IMPORTANT – AWARENESS – DON’T TURN A BLIND EYE – WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE
A new year. A time to look hopefully to the future.This year I hope we can seriously make head way with animal welfare.
Puppy farming has become far more publicly acknowledged, with newspapers and TV shows and articles occurring on a fairly frequent basis. There has also been a rise in the number of people prosecuted for puppy farming as well, which is a promising sign. Puppy farming needs to stop, and it would be fantastic if we could get the government to listen to this important animal welfare issue and bring in stricter laws and harsher punishments. I hope that with the help of other like minded people, we can help bring this about. If you are interested in helping this important cause there are a number of events occurring throughout the year, one of the big ones being Pup Aid, which will be happening in London and is…
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Conchita's Blog 
Posts like this break my heart. Severe allergies to all cats and most dogs limit my ability to foster – I have to know for sure what’s in the bloodline to be able to breath. But I check out breeders carefully, and only go to home breeders whose dogs are well socialized, happy and part of the family – and never bred every cycle.
I look at the darling little Shih Tzu who shares my life today and can’t stand the idea of that the lives of so many others are unthinkable. ALL for money? It makes me sick that humans can be so cruel.
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMore dot com)
– ADD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder –
“It takes a village to transform a world!”
Hi Madelyn,
Thank you for your input. Perhaps you could have the same checks done on a dog or cat that needs fostering/adopting as they do at the breeders you know. I personally don’t trust any of them and to be honest, even if they are good breeders the point is there are too many dogs that need a home, many of which came from good breeders too! Allowing breeders to continue to populate the earth is continuing to supply dogs that will 99% be abandoned somewhere down the line.
Whatever tests they do to know what’s in the “bloodline”, I am sure the same tests can be done for any other animal, paying of course. How would that even go? What do you mean exactly by what’s in the bloodline?
As far as I know there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic cat or dog even though there is a false belief going around that some breeds cause more allergies than others.
When people are allergic, it is to the proteins in the urine, saliva or dander. The actual fur itself isn’t an allergen but the urine, saliva, pollen and such that it collects would be the allergens. Which really means it has nothing to do with the bloodline. You have a Shih Tzu which you are OK with (yay!) but you could have it’s brother or sister and be allergic to them and the reason would be if there is a different protein in their urine or saliva or whether they have pollen, grass or another allergen they are bringing into the house with them that your Shih Tzu hasn’t been exposed to.
If I were you I’d have proper checks done by a specialist because you may in fact not be allergic at all OR it just so happens that your actual dog is not bringing home with them the things you actually are allergic to.
But, if it turns out you can’t foster or adopt, perhaps instead of giving your hard earned money to another breeder you could donate to shelters monthly and that would be a tremendous help to those poor animals who have no-one.
I always think of it this way… no animal in a shelter appeared out of thin air, they came from a breeder or were bred at home, either way, at some point in their life, someone thought they weren’t important enough to care for and that their lives meant nothing. Keeping this in mind I would never buy a dog again regardless of who the breeder is.
I hope this has been helpful to you and will perhaps clear up any indecisions you may have had at the back of your mind. But, whatever the outcome, I’m sure your baby Shih Tzu is happy with her Mamma and will give you love in return for many, many years. 😉🐶🐾
You make many important points – and I love you for your animal advocacy efforts. I wasn’t disagreeing, simply presenting a reason why some breeders are a godsend to those of us who want to live with an animal (or several), and have difficulties that the general population doesn’t have to contend with. Service dog breeders are another good example.
You are correct that there are no “hypoallergenic” dogs, but I have been a Shih Tzu mom for 30 years now, ever since I found my first when I was in grad school, only because the breeder suggested a week-long test run (I can tolerate many dogs symptom-free for several days before my airways close – and can push through the side-effects of allergy medication for a day or two to mitigate exposure to ALL cats – but I struggle to breath for longer periods).
