WE can help!!!
 

Hello!

My name is Jessica and I am the proud owner of a little yorkie names Miss Lula-mae Famous.

I recently went off in a forum in regards to breeding. Lets just say I was having a very bad day and it was the wrong thread to go off on so I'm going to try to get my point across in a more positive way.

The subject of breeders will always spark my interest. I grew up around dog breeding. My father breeds brittany spaniels. He has never made a profit (unless you count keeping a puppy) on a single puppy. He breeds specifically to better the breed.

When I was looking to buy a puppy of my own I had horrible experience. Almost every breeder I talked to seemed like a used car salesman... either that or wanted my first born child (I was actually asked to enter a breeding contract at one point) in return for a PET.

Anyway, puppy mills and back yard breeders are a subject I see spring up quite often. Usually when it is too late and a puppy is already purchased. I have seen many people (im pretty close because of this, not because I condone puppy mills, I bought my dog from a breeder, practically flew across the continent to get her) turning away from this site completely because of how unwelcome some of the YT members can be. This is what upset me and why I went on a bit of a rant in a previous post.

So....




What can we do to help the situation?

I want to know what people are or would like to do to make a change.

EXP: I donate cloth/towels from my 5 star hotel that we cannot hand out to our guests to a animal hospital and shelter.

EXP: I hold fundraisers for local animal non-profit organizations.

For a long time I tried the more hands on approach but some situations are simply too heartbreaking and I could no longer be on the front lines BUT there is always something that can be done to help!

What do you think could make a difference?

I donate any household goods I want to clear out as well as money to my local Humane Society. They have a thrift store where they sell items and all money is used for the local Humane Society.
I also keep an eye out to help them place pets if I know someone is looking for a certain type of dog or cat and I occassionally go out on the weekends and walk dogs to give them a break from their kennels.

I'm hoping to find something we can do as a whole to help (aside from $). It might make more of an impact.

This is a positive post! ;) Brittany Spaniels are gorgeous and great for hunting. They are also great companion dogs and at one time I had considered one but they are too large for my lifestyle. Keep doing the great work that you do! The other thread was not meant to harm, but was to bring awareness about a situation and breeder. YT is for that too.

Don't get me wrong individual ideas are also fantastic. But I really believe we can make some type of an impact if we all work together towards a common goal!

Im a HGSA I at a vets hospital. We donate our pads, blankets that we cant use anymore. One small gesture.........

I volunteer at the animal shelter every Wednesday. I work in the Animal Health area updating the dog and cats health records. The shelter had to cut staff by 50% lat year and asked for volunteers to help fill the voids. Shelters can use blankets, paper towels and food always. When my Dad passed last month we had donations go to the shelter rather than flowers. I know shelters and rescues are really feeling the pinch with the economy and anything anyone can donate really can make a difference.

Once we get settled into our new house, we will be fostering for a local bully breed rescue. Yes we have yorkies, and yes I mean bully breeds - pit bulls, german shepherds, bulldogs, etc. There are many out there that are total sweethearts, and I don't think the breeds should be condemned. That's what our biggest contribution is for the helpless animals.

I did pit bulls, i call them piggies. for the most part they seem to think they are lap dogs.

Please let me know what you have in mind for us to all do together to help. I am willing to brainstorm with you, The more minds we get working on this the better. I already donate time and $ to the shelters, but I would love to be able to do more :)

Come on everyone please help with ideas of what we can do. Every little bit makes a difference.

Here is an idea that I had.

I think we should make a directory of yorkie breeders.
To give you a visual, if I were to design it, I would want it to be like trip advisor where people could leave reviews and rate a specific breeder.

I would be happy to do my part and volunteer my time to help.

There are YT members from all over, perhaps YT members could even personally visit breeders close to them with a group established check list. Make this a requirement to be listed in the directory. Maybe have an annual fee of $10 or so to be listed, something small, just to cover any cost that there would be to host the directory.

Any reputable breeder that would like to abolish puppymills and backyard breeding, im sure would like to be listed in an effort of putting the good breeder's names out there.

I think its about time that WE do something.

Anyone else?

This sounds like you might be on to something great here. Are you thinking internet directory?

I love this thread and your ideas and am willing to help in whatever way I can to join you in your efforts! Just tell me what we are going to do...we definitely have a few breeders in town, one that is good and one that is definitely not! She lives in a trailer with massive kennel runs outside that are dirty and house a ton of dogs. So I would be glad to go take a look at what is here for the review! But whatever you decided thank you for trying to make a difference! You rock!!! Have a great day!

Yea, it would need to be online due to the fact that we are located all over the country. I would only want to do yorkies because doing a bigger range would be too much.

Anyone affilated with the Yorkshire Club of America? There are 3 breeders listed in my state. All they have to do is fill out a form to be listed. no checks and ballences :P

I wonder if they would be willing to work with us in an effort to make a better directory? I will compse a letter when I get a chance (I have some paid work I have to do first :P).

What would you want to see in a directory? If there was a checklist on what you would want to see when visiting a breeder, what would be on it?