Beautiful bunnies!
I had a grey lop named Snuffy. He was a sweet guy!
Operah doing a show on puppymills
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I agree. I think it was a very positive show & I hope people now try to get better laws to govern puppy mills in their states after seeing the conditions that are actually legal!
I also agree, they touched on responsible breeders & mentioned that you should always go visit the breeders before buying a puppy to know the living conditions that the mom is kept in. All in all a great show that I hope sparks movement for better treatment of dogs being used for breeding!
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Oh I am just watching right now about a place that kills 40 animals PER DAY…just sickening. It was SO sad to watch, there was one dog just struggling to avoid being brought into the room, just heart-breaking. And you imagine the guy that has the job of condeming all the dogs the night before, can you imagine how you must feel going home from work day after day knowing what you did all day long...its gotta be awful. I just tuned in right now, so I am not sure what else was shown, but it makes me want to go grab Tosca and just cuddle her up!
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And actually if you go to Oprah.com and look at the section about the show today, there is a link on there that talks about responsible breeders as well.
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I have worked in the killing room at the shelter and it is just heartbreaking.
Most of us go into rescue to help dogs and killing dogs is awful, tho is does happen very quickly for the dog, and if your calm, a lot of stress on the dog is avoided…
but having this shown on Oprah helps because maybe it will wake up those who think its ok to breed "just because they have an intact dog". Ie puppymillers or bybs.
Also, those of you who have seen this dog being killed will understand when I "go off" of folks who don't want to spay/neuter pets.
Having done that, I can tell you, the idea of someone being "stupid on toast" is totally unacceptable. Hopefully, this show will help folks decide to get the pets fixed and get the dogs they love from responsible breeders.
I think its wonderful she did this, and hopefully, others will follow her lead! -
Too bad that they had on the person from HSUS. They are the biggest pushers of the mandatory spay/neuther laws that all the states are being pressed into passing. This doesn't address most of the biggest reasons that dogs wind up in shelters… and will NOT fix the problem... help it, of course... the right thing to do for people... YES!!!.. solution for the problem... NOT...
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Laws won't work, but Pat, we do need folks who have 2 dogs who are just pets to get them fixed.
Even if they are "purebred" pet quality, they need to do the right thing and have those animals fixed.
I did like the show.
I wished they had promoted quality breeders more, but all in all, it was a start. -
I thought it was good too. I missed part of it though…but I DID catch the president of the HSUS clearly say that responsible breeders are NOT the problem. And the leader of 'Main line rescue' corrected Oprah, in that buying a puppy from a responsible breeder is not a problem.
I can understand that Oprah may feel that she never wants to get a dog from anything other than a shelter again...that is her perogative. It peeved me a little that she suggested that everyone else should do the same...I guess that would be great if almost everybody in major metropolitan areas wants pit bulls or bully mixes.
And yeah, Sharron...you are right...your average pet owner needs to spay and neuter, no question about it. You wouldn't believe how many of my clients in the rural parts of our area have no idea why it would be a good idea to fix their pets! It isn't that they plan on breeding them (some do) but they just don't know why they should spend the money.
There is a large section of the US population (probably not in the Bay Area) that just don't understand how and why unfixed animals affect pet overpopulation, nor do they care. Maybe coming from Oprah, they will hear the message.
But..yeah...more education...less legislation....
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I thought the show was good too, it was just so sad to see that place in Fort Worth…I wish I had seen more of the beginning of the show. Tonight while taking a walk I actually encountered someone who said, "Hey thats a Basenji!" He had had one when he was young. I was totally impressed and excited until he said I should breed them cause I could make lots of money. I said, no I don't think that would work, cause she is spayed and anyway I wouldn't want that responsibility and our house would not be good (no fenced in yard, etc). His next comment was, " well you could just keep them in a shed or garage or something and only breed in the summer." I am like are you kidding? Just the thought of putting my adorable, cuddly little Tosca banned to a garage for shed for breeding is horrible. That conversation ended quickly.
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We will have to educate folks one person at a time I think.
It just makes me sad that we have some "so called" educated folks who think its ok to breed for pets.
NOT breeders who find the best dog, add the best bitch and then have litters who are placed before they are born…but the ones who have a
dog and think, yea, lets have puppies.
Sigh.
I guess its like rescue, we work on saving one dog at a time.
Education the public, well, that is also one person at a time.
I wish both were a "quicker" fix. -
Laws won't work, but Pat, we do need folks who have 2 dogs who are just pets to get them fixed.
Even if they are "purebred" pet quality, they need to do the right thing and have those animals fixed.
I did like the show.
I wished they had promoted quality breeders more, but all in all, it was a start.I agree people need to spay/neuter.. and not just people that have more then one dog… intact one dog owners are just a likely to have a "surprise" opps... from a neighborhood dog...
As far as the President of HSUS... he talks a good story, and even though he claims "responsible breeders" are not the problem, why is it then that he promotes restrictions on breeding by responsible breeders along with 500.00 to even keep your dog/bitch intact per year? As in CA1634 that you can bred ONCE a dog and bitch and then you have to spay neuter...
Laws are not the way to go.... and it is good that the public sees "puppymills" and were these pet store puppies come from... but in the end it is education... and the fact that we are a "throw" away country... buy and dump...
I agree it it a start however....
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Pat, your right, folks who should know sometimes have "oops" litters. Then dump them..
I know of a breeder questionable who has one oops every year!
I don't think people who are new to the breed realize how much b's, when they come into season, want to "make puppies".
