greenville, South Carolina. Twenty-two dogs were packed into a U-Haul and dropped off at the Greenville Animal Shelter because they were “the wrong color”. That’s right, puppies abandoned because their color just wasn’t right. I could see this disregard if we’re talking about a pair of shoes, but not another living animal.
Shelter manager Shelly Simmons says this episode is evidence of a growing problem with amateur dog breeding. Breeding is a complex skill that requires both advanced education on the process, but proper funds to support the animals in a humane way. Unfortunately, there are many looking for a quick buck who do not care about the animals in any way.
The bigger problem with this may be the lack of responsibility we place upon dog breeders. The fact that a breeder could simply dump off animals because they didn’t come out the right way is appalling. Not only do they place these dogs in a position where they may be euthanized, but they also add strain to a local animal shelter’s resources. The utter disregard for these animals and others in the community is a disgrace.
While we’ve seen laws passed to help curb bad breeding practices, it would be nice to see laws that would require owners to take responsibility of what their pets do. These individuals should be financially responsible for these dogs. It seems inhumane to allow people to breed animals and then toss them in someone else’s lap because the color was wrong. I’m worried that people like this will continue to make mistakes and cost many dogs their lives by burdening our already straddled shelters.
