Latest scary idea

[runamuk]

For all of you who breed dogs, check out the cute survey your puppy buyers could be filling out.

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=dogsurvey

or that person who just doesn't like you, or your biggest competitor, nothing like having your name on a hit list of sorts.

Oh but don't forget those who own animals and fill this out also have just voluntarily given their names to the people who don't want humans to own animals.

 

[tagalong]

runamuk - actually I think any way of trying to weed out the puppy mills is a start... I do not see a lot wrong with those surveys - not everyone who buys a puppy is even going to know that they exist. And if someone was simply "after you" - well they have to leave a viable contact email address or their complaint would not be considered - that is how these things work.

And the breeders/rescue organizations that do things the right way will be so noted... I am sorry - but I take a very dim view of the rampant careless breeding-only-for-profit-from-as-many-litters-as-possible that is going on all around us. Just this past week a "breed rescue" in this area that was more of a puppy mill was finally shut down. Filthy conditions... sick dogs - and yet the woman in charge was incensed that her rights were being violated and was sure that "jealous breeders" had passed along false rumours. Only - her place was like a concentration camp for dogs. She saw NOTHING wrong with it. Piles of feces? Puppies near death from bad flea infestations? Nope - nothing wrong with that - at all...

I helped a friend take her puppy to beginner's obedience this past week... and was dismayed to see a truly badly constructed, fearful and anxious Golden puppy with a large white patch on its chest wobbling around in an odd way. The owner insisted it was from championship lines - and the "breeder" had shown her pictures of the parents on the Westminster website. Yeeeeah riiiight. He paid almost $3000 :new_shocked: for a puppy that already seems to have problems - and is most definitely NOT from any caring "championship" breeder.

Another pup there was sweet and friendly... I thought it might have been a pet-quality Portie or some poodle cross... so we asked politely as we visited with him. Well - this one was a "registered" Australian Black Labradoodle (I kid you not!) and cost that person $2500. She got him from a "well-established" breeder who had bred Australian Black Labradoodles for over 20 years and won many Best in Shows with them. I wish I could have seen the look on my face... at least he was a sweet, bouncy guy...

If such surveys etc. would help shut down a massive sighthound and large breed "rescue" set up in California that lists dogs on Petfinder - including massive amounts of large breed cross (think borzoi x deerhound or Great Dane x wolfhound) PUPPIES that they produce - and yet they claim to be a Rescue only - GREAT! Puppies from this joint have been filthy, sick, wormy, disturbed, unsocialized, frightened and never handled extensively or ever put on a leash - despite all assurances to potential buyers that all puppies are healthy, well-socialized and assorted other mumbo-jumbo crap these "breeders" spew. Two entire websites are dedicated to documenting the horror stories that have come out of this place - and yet they carry on under the guise of rescue and a celebrity connection... should they be outted and complained about? YOU BET. I see nothing wrong with trying to shine a spotlight on such "dog-lovers"...

:

Those who do not want anyone to own dogs do not need to bother with such a list or surveys