Some, well, they just use it as an excuse.
For me, working with the general public, having a fixed dog is what they should have.
I am hopeful that some of the folks who come into b's with "ideas" of having litter for "friends" can be educated out of it…
But I have to tell you, I am getting more and more jaded to think these folks will learn. Seems they like to be uneducated.
Its a "want what I want" now society, and someone like me, picks up the "litters' who are unwanted.
Sorry, just having a bit of "down" now... -
Pat and Sharon, I don't think it's just the new breeders anymore. I'm seeing more and more established and elderly breeders breeding litters every year because they have "puppy people" but are not even breeding to improve the breed, just breeding because "this dog and this bitch are available". It makes me very angry when I have been researching for a long time on what dog is right for my bitch and what dog compliments and can better my bitch's features and then these other people breed because they have "puppy people". I hope you understand what I am saying. I'm not trying to rag on any one person, but the collective group.
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Pat, your right, folks who should know sometimes have "oops" litters. Then dump them..
I know of a breeder questionable who has one oops every year!
I don't think people who are new to the breed realize how much b's, when they come into season, want to "make puppies".
Some, well, they just use it as an excuse.
For me, working with the general public, having a fixed dog is what they should have.
I am hopeful that some of the folks who come into b's with "ideas" of having litter for "friends" can be educated out of it…
But I have to tell you, I am getting more and more jaded to think these folks will learn. Seems they like to be uneducated.
Its a "want what I want" now society, and someone like me, picks up the "litters' who are unwanted.
Sorry, just having a bit of "down" now...I think I "know" that Opps breeder that you are talking about.. and too bad too, cause they had/have a good mentor…. sigh.... and yes, some people use it as an excuse.. period
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Pat and Sharon, I don't think it's just the new breeders anymore. I'm seeing more and more established and elderly breeders breeding litters every year because they have "puppy people" but are not even breeding to improve the breed, just breeding because "this dog and this bitch are available". It makes me very angry when I have been researching for a long time on what dog is right for my bitch and what dog compliments and can better my bitch's features and then these other people breed because they have "puppy people". I hope you understand what I am saying. I'm not trying to rag on any one person, but the collective group.
I hear ya…. but on the other hand.. think of it this way.. if they do have puppy people (and good homes) and they are health testing, breeding good temperaments, have contracts, take back pups... honestly... I am not sure I have much of a problem with that... if the people getting pups are getting healthly, well socialized pups... that is a good thing... and still, think about.. they might be breeding cause they have puppy people... but I would venture to bet they are still not making money.. if doing it right...
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Let me add to that.. elderly breeders.. that is a problem IMO… unless they have made arrangements with someone to look out for these pups if they are gone.... like do they have a person that they have mentored?.. and may be a co-breeder and can step in if necessary?....
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Arlene made a good point. Pat, you as well…
Breeding for breeding SAKE, isn't good enough any more.
This breed of ours is special in my mind anyway.
We have the new blood to make this breed healthy.
YOU all good breeders have done the improvement to the temperments..
Now, with the health testing and the knowledge. I can see Basenjis breeders being the top of the line re dog and their pups!
If its done right.
I know we will always have the "stupid" ones.
I will always have a job in rescue...sigh
Good breeders will always be paying for the "other bad" breeders who don't do thing "right" so folks want to make Laws to punish...
But we are all so very close to making our dogs happy and heathy.
I want to make this work.
That is why its so hard to be kind to those stuck in the thinking, I have a dog I can breed mindset. -
I have to say that I cried several times during that show. I really cried when they showed the dog being put down and then the garbage bags going into the dumpster. I think back on the day when I was young and stupid and thought that a dog that I took to the pound would surely be adopted. It rips me apart just thinking about what I did way back when. I just didn't understand the dog. I'm not that way now of course but this show really tore me up. I can't believe that we just throw dogs and cats away like that. It just makes me sick.
I will still play with the basenji puppies I see in pet stores and try to give them info about Bs but I will never buy a puppy from a pet store again. I'm ashamed that I live in a state that allows puppy milling to go on, and go on in such a huge scale.
I got my current two Bs from reputable breeders.
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please excuse my emotional outburst in the previous post. I had just finished watching the Oprah show and was pretty traumatized. I'm glad it showed and now maybe people will think twice. I just hope it works.
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Don't worry, I was the same way watching the show. I made the mistake of watching while eating supper, and it literally made me almost throw up, it was just so sad and sickening. 40 dogs, everyday, just at that facility. I don't feel as horrible for those who were very sick, or feral and not living much of a life anyway (although it was sad they got into those positions in the first place), but it was heartbreaking to see the dogs that were killed just for "space." And that was just at that facility…imagine how many are killed all over each day. And I am not usually one who gets incredibly emotional when it comes to animals...so to have that get to me shows how horrible it is. I hope it makes people think too, although of course there is going to be no quick solution.
I then was stupid and went online to look up the shelter to see just how many dogs are really there...and it brought me to petfinder...and I could see the dogs available...big mistake...made me want to take a road trip down there, pick em all up and find them homes...I should have known nothing good could come from looking them up in the first place...just so sad! -
I watched the show this afternoon, I cried when they showed the dogs they had to euthenize. I just hugged Chase a little tighter and reached over to scratch Zahra (she was squirrel watching at the window). My heart just broke over having to put down those beautiful animals.
Overall I think Oprah did a great job, I hope she does more follow up episodes where maybe she can spotlight rescue groups such as BRAT.
