....or at least their bank accounts with heavy fines. Every week in the United States, thousands of HEALTHY dogs and cats in municipal and private shelters are put to sleep. In fact, over FOUR MILLION dogs alone are killed every year....FOUR MILLION! That should sicken any decent human being. These unfortunate animals would have been spared if people had opened their hearts and homes to them.

Where did they all come from? Why aren't more of them adopted? While a lot of these dogs are the result of strays having litters, a HUGE percentage of the blame can be laid on the doorsteps of owners that don't have their animals fixed, puppy mills that breed diseased, genetically-flawed, inbred animals, and backyard breeders who create the same flawed purebreds as well as "designer" mutts. These despicable people ply their filthy trade without regard to inbreeding, or various breeds' known genetic weaknesses and/or personality traits. And they do this solely to enrich themselves at the expense of the dogs in their care....or what passes for "care" in this shadowy world of abuse.
 
Puppy mill owners churn out thousands of low-quality dogs that oftentimes cost their new owners thousands of dollars in vet bills, only to be euthanized when it becomes obvious they can't be saved. According to USA Today, in November of 2007, authorities seized 1000 dogs from just one mill in Hillsville, Virginia. But puppy mills are everywhere. Five states are considered hotbeds of puppy mill operations: Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Indiana and Virginia. Many of these canine concentration camps are run by or brokered by (shockingly enough) the Amish. Sounds like it's time to start boycotting Amish goods until Amish elders put an end to this appalling situation.

Like the animals in other mills, many of the poor Hillsville dogs had been kept in tiny, slat-bottomed cages (often forced to stand and lay in feces and urine) for so long they didn't even know how to walk on solid ground. Puppy mill dogs rarely receive any vet care, and the females live their entire lives in tiny cages, forced to give birth twice a year. It's usually a short life, ended with a bullet in the head when their health has been ruined to the point that they can no longer produce two litters per year. Meanwhile, the greedy, unscrupulous mill owners regularly and knowingly sell diseased and terminally ill dogs to the unwary....both in private transactions, and to pet stores. Don't let those pet store owners mislead you, they know exactly where the dogs are coming from....the high-volume puppy mill operations.

Backyard breeders contribute to the sorry state of affairs by (like the mills) breeding their pedigreed (an non-registered) purebred animals with no concerns as to breed flaws, personalities, or close bloodlines. Indeed, these vile people inbreed their animals on a regular basis, insisting that it's "ok" to do so. In the wild, animals rarely mate with close family members. Imagine that....those "dumb" animals are smart enough to avoid inbreeding, while puppy mill owners and backyard breeders continue to whine that it makes no difference. In the face of their overwhelming greed, it's not surprising that these morally objectionable low lifes would take such a stand.

Backyard breeders come in two types, the ones mentioned above, and the ones that deliberately create hybrids, the so-called "designer" dogs.

Designer mutts are also created by some puppy mills, but a great many are the ethically bankrupt work of individual backyard breeders. Like the cruel puppy mill owners, and the backyard breeders of inbred pedigreed dogs, the people who produce the designer mutts often inbreed their animals....father to daughter, mother to son, sibling to sibling. Once again, the practice is done solely in the name of greed. "Designer dogs" are big business, and make no mistake, they are also MUTTS.

Backyard breeders of "designer" dogs are known to hide behind claims that they are creating new breeds, which they hasten to add, will be recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) any day now. Don't fall for that self-serving lie. Backyard breeders have been cranking out so-called "cockapoos" since the 70's, and the AKC still has no plans to recognize this "breed". If "cockapoos" have not been officially recognized in nearly forty years, the chances some of these other crosses will be, are slim to none.

"Wait", cries the backyard breeder, "the CKC (Continental Kennel Club) does recognize my labradoodle." No, it doesn't. The CKC registers purebred dogs ONLY. The CKC's bylaw number six states that the CKC accepts registration applications based on the honor and integrity of the applicant....two attributes that backyard breeders do not possess in abundance. That said, the CKC is rather lax when it comes to verification of purebred status.

All that is required for a dog to be CKC registered is three pictures of the dog, and the signatures of two witnesses who will attest to the canine's pure bloodlines. It doesn't take a genius to see the possibilities for fraud that this loose system of "proof" generates. In fact, with those "tough" requirements, the CKC could unknowingly register a sewer rat.

How big a problem is the issue of "designer" mutts? It's HUGE! A casual search through two months of ads in my local paper, The Indianapolis Star, turned up listings for SIXTY-SEVEN designer dog "breeds". Lest anyone be fooled into thinking that these were the results of "accidental" matings, looking for someone to adopt them, just check out the prices listed.

The American Cat Fanciers Association   http://www.acfacats.com/
P.O. Box 1949
Nixa, MO 65714-1949 
Phone: (417) 725-1530
Fax: (417) 725-1533

TO EVERYONE WHO HAS HAD THEIR PETS SPAYED OR NEUTERED.....THANK YOU!  You are part of the solution rather than part of the problem.  IF you would like to do more to help make our world a better place for dogs and cats, PLEASE do so by making a tax deductible donation to the Humane Society, the ASPCA, or any of your local animal shelters. Additionally, you can donate your time, extra towels or blankets, food, and other supplies to those same organizations.  Make a phone call....find out what is on a shelter's wish list.

THANK YOU for investing the time to read this blog.
Ann Topmiller