UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
Let’s talk about man’s/woman’s best friend, the dog. The human-dog relationship goes back hundreds of thousands of years. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship. The particular dog gets food, shelter, and warmth from the campfire while humans benefit from the particular companionship, guarding, hunting, and herding abilities of the dogs. Human civilization couldn’t have evolved plus progressed this much without the dog, and that’s even an understatement.
The dog’s genetic make-up is so malleable that we have been able, in just several generations, to selectively breed for particular physical plus behavioral characteristics to further make the dog useful for specific purposes. Thus, we have various sizes, from tiny toys to massive mastiffs; different head and body shapes; various temperaments, from cuddly to fiercely protective; canines with long tails plus no tails, pricked or dropped ears, etc.
One thing should be clear. Dogs are now dependent on humans for their existence, having surrendered their own independence for our fostering in exchange for their intimate role in human endeavors. There have been many examples of dogs defending their particular humans at the cost of their own lives. Yet we see many instances of people mistreating canines to the point of cruelty and/or extreme neglect. This isn’t living up to the particular pact we made with our best friends eons ago.
The first Federation Cynologique Internationale and Federacion Canofila Mexicana (FCI-FCM) World Congress on Welfare and Health for Dogs Worldwide, which was held in Mexico City through Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 2022, tackled these concerns.
Among the topics discussed by distinguished speakers from across the world were responsible breeding (my topic in the particular congress), DNA testing with regard to inheritable diseases of dogs, illegal puppy farming, stray dogs, plus other health issues.
Due in order to the incessant and shrill demands associated with animal-rights activists, governments all over the world have enacted dog legislation to the point of banning specific breeds associated with dogs. This is the challenge to conscientious breeders who strive to breed of dog healthy purebred dogs fit for their functions, whether it be policework, hauling loads through snow, rescue-drug- contraband detection, or just companionship, which is so vital inside this day and age of alienation and loneliness.
Yet these types of activists and governments are missing the point. Responsible pureblood dog breeders are not the enemy. They are actually allies in promoting dog health plus welfare. The national kennel clubs where these dog breeders belong have got rules and regulations on proper animal husbandry, follow strict guidelines on mating healthy dogs, and hold conformation and sporting events in order to assess reproduction stock for fitness or function.
The real enemies are the illegal puppy farms and backyard pup mills that breed dogs indiscriminately in horrible conditions. These unscrupulous entities skimp on basic health requirements such as puppy vaccinations, proper nutrition, socializing, plus good animal husbandry. The puppies produced in these farms are sent to pet shops to be sold to unsuspecting customers. Many become very sick from abysmal conditions in addition to lack of basic care, and even the buyers end up paying huge veterinary bills only to have their puppy dog die, truly a heartbreaking event. There are reports of these dogs coming down with rabies, thus posing public wellness risks for this deadly affliction.
Another facet of these doggie farms is the collusion with certain animal “welfare” organizations that operate dog shelters with the slogan, “adopt, don’t shop. ” In fact, the particular puppies they offer for “adoption” were bought from puppy farms. These dog shelters, far from being benevolent champions associated with dog welfare, are actually commercially-run businesses themselves which charge hefty “adoption” fees to make the adopters feel good that will they are doing a good deed. These entities also run smooth public-relations campaigns that net them loads of money from well-meaning dog lovers’ generous donations.
Meanwhile, they vilify typically the conscientious breeders, who adhere to strict sets of rules in breeding limited numbers of litters, primarily to show dogs with regard to evaluation regarding breeding stock. They offer well-bred, healthy puppies for sale. Responsible breeders spend large sums of money in order to acquire good breeding share, provide great and clean quarters, buy the highest-quality canine foods, and get the very best veterinary care regarding their canines with up-to-date vaccinations.
The particular disinformation of which infests this internet about dog ownership is furthermore to blame for this state of affairs. It’s high time we reverse often the narrative along with a well-planned public-relations campaign to counter the lies, highlighting the best practices involving responsible dog breeders who belong to national run clubs together with contrasting these with your above-mentioned modus operandi connected with the dog farms-dog shelters cabal.
National governments have to be educated on these matters. The animal-rights activists have cornered the exact conversation together with legislators. Typically the national kennel clubs should gear upward by establishing committees upon dog legislation and ensuring that the lawmakers are given the correct information through ethical lobbying. Otherwise, there will be hell to pay for the true champions of doggy welfare.
(Dr. LO is a purebred dog fancier for the past 52 years. )
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