I don't exactly live in the "boonies" at the moment, but the problem is actually less in places like that because there are fewer people in more agricultural areas. The problem comes closer to the small towns where certain laws concerning animals aren't priority-mainly leashing. This allows animals to run around and do as they please. The South historically has higher rates of poverty and lower income households (mainly due to the coal industry and agricultural roots). This higher concentration of lower income families who cannot afford neutering and so forth allows for the animal populations to get out of control. That isn't exactly the problem of overbreeding that has been eluded to since people aren't choosing to breed the animals, the animals just aren't being controlled.

The area I live in now (towards the mountains) has less of a problem with what I just mentioned than the area I came from. You just don't see as many dogs running around wild here-I'm not sure if it's due to the mountains, more species of wildlife, or just stricter enforcement of laws and neutering. Areas like this are areas that house more breeders, but the types of breeds being bred here are mainly limited to a few varieties.

Honestly, I don't understand why shelters charge so much in adoption fees in areas that have problems like this. I have seen people whose animals have a litter simply give the pups away for free. People are much more likely to want free animals than pay for animals from a shelter (at least the lower income families I mentioned). I don't think this is anything bad on their part-they aren't purposefully encouraging certain breeding issues. I also don't think that families should be excluded from enjoying the happiness that animals bring to a home simply because they aren't as affluent or as knowledgeable as other families.

The only reason I'd want to breed my animals is that I enjoy them. I like the breed quite a bit. I've not found any Peke breeders in this area because they aren't a popular breed here. Many members of my family have fallen in love with the breed too, but they've not found any Pekes to adopt. I'm sure when I say I'd possibly like to "breed" my animals one day makes some think that I'd be breeding my animals twice a year and selling off litters of 7, 8, 9 pups...that isn't the case. I'd likely not breed them often....and like I've stated, I've not decided either way yet.