[QUOTE=Snowflake;6431348
Most dogs are simply companions. There are fewer working or hunting dogs out there that are solely used for that purpose without consideration to their ability to be a companion.[/QUOTE]
We breed hunting dogs as do many of our friends. All of us place heavy weight on the dog’s ability to be a companion. At least in our area, bird hunting only lasts a few months of the year. But the dogs live in the house year round.
[QUOTE=Snowflake;6431348]
Conversely, my friend who breeds and shows chihuahua’s posted an article from the AKC that had an anti-altering theme. (Of course they wouldn’t like fewer numbers of dogs being bred as that hurts their bottom line!) But the AKC seems to be against the mass spaying/neutering of purebred dogs and feel that this is hurting the breeds.
.[/QUOTE]
Far be it from me to speak for AKC. In fact, I concur with some of the criticism of AKC for registering puppy mill dogs. But as I understand the position of most registries, they’re not against spaying and neutering. They are against mandatory spay/neuter legislation because such laws in practice often enable puppy millers to keep right on milling while hurting the small hobby/show breeder who seeks to improve the breed.
:yes: Same with working border collies. They might work all year round but lots of them still sleep in the bed at night.
There is, by the way, no snooze alarm on a border collie.:lol:
As for why there are so many more homeless dogs down South than in the Northeast, I think it’s because our poverty level is generally higher. I’ve read studies showing that where low cost spay/neuter clinics are established, people down here use them.
That wasn’t what I was referencing. I’m talking breeding hunting dogs simply for their talent as a hunting dog and nothing more. Dogs play a more dynamic part in the lives of people today. Like yours, they are hunters and companions, not hunters only. It’s kind of like the thought of horses as pets vs. livestock only. Most of us don’t think of our horses as simple disposable property, same as our dogs. I know that there are breeders out there still breeding hunting/companion dogs. There are much fewer people breeding dogs from a narrowed focus of hunting only.
My thought on that was really leaning more towards the idea that there are more than 160 breeds recognized by the AKC. There really should be something in that lineup that suits everyone. Do we really need to be cross-breeding and experimenting to create something new and different? I mean, do we really need to cross the basset with the golden retriever to have both a scent hound with retrieving capabilities? (Not that it ever really works out that way but just for an example.) Is it worth it creating all these mixed breed puppies in trying to make something better? (FWIW, I’ve seen a basset/Golden cross. Cute dog! Sweet dog! But does he do anything for the betterment of either breed? No.)
I kind of equate a lot of it to the georgian grande and color breeders in the horse world who put pretty above healthy, sound and functional. I do believe that dog breeding should be done by someone passionate about the breed, who is educated and well versed on the breed standard and does it to better the breed and produce healthy dogs. I don’t know of anyone who would attempt to better their breed by breeding mutts.
[QUOTE=chism;6424698]
OK…and not to change the subject or anything, but why the heck are there so many homeless animals in SC? Is it just that so few people spay/neuter? I can count the number of intact dogs I’ve seen here in Mass in my 27 years of residency on one hand. Are they considered so disposable down south that if one goes missing they just go get another? Where I live you basically never see a loose dog, and if you do…it’s lost and there is someone out there desperately trying to find it.[/QUOTE]
People in the south are bad about spay/neuter and particularly neuter. Something about southern machismo leads guys especially to over-value their animals’ boy parts. Sure, don’t feed it or give it vet care, make it live on a chain in the mud and then randomly allow it to run free down the county road, but heaven forbid you touch the family jewels!
It is a BIG problem.
So how do you build support for spay/neuter programs in the south, or any other area where they are lacking?
I’ve been a dog foster parent for many years, and while it’s rewarding to get dogs into their new homes, it’s frustrating that some local dogs are overlooked and live on for years in shelters while families adopt dogs shipped up from the south. In the northeast we’ve worked hard to reduce the number of unwanted dogs, and now we’ve become a dumping ground for unwanted dogs from other parts of the country that don’t want to put in the effort to spay/neuter
[QUOTE=Hinderella;6433673]
So how do you build support for spay/neuter programs in the south, or any other area where they are lacking?
I’ve been a dog foster parent for many years, and while it’s rewarding to get dogs into their new homes, it’s frustrating that some local dogs are overlooked and live on for years in shelters while families adopt dogs shipped up from the south. In the northeast we’ve worked hard to reduce the number of unwanted dogs, and now we’ve become a dumping ground for unwanted dogs from other parts of the country that don’t want to put in the effort to spay/neuter[/QUOTE]
It isn’t a matter of communities not putting in the effort to spay/neuter. There are tons of free/low cost spay/neuter programs, but a large portion of the population (many of them rural and uneducate) just won’t do it because because they think:
A. Providing vet care is stupid. If your dog/cat/horse dies or gets sick, there is always a free one to be found down the street
B. It is wrong to deprive anything of boy bits. [Strangely, many of these same people are perfectly willing to spay (if it is free and takes no effort), but I won’t even bother looking into what that reveals about their thoughts on women - lol!]
You can talk stats with them til you’re blue in the face but it would be like trying to argue with Glen Beck - a serious waste of time.
But the AKC seems to be against the mass spaying/neutering of purebred dogs and feel that this is hurting the breeds.
AKC, and most reasonable people, are against MANDATORY spay/neutering. Many owners of performance dogs, and all owners of show dogs, don’t spay or neuter their dogs. That doesn’t mean they are irresponsible and let them run around breeding willy-nilly, it just means they don’t neuter. There are many sound health reasons for not neutering your dogs. In Europe it’s very common for even casual pet dogs to not be neutered; yet they don’t have vast numbers of random-bred litters of dogs happening.
Being an irresponsible pet owner doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with spay/neuter.
In my area, people simply don’t let their dogs run around loose, nor do they leave them tied out unsupervised on chains, because these behaviors aren’t tolerated. Even if the majority of dogs were not neutered there would be very few “whoops” breedings. Perhaps focusing on not tolerating stray dogs and banning dog chaining would impact the dog shelter problem much more rapidly than trying to convince the populace to get their dogs’ balls chopped off?
[QUOTE=PoohLP;6433818]
It isn’t a matter of communities not putting in the effort to spay/neuter. There are tons of free/low cost spay/neuter programs, but a large portion of the population (many of them rural and uneducate) won’t do it[.][/QUOTE]
Oh really? Where pray tell are these free and low cost spay/neuter programs? My rural and uneducated neighbors are getting up a car pool. We’ll be there directly.
SC spay/neuter programs:
http://www.spayusa.org/clinic-resources/south-carolina.php#horry
The shelter where I volunteer (in Augusta, GA) works with Heartsong for spay/neuter vouchers. It’s not free, it is discounted about 50%), but we regularly have people come in who want to spay or neuter, but can’t afford the discounted cost. We’ve given the voucher based on what they can afford (sometimes it is $25, sometimes it is $0) and our shelter picked up the difference. In the long run, it will keep more pets out of our facility.
[QUOTE=glfprncs;6433963]
SC spay/neuter programs:
http://www.spayusa.org/clinic-resources/south-carolina.php#horry
The shelter where I volunteer (in Augusta, GA) works with Heartsong for spay/neuter vouchers. It’s not free, it is discounted about 50%), but we regularly have people come in who want to spay or neuter, but can’t afford the discounted cost. We’ve given the voucher based on what they can afford (sometimes it is $25, sometimes it is $0) and our shelter picked up the difference. In the long run, it will keep more pets out of our facility.[/QUOTE]
While it’s better than private rates, the Grand Strand Humane Society still charges upwards of $100 to spay/neuter a dog over 60 lbs.
[QUOTE=pAin’t_Misbehavin’;6434061]
While it’s better than private rates, the Grand Strand Humane Society still charges upwards of $100 to spay/neuter a dog over 60 lbs.[/QUOTE]
That’s a shame…there are vets in Augusta who charge $120 for a spay/neuter, and that isn’t a discounted rate.
The shelter in my county adopts out non-speutered males and females, with discount coupon for a future speuter. Of course the speuter rarely is done. Makes me crazy, but it’s the good ole boy network and seemingly, no way to change it.
[QUOTE=LauraKY;6434290]
The shelter in my county adopts out non-speutered males and females, with discount coupon for a future speuter. Of course the speuter rarely is done. Makes me crazy, but it’s the good ole boy network and seemingly, no way to change it.[/QUOTE]
That is actually illegal in Maine. All licensed shelters and rescues here are obligated to spay or neuter prior to adoption. I have practiced in both Maine and New Hampshire and it is rare for me to see an intact dog that isn’t owned by a show person/breeder with the exception of chihuahuas.
NH is apparently modify their import regulations to be similar to those in Mass, which I think is a good thing. I have meant many adopters who end up saddled with a large bill from a sick dog. I had one young lady in front of me last month who paid $465 to adopt a dog which was ill upon arrival with parvo and distemper. The owner was in the Er less than 24 hours after she picked up her puppy. The rescue group refused to refund her money or pick up any of the tab for treatment. Even with the puppy getting better quickly, it still cost $1400 to treat. I have multiple similar stories from recent years. This puppy wasn’t even old enough for legal import, I was horrified that another vet had signed a health certificate for travel for an entire litter of underage puppies, at least one of which died after being handed over to it’s adopted.
For what its worth:
If you live in the state of SC and are willing to come to Richland county, I can find you a free spay/neuter. I can find you low cost spay/neuter. You should not have to pay more than 100 dollars in this state if you know where to hunt.
There are programs available to the diligent but the problem is those who OFTEN (OFTEN) have unaltered dogs are the uneducated ones who aren’t in the pet stores, the vet clinics and the shelters that promote these things.
Current billboards around the city here now are “Neuter your dog, its more manly without balls!” (I’m paraphrasing). Guy holding a puppy.
Its a combination of lack of education, the predominance of poverty in rural and often hunting areas (compared to many places farther north where poverty exists in portions of cities, where owning many dogs isn’t a viable option, compared to living in a trailer in the middle of nowhere), and misconceptions about ‘manliness’ in an unneutered dogs specifically which was aforementioned.
This topic literally drives me to drink living in an overpopulated dog area with euthanasia through the roof and people dumping dogs every single day. I am fighting a battle I will never, ever win…but how do you stop?
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