I fell in love immediately, and agonized for the entire week that I might have to return the little thing none-the-less. NEVER wanting to go through that again, and loving the breed (which is also a good fit temperamentally with my attentional issues), I have stayed loyal. I have had no allergy problems as a result of my puppies (who sleep with me, btw). I simply can’t imagine getting over the guilt of returning a puppy if I discovered that I wasn’t able to tolerate the allergens – so disorienting to the poor thing to be bounced around.
Every breeder I have dealt with has a “return clause” in their contract: they insist on taking the dogs back if ever it turns out that the owner cannot continue to care for them – and they vet their placements carefully. I doubt that the Shih Tzus who end up in shelters come from THESE breeders. They make very little income to compensate them for the time and care they provide – they do it out of their love of the breed – not terribly different from ethical surrogate birth mothers.
I am on an adoption list to be considered for placement for any Shih Tzu who comes with purebred papers – for example, the beloved pet of a senior or as a result of a military posting that leaves the dog without a good home. I sincerely wish things were different, but that’s the best I can do in difficult circumstances. Tests are costly – an expense I cannot rationalize since they are not always accurate – and few shelters are eager to accommodate the time it takes (nor do they have to with this breed, especially).
I try to comment kindly with my point of view, because I don’t think we can say with impunity that ALL breeding programs are unnecessary. I am not the only person who would not be a candidate for those shelter dogs – any more than a responsible pet-owner living in a small apartment could take in a big dog who needs access to regular room to roam. Without these breeders, I would not have had the company of my dear little fur-kids over the years – and my life would be much less satisfactory as a result.
I join you in your censure of “puppy mills,” advocate for stronger laws, and weep for any animal who is not treated with kindness and love.
TinkerToy and I both thank you for taking on the issue.
xx,
mgh
Madelyn, I don’t know what I would do if I had your problem, seriously, to think I couldn’t snuggle up to my four babies or any dog that I meet would be intolerable to me. I have special bond to all animals, no matter what they are and of course my four dogs are my whole world, my hubby comes in a close second 😂. I hope I didn’t offend you because that was not my intention and I am glad that you have found breeders that have NOTHING in common with puppy mills, just the thought is nauseating. We humans have so much to learn.
When I meant that dogs end up in shelters even from the kind of breeders you mention, I don’t mean that the breeders have abandoned them, what I mean is that even the good breeders will sell their dogs to families who fit the bill and are good people, but many, somewhere down the road get rid of their pets, some even after 10, or 12 years, or because they have to move or because they have a baby. It’s NOT THE BREEDERS FAULT, it’s the adopters. You can never know what will become of each pet. Only time will tell. Unfortunately there are millions worldwide that prove this point and it breaks my heart.
I would go without food or live in a hut before I abandon an animal that I have taken into my home. I have seen some beautiful specimens at my local shelter, dogs that you just know cost a fortune when they were purchased, yet there they are, in a shelter and their owners are nowhere to be found.
One of my babies is a Llahsa Apso/Shih Tzu with only 3 legs that I adopted last year from my local shelter. She is a right little madam and is the queen of the castle, her name is MADI. Another of my babies is a Sausage dog mix who was about to be euthanised at the dog pound and I got him just in time so I named him LUCKY. My last and third adoption is a purebred Maltese born to some neighbours who for some reason put their pair al Maltese’s through this horrible experience time and time again and they don’t even sell the pups, they give them away, her name is DAISY. These are my three newest pups. My oldest is the remaining one from my original four. When the other three died, he got so depressed that is why I started looking into adoption. He is a purebred Yorkshire Terrier also born to a neighbour and friend where I used to live. He was 8 two days ago. His name is SCOOBY. He’s epileptic but otherwise healthy. He’s such a good sport towards his new brother and sisters.
I understand and share your need for their company, in my eyes, nothing can compare, but being a Vegan, in my heart I wish for all animals to be free, even my own, I wish humans would stop playing God and deciding who is born, who lives and who dies, do you know what I mean? I have learnt so much since becoming Vegan that I make it my life’s mission to help all the animals I can and spread the word.
Truly I hope you always have a loving pet to keep you company and give you unconditional love, because when God made the animals he made precious gems and we are fortunate to have them in our lives.
God Bless Madelyn! 🐶🌹