Exercise 2 Revised Overpopulation and Breeding a Complex Problem
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA),“A puppy mill is a large-scale commercial dog breeding operation where profit is given priority over the well-being of the dogs. Unlike responsible breeders, who place the utmost importance on producing the healthiest puppies possible, breeding at puppy mills is performed without consideration of genetic quality. This results in generations of dogs with unchecked hereditary defects.”
One of the best definitions I have read concerning responsible breeding says, “Animal breeding is the application of the science of genetics to the improvement of the performance of domestic animals” (Land 243). While Land’s paper discusses breeding in cattle and other stock animals the basic principles remain the same. Breeding is expensive time consuming work that is driven by society’s determination of the financial value of the product animal. A good breeder must take into account genetic knowledge, technology, and direction of the improvements (traits they want in their animals).
The American Kennel Club (AKC) has set an accepted breed standard for all recognized pure breed dogs. Responsible breeders will take this standard as a base line, and through the careful application of genetic manipulation they will improve their lines. They look for the best specimens of their breed, usually these dogs have won championships, high placing in tournaments, have perfect formation, or they may excel at the specific task of the breed. For example a superior hunting dog may never show in the ring but could be the best of the breed because he can always find a scent. Breeders of this caliber have dogs who are well socialized, have no genetic or temperament issues. Their dogs receive regular vet care, exercise, and socialization time. The number of puppies produced from a mating is considered less important than the number of quality puppies that are produced.
Unfortunately, there are many types of breeders. The quality of dogs they produce varies as radically as their reasons for producing puppies. A short list of common terms includes hobby breeders, commercial breeders, brokers, bunchers, backyard breeders, and puppy mills.
Irresponsible breeding contributes to the animal overpopulation that is facing shelters across the United States. According to the American Humane Association it is impossible to track exactly how many animals are euthanized every year, “because animal care and control agencies are not uniformly required to keep statistics on the number of animals taken in, adopted, euthanized, or reclaimed.” However, based on a 1997 survey “roughly 64% of the total number of animals that entered shelters were euthanized — approximately 2.7 million animals in just these 1,000 shelters. These animals may have been put down due to overcrowding, but may have been sick, aggressive, injured, or suffered something else.”
Both the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the ASPCA have active campaigns to shut puppy mills down. In addition to these organizations, various state governments are starting to enact legislation that protects animals from millers who do not provide them with acceptable living conditions. Illinois has proposed Chloe’s Bill, Virgina’s HB 583, Indiana’s HB 1468, Minnesota ,and Ohio are just a few states moving toeard legislation.
However, some of these new laws and regulations have come under increasing protest from puppy millers and other residents who disagree with more regulation on animal treatment. Some breeders argue that puppy lemon laws protect the buyer but they fail to protect the breeder from irresponsible buyers. Others argue that limiting the number of breeding dogs an individual may own will hamper responsible breeders. While a third camp is concerned that responsible hobby breeders will simply stop breeding as regulations increase because it is too much hassle.
There is no easy solution to this problem because the legislation needed to protect animals and breeders alike has not been drafted in most states. Without legislation, prosecutors and representatives of the law cannot act to protect the animals that need it. For example, according to Indiana State Rep. Matt Pierce, “Indiana’s current definition of animal cruelty is so narrow it’s difficult to prosecute the most squalid conditions and inhumane treatment of animals, so long as owners can prove that food and water was available.” Both organizations and individuals need to make the public aware of the conditions that exist in puppy mills and the complications these places cause to animal overpopulation.
