Disapointed in vice-president elect Joe Biden's support of dog breeders

[sophistacavy]

Awwww! Biden gets a new puppy - TODAY: Pets - TODAYshow.com

This disapointed me. Vice-Presient elect Joe Biden purchased a german shepard puppy from a german shepard breeder that he intentionally sought out.
Oh well, I guess we can't get the message of "Don't shop, adopt!" through to everyone.
There are plenty of homeless purebred puppies in shelters nationwide. No excuse to get one from a breeder. All breeders are bad, no "bones" about it.
There are even breed-specific rescues all over the place!

As I said, *sigh* oh well........

P.S.: He's certainly setting a bad example for the rest of the naive nation....I bet that some people figure that "Hey, ok now, if our future vice president got a puppy from a breeder, then it would be ok for me to do the same thing."

[Shadows_Gold]

I strongly agree!

[suzilovespiggie]

I agree also. Someone just dumped a german shepard in the desert by where I live. Was unable to get the dog. It doesn't matter that a dog is purebred. They are being "dumped" just like any other kind of animal.
We just have to keep preaching loud and clear. "Don't buy when shelter animals die"!!

[hueyeats]

I agree! He is not setting a good example at all!

And to think Oprah did a whole show on Puppy Mills that he's learn from... BUT Nooooo!

[Peggysu]

I'm very disapointed as well.

[WheekingWillow]

I'm very disappointed. He is a very significant person in society, and should set a good example.
It shouldn't just be about breed, if it was REALLY a german shepherd he HAD to have, you can find them in shelters.
Disappointing to say the least.

[BrainDeadBuster]

Although I agree that he should have set an example and adopted, I disagree about the opinion that ALL breeders are bad. Without breed specific breeders, we would not have all the interesting dogs, cats, horses, guinea pigs, ect. They would all look alike, and that would be boring. Most reputable breeders not only drill you and do background checks like you're adopting a child, but they also tell you that they will take their puppy back if you decide you cannot keep them. People that buy indiscriminately and irresponsibly are to blame. Many people do not do research on the breed or breeder before they buy. Many people also think it's ok to throw away pets, this is where the real problem is!

[sophistacavy]

Although I agree that he should have set an example and adopted, I disagree about the opinion that ALL breeders are bad. Without breed specific breeders, we would not have all the interesting dogs, cats, horses, guinea pigs, ect. They would all look alike, and that would be boring. Most reputable breeders not only drill you and do background checks like you're adopting a child, but they also tell you that they will take their puppy back if you decide you cannot keep them. People that buy indiscriminately and irresponsibly are to blame. Many people do not do research on the breed or breeder before they buy. Many people also think it's ok to throw away pets, this is where the real problem is!

I think it would be better to have every single living breathing pet of each species look exactly the same, than to have millions upon millions of our nice variety pack getting euthanized every year, and thousands being rendered into pet food every day, and american horses getting shipped across borders to mexico and canada to be slaugthered (since US outlawed it being done in the US), and so on and so on.

People who adopt from responsible breeders could have saved the life of a shelter animal, but since they chose to buy their pet instead, the space that they once had to adopt is now taken up by a business transaction instead. That animal they could've adopted is killed. And, it could end up in a variety of places, even your next meal (rendered euthanized pet meat is sold to some chinese shrimp and eel farms in china, and fed to the shrimp and eels as part of a mixture called 'tankage'), or your pet's next meal. There's no reason for, and nothing stopping, Kaytee and those other crappy brands from using rendered companion animals in their foods either. Anyways, you get the point.

But, you can choose not to believe me, and I'm fine with that. I'm glad that you care so much about animals, and that you realize some of the current issues involving their welfare.

[Angelgal]

Although I agree that he should have set an example and adopted, I disagree about the opinion that ALL breeders are bad. Without breed specific breeders, we would not have all the interesting dogs, cats, horses, guinea pigs, ect. They would all look alike, and that would be boring. Most reputable breeders not only drill you and do background checks like you're adopting a child, but they also tell you that they will take their puppy back if you decide you cannot keep them. People that buy indiscriminately and irresponsibly are to blame. Many people do not do research on the breed or breeder before they buy. Many people also think it's ok to throw away pets, this is where the real problem is!

Exactly what I wanted to say. I agree it may not be setting a good example, buut...

A reputable breeder takes full responsibility for the LIFETIME of the animals they breed, and they will NOT burden the humane societies or rescue shelters with their animals. They do background checks, they have contracts and they stay in that dogs life. They are few, very very few, but they do exist.

Saying ALL breeders are bad, is like saying ALL pits are a terrible, dangerous/aggressive dogs. You can't blame them for someones irrisponsibility or poor decision making. Its not breeding thats a problem, its the fact of how irrisonsible most are and that is what needs to be stopped. There needs to be incredibly high standards set and enforced.

