I came across this topic. It seems that spay and neuter programs have done so well that the number of shelter dogs has gone way down and since they clammped down on puppy mills, its harder to finds new dogs.
Here is the story.
It basically says the USA needs about 8 million new dogs per year.
I will say I have seen fewer ads for people wanting to give away free puppies and many sought after breeds like bulldogs are quite expensive.
What do you all think?
I think the pound is full every time I visit.
Exactly, there are plenty of dogs available for adoption.
Here is the solution.
I can’t think of any problem to which this is not a good solution.
That’s not true here in South Arkansas. Occasionally the shelter I visit has taken truck loads of dogs to the north. I assume the shelters there are lacking pups and are willing to take some from here. That’s a good thing. IMO.
Agree. Shut the internet down.
When my wife and I were shopping for a dog, the local shelter had mostly just pit bulls. We were lucky in that a cocker spaniel/chihuahua mix showed up right on the day that we were looking and we snatched her up right away. But mostly it seems there were not many desirable dogs available in the entire city, especially among the smaller breeds.
Well, I can’t imagine, then, why Today’s Veterinary Business magazine would be worried that the country doesn’t have enough dogs.
There’s an imbalance, yes. Some places have fewer dogs to pick from, or a smaller breed selection, and all this is cultural.
Places that are mainly white, educated, middle-class, are where most people spay/neuter or don’t breed their dogs. There has also been a huge shift in the way the general public views registered purebred dogs, which since the Victorian era have had a lot of cachet (the purebred dog industry had a lot to do with its own decline). Now, the cool thing to do is "rescue’. If that is your aim, you are going to be dependent on the stream of puppies produced by the non-middle-class and non-educated and non-white. Mostly those are going to be pit bull types, random mutts, and rather misshapen toy breeds.
In poor areas dogs and puppies are dumped out of cars on deserted roads all the time. ALL the time.
In the middle class, there is such a desire to feel virtuous about “saving a life” that street dogs are now imported from Mexico among other places, for adoption in the US. This is causing concern because these dogs are bringing in interesting parasites and diseases not normally seen here.
Nothing simple about the dog thing.
Pibbles are perfectly desirable dogs.
From the article:
Does it? It would seem to me that there’s an additional 777,000 dogs being euthanized and another 777,000 being shuffled out of the shelters to make room. If my public school math isn’t failing me, that’s over 1.5 million dogs extra. Granted, not all of those dogs are going to be adoptable for various reasons but the answer really doesn’t seem to be “we reached peak adoption capacity at 2.6 million”
Anyway, they’re dogs. If we need more dogs, they’ll produce more dogs. That’s what dogs do.
It’s not really a problem because very few people actually NEED a dog and there are way more than enough for those that do. A dog is a luxury item. Saying that there isn’t enough water in Phoenix, that’s a problem. Saying that there aren’t enough Teslas to go around is not, it’s an inconvenience for a few people. So, saying that there aren’t enough dogs is an inconvenience, not a problem. It’s one that will resolve itself. If there’s a scarcity, then prices will rise and more people will breed dogs. You’ll end up paying more for Spot, but if the price is high enough, you’ll simply forego getting Spot and get a cat instead or go without a pet. Problem solved.
We need about 8 million new dogs? Actually need them?
I rescued a dog and I really like him, but I don’t NEED him.
I am tempted to say I’d love to see the price of dogs go to $50 a pound, because maybe people would think twice about adopting such a great animal. But then it would only incentivize production. Not sure whether it’s preferable for the supply to come out of a puppy mill or off the streets.
Let’s keep spaying and neutering, increase regulations on puppy mills, and have more aggressive enforcement against dogfighting. That’s my best idea.
The North Little Rock shelter is begging people to take dogs so they won’t have to euthanize them.
Jesus, there are plenty of dogs available if you just look around. Try adopting a greyhound, for God’s sake.
But what if I dont WANT a greyhound or any dog at the shelter? What if say I want a corgi? Why cant I buy one from a breeder?
Who says you can’t? You’ll just be more at the mercy of supply and demand.
You can buy a Corgi from a breeder. Just investigate the breeder. Ask for references and call them. I bought my Yorkie from a ‘trusted’ local-ish breeder. I obviously got a Yorkie. She is small, cute with long flowing locks. I asked for a pet, not a show dog. I love this dog, she’s going on 5yo. But, a big but, she’s dumb as a doorknob. Seriously impaired. At first she was just a sweet baby. It took a solid 2 years to potty train. I still watch her like a hawk. You get what you pay for. Buyer beware.
The reason that many of these puppy mills are being shut down is not because we have too many dogs, and we need to limit the supply, but that many of these places were engaging ins some very abusive practices.
I work with a puppy mill rescue group, and we get mothers who are only 5 or 6 years old, but seem like teenagers in their health, having had nearly a dozen litters.
Their new owners often talk about how the reacted when they saw the sky for the first time.
Even if you don’t care about the conditions and abuse, you should still care that the dog you get from a puppy mill is likely to be inbred and have many health issues and a poor quality of life. i see many dogs with twisted limbs and wonky legs, making them being able to get around problematic. We have had a few puppies come in that have had to had their legs broken and reset by veterinarians, due to their deformities from birth. We even have one goldendoodle that has no sockets in his hips. He can barely get around, and it seems as though he is often in pain from simply standing.
How much did you want that Corgi?