Why do people continue to breed?

Question

With the millions of dogs and cats that are euthanized every year due to over population, (yes, many of these are pure bred animals with papers) why do people still breed? And better yet why do people continue to buy from breeders when there are millions of pets that need homes? Has no one ever heard of petfinder.com?

Yes, I do believe in animals rights. No I'm not a wacko, as you so intelligently put it. (sarcasm!)
I have been a vet tech for 6 years, and have been a volunteer for 10 years with several humane societies and breed rescue groups. I've fostered hundreds of unwanted pets. And yes, many of them were pure bred and AKC registered.
At the moment I have 2 pure bred Chihuahuas, one long haired, one teacup who is registered. I also have a Daschund, and a Sheltie who is also registered.
These are all very popular breeds of dogs, yet ended up in shelters because their irresponsible owners no longer wanted to be bothered.
I also have 3 Great Pyrs that I'm fostering. These are wonderful, loving dogs that were found abandoned with many others from a breeder who no longer wanted to breed and moved away and left them behind.
You cannont tell me that you cannot find a pure bred dog through a rescue group!

Yes, I do believe in animals rights. No I'm not a wacko, as you so intelligently put it. (sarcasm!)
I have been a vet tech for 6 years, and have been a volunteer for 10 years with several humane societies and breed rescue groups. I've fostered hundreds of unwanted pets. And yes, many of them were pure bred and AKC registered.
At the moment I have 2 pure bred Chihuahuas, one long haired, one teacup who is registered. I also have a Daschund, and a Sheltie who is also registered.
These are all very popular breeds of dogs, yet ended up in shelters because their irresponsible owners no longer wanted to be bothered.
I also have 3 Great Pyrs that I'm fostering. These are wonderful, loving dogs that were found abandoned with many others from a breeder who no longer wanted to breed and moved away and left them behind.
You cannont tell me that you cannot find a pure bred dog through a rescue group!

Answer 1

Yes Petfinders is full of animals being produced by PM/BYB's !!! Why would you send people there looking for a family pet?

Yes I agree shelters/rescues are full of unwanted pets. If your looking for a family pet check out your local rescue or shelter. Petfinder and similar sites are full of scammers BEWARE !!

There really isn't much that can be done about controlling breeders. There are always those out there thinking they can make a fast buck and breed for all the wrong reasons.

I own Bulldogs, it's alarming that this breed is ranked 13th in litters registered through AKC . Why ?? Because Joe Q public thinks he'll get rich breeding them in mass quantities. It's the same with many other breeds. Now with all the new designer breeds popping up and in demand those numbers will/have sky rocketed.

Good question but I don't think all the preaching in the world will stop greed.

Answer 2

I can tell you why. Demand

The rescues will not adopt to anyone they deem imperfect. That excludes MANY good homes. Petfinder.com is overrun with animals that aren't really there or it's difficult at best to get info.

I can tell you from observation and experience why people don't get purebred animals from rescues and such. I know of several cases. One needed a guardian dog to protect some goats in central coastal California - they wanted a spayed or neutered Pyr from a rescue, had a fenced area with shelter and lots of love. They were denied - because the dog would not live in the house. The goats weren't in the house. The person went to another rescue of another breed and every time they expressed interest in a dog it was "just found a home". 5-6 times. In the mean time the need for a dog increased. It was finally determined - without ever visiting - that this was not a proper home so the people went out and got a dog elsewhere.
Situation #2 - older man with 70 acres, retired so he's home all the time...his Pyr passed away from cancer at 11 years old. He wanted a puppy, an all white male. Contacted a rescue and was told it wasn't a proper home. He went and bought a puppy from a breeder - an excellent home that could have taken a rescue. Their yard isn't fenced....they have a pen for the dog and whenever they're outside (most of the day) the dog is with them.

MANY are denied homes because both people work, or one doesn't work, or there isnt' a fenced area (dog would be inside except when working) or they're going to be working dogs or any number of other excuses. The fact is there ARE homes for many of those dogs but rescues and shelters deny the dogs a chance to have one. The questions on the "adoption" forms are clear indicators...personally I could never list every animal I've ever owned on those sheets. It doesn't mean there isn't a good home waiting here.
Many places reserve the right to take the dog back if they see something they don't like.

The other thing is people wanting a dog for a specific purpose - herding, working, showing - those dogs normally aren't at the shelters and rescues. With a purebred there is a reasonable expectation of size and other characteristics.
There are good homes out there...shelters won't let dogs go to them so breeders do.

crossbred dogs are often not better or healthier. If the parent breeds carry genetic defects they get a double dose of genetic defects. I have a mutt - and he'd grab someone faster than my purebreds. Yes he's neutered - and protective.

Answer 3

yes definately over populated with cats n dogs that need homes, and it is sad to think how many are out there that are stray, abandoned, or not cared about. My thoughts are like this regarding why keep breeding. Many and a large percentage of the animals that need homes are probably are not full blooded, or maybe not as popular as some. It seems to me that ppl or a majority of ppl would breed their dogs due to maybe a high demand of a certain type /kind or the most popular. They may do it for $$$ or to keep that certain breed going. I can give an example. ------I am such a chow chow lover. My previous chow,i had had for a few yrs til h came up missing. There was only one person i knew of who bred this type. It happened to be the on i got my chow chow from. He no longer breeds. I would like another. But not 1 person in my area or surrounding areas that ive checked so far breeds/sales chow chows. This type of dog suits me, im fond of, and still would not own another type of dog, wether it was fullblooded , mixed or stray. This is my preference. So in a way, when i do eventually come across a chow breeder, im goin to be glad that the breeding exhists. If everyone stopped breeding, wouldnt this perhaps eventually extinct the exhistance of many different types and kinds of dogs/animals?

Answer 4

Many people are not willing to do the little bit of research required to find a pet in need of a home. Others want only a puppy or kitten and not an adult animal. Some people breed animals for the love of the breed, they want to improve the quality of the animals they care about so much. Many, though do it only for the money and care little for the animals. Others are ignorant, and won't get their animals spayed or neutered causing unwanted litters(I've heard some people say they think its cruel).

Just as big a problem(and related to your question) is people allowing their cats to roam outside. It's risky to the cat's health, causes many cases of unwanted and/or feral kittens, and is detrimental to other wildlife. It's not right to risk your pet's life to cars, illnesses, and other animals.

Answer 5

If no one bred animals then no one would have pets...duh. You must be one of those ARA wackos. They dont want people to have pets, just think of the many people pets ( mainly dogs) help each year so if there werent people breeding a lot of people would be suffering.

There are many good responsible breeders out there...then there are a lot of backyard breeders.

Answer 6

You are preaching to the choir. Usually mixed breeds are healthier and have better temperaments too. I never heard of petfinder.com but have saved all our pets from desperate situations. ..from abandoned kittens to people who have just tired of them and were going to take their adult cats to the pound. They have been dear, loving pets and have brought warmth and laughter to our lives.

Answer 7

Because they want to preserve certain qualities in a dog/cat they find... attractive. They get good money too.

Answer 8

Same with children, the people who keep having them and can't afford them, Then there are those that have their own and adopt, etc. There are plenty of children to adopt.

Answer 9

Hmm.. Why do we continue to breed...
well first off it is damn better, and funner, and i am sure Animals don't realize that 30 million of their kin are being uthanized...

Answer 10

Oh, darn. I thought your picture was one of a goat and I got all excited.


Haha, sorry.

:D