People also need to remember, adoption isn't for everyone. You need to find the right dog, and not everyone may be experienced enough to deal with a dog that may have behavioural problems, lack of training or socialization issues. The fact if children are involved can also be a big factor on ones choice. I put a lot of time in at the shelters here, and I want to adopt (soon) but I have a multi-pet home and am frequently around young children and this makes it hard for me to find the right dog to adopt. Am I going to be eaten alive because I cant find the "right" dog at a shelter and don't want to put my family/pets in danger with one of the ones I have fallen in love with so far and that I have considered the possibility of a breeder??

Thats my two cents.

[VoodooJoint]

adoption isn't for everyone. You need to find the right dog, and not everyone may be experienced enough to deal with a dog that may have behavioural problems, lack of training or socialization issues.

Where do you think all of these severely mentally and genetically deficient pure breeds being dumped regularly come from? What about the purebreeds that receive no training and get dumped? How do you think they got into those homes? They were sold there. Do you think they come from outer space? They come from BREEDERS. Where do you think these "bad" breeders got their dogs or any other animal for that matter? Go ahead and trace those bloodlines some time and you will find that they all trace back to a "reputable" breeder.

If those "reputable" breeders would get off of their butts and actually do something to protect the animals they claim to love then maybe I would have a smidgen of respect for them. Instead I routinely see them blocking valuable laws from getting passed--laws that would help keep the "bad" breeders from doing what they do and keep animals from suffering. Why are the "reputable" breeders breeding when there are dogs of their chosen type dying in shelters and chocking up rescues?

How many times have people on this site complained about the rabbitries and caviaries they see online? Those set-ups are run by "reputable" breeders. What about the many people that show up here with inadequate housing, care and feeding habits that they said "the breeder" recommended?

Stop spreading the breeder and purebred vs. mutt myths. All you manage to do is to help kill animals in shelters and increase the overpopulation.

[Jennicat]

Angelgal, it seems like you don't have a lot of experience with shelters and their dogs. The majority of them, in my experience, do not have behavioral or socialization issues. They are family pets that have been abandoned. As far as lack of training, surely you can't suggest that a breeder puppy whelps knowing commands?

If a person is truly that fearful of picking a shelter dog with issues (though if they're that unknowledgable about dog issues in general, it is worrisome), they can go through a reputable rescue in the area. The rescues pull these dogs and evaluate them to make a good match. They won't give a rambunctious and bossy GSD to a meek dog owner with 3 small kids. I'm not sure what area you live in that all the shelter dogs eat children, but the rescues here have foster homes WITH children, and have plenty of dogs available that are "child tested" so to speak.

[3luckyducks]

Wasn't Obama getting "puppies" for his daughters as well? I wonder if he'll adopt or get from a breeder.

[dra&pigs]

Yes, Obama is looking into a dog for his girls, but since on of them, I believe its Malia, they are looking into a "hypoallergenic" dog. He wants to adopt, but he also needs to make sure the dog will not bother Malia's allergies very much.

[BrainDeadBuster]

What are the laws that breeders keep blocking from getting passed? I have not voted on anything like that that I can remember.

[VoodooJoint]

The laws and regulations are local, not federal. Laws such as requiring a permit to breed animals with a fee for each litter bred, requiring health testing for animals bred, mandatory spay/neuter laws, limits of animals per household/unaltered animals per household, stricter fines for unaltered animals running at large, the cessation of animals being sold in public venues (stores, flea markets, etc...), etc. These are the type of laws I'm speaking of. Most breeders are strongly against these regulations because it will cost them money and in the end that is what's most important. The suffering and death of millions of animals every year is of no importance to them. They obviously would rather the suffering continue if it's going to cost them some of their profit.

[BrainDeadBuster]

Do these laws effect farmers and their livestock?

[VoodooJoint]

The laws/regulations are usually worded to exclude "livestock" (with a legal definition is what is and isn't considered livestock attached).

These laws/regulations work in the same manner that laws keeping people living in city limits from having horses and cows in their backyards. In order to own "livestock" within most city limits you need to have a permit to allow it which means that you have to have enough space and adequate housing for the animal/s.

[BrainDeadBuster]

So everyone, no matter income or size of house would have the same limitations?

[VoodooJoint]

So everyone, no matter income or size of house would have the same limitations?

It depends on the regulation you are talking about. However, most laws pertain to all people no matter how much money they make.

I suggest you do some research yourself if you are interested in the subject.

[BrainDeadBuster]

Well, I would except I have no idea where to find these unnamed laws. What are they called?