[omichka]

Are you aware that FIFTEEN MILLION animals were put to death in American shelters last year? Animals sentenced to die simply for the crime of being born in an overpopulated world. Some of us (such as myself) who work in animal sheltering and rescue, see this needless death every single day of the year. Purebred, mixed breed, it makes no difference... all are euthanized. Twenty five to forty percent of the dogs area shelters take in are purebred, and roughly twenty five percent of all dogs euthanized are purebred. The remainder are perfectly good, healthy, mixed breed dogs. Not a thing in the world wrong with them. And yet they are destroyed, each and every day, in staggering numbers. It tends to make those of us working in these fields a little militant about breeding.

Does that mean all of us are anti-breeding? No, of course not. Those of us with more than a spoonful of common sense realize that responsible breeding is vital to ensuring the continuation of breeds and sound, healthy bloodlines. The key, however, is RESPONSIBLE breeding. That means no intentional breeding of mixed breed dogs. That means no breeding for profit. That means no breeding of animals out of standard. That means no breeding of untested pets... both health testing and behavior testing. That means not intentionally breeding for pet quality animals.

The best breeding always results in some pet quality animals as well as the hoped-for show and competition animals. Breed for a PURPOSE.

You want to breed Chesapeake Retrievers? Fantastic! But breed them to either competition or field standards. You want to breed Cocker Spaniels? GREAT! But breed them to be gun dogs, to be the single best representation of the breed. Breed them the way they're supposed to be bred... not to simply fill some niche in a market that needn't exist.

If you want to breed Chihuahuas, breed Chihuahuas... but don't try to create some 2.5 pound, deer headed neurotic monstrosity just so some Paris Hilton-wannabe can carry it around in her purse until she loses interest in it. Don't breed "teacup" dogs. They don't exist. Period. They are simply runts with a clever name.
Don't breed Labradoodles. It's not a breed. They aren't hypoallergenic. Ditto for any other poodle-oodle-doodle mix. They aren't breeds... they are cleverly named marketing ploys.

They are, in reality, mutts... and millions upon millions of mutts are put to death in American shelters every year. Thousands every day.

Unless you are breeding the highest caliber of dogs, unless you are responsibly breeding purebreeds, breeding for purpose, tracing pedigrees and paying attention to genetics, unless you are breeding in conformance with REAL kennel club standards (and this doesn't mean CKC or APRI or any of the other illegitimate registries... UKC and AKC are the primary ones here in the US... most others service mills and bad breeders), unless you are planning litters MONTHS in advance, and have potential adopters lined up before conception occurs, DON'T BREED.

Don't think this applies just to dogs. More cats are killed annually in America than dogs. Summertime in American shelters is pure hell. It is Kitten Season. Cats are seasonal breeders. Queens come into season and breed in the spring, and May through November, the offspring POUR into the shelters. Thousands each day into Western Washington shelters alone... seven days a week. There is simply no way we can find homes for all of them. Hell, we're lucky to find homes for HALF of them. The other half wind up dead... laying on the killing room floor with the gleam of life fading from their eyes. SPAY OR NEUTER, PEOPLE! Unless you've got CFA Championship cats, SPAY OR NEUTER. There is absolutely no need to allow your animals to reproduce. Trust me, there are far too many doing that on a daily basis. Shelters nationwide are full to overflowing... and the blood of innocents is stilled each and every day. Tens of thousands of animals forfeit their lives for the crime of being born. And it is due entirely to human selfishness or ignorance.

Believe me, I know. I see it, seven days a week. I'm the guy holding the needle. I am the death-bringer at a Western Washington shelter. Each and every morning, I get to start my day by injecting somnolent death into the veins of the Puget Sound's unwanted animals. Every single day, forced to clean up the messes of others via euthanasia. Nothing would make me happier than to go into work tomorrow and have no surplus animals to euthanize... but the sad reality is that euthanasia will ALWAYS be necessary, simply because people will ALWAYS treat their pets as property and a means of income. People will ALWAYS continue to breed irresponsibly. But please, do your part. Spay or neuter your pets. If you want to breed, pleasee make sure your animal DESERVES to have it's genetics carried on into a new generation. Breeding is not a right, but a responsibility. It is a job, and it takes effort to do it right. The penalty for doing it wrong just means a continuation of the endless cycle of death.

BREED RESPONSIBLY, or DON'T BREED! Any questions?

PS: I like this letter and completely agree with every word, but I don't know the author.