Originally posted by wolfie
Yes, these people are all involved in adding to the problem of dog overpopulation, and homeless dogs. But so are breeders, and so are people who relinquish their dogs to rescues. If you think others should care more about dog overpopulation, why don't you set a good example?

I like this:
http://www.shilohproject.org/Lettertobreeders.htm
I read the article; it makes some good points, but misses the mark on breed custodianship. Though she said she had "researched it," the author lacks a clear understanding of all that entails.

Did you read the statistics she provided?

7-8% come from commercial breeders, many of which are filthy and cruel puppy mills that contribute the sickliest dogs to the population.
If 7-8% of the total population is created by breeders, and a significant portion of those are "puppy mills," then perhaps 5% of dogs are bred by legitimate breeders. Their contribution to the problem, using her own figures, is miniscule.

Besides, these are the dogs we want. There are breeds well worth preserving and the dedicated people who raise them are the custodians of the destiny of those breeds. That is an awesome responsibility and one not taken lightly.

BTW, there are no "backyard" or "puppy mill" greyhound breeders. They are far too expensive and demanding to raise and train to be bred on the cheap by amateurs. They aren't raised to a cute puppy age and sold quickly with little invested, but to 18 months by which time they have consumed vast amounts of food and had great numbers of hours of individualized training by professional trainers. A track-ready dog costs $3500 to $50,000 dollars. You can't mass produce that or do it cheaply.

Look, I love dogs. I love my brother's Bullmastiffs. I love my neighbor's crazy Jack Russell. I love my other neighbor's sweet, sweet Basset Hound. I pet everyone's dogs, purebred or mixed, we meet on our walks. I understand the desire to want to save them all, but making greyhound racing or AKC purebreds the whipping boy for pet overpopulation is seriously misplaced.

We're looking for more homes for 3,000 dogs who will be adopted by people who want a greyhound, not another purebred or a mix. That's my mission---it's just that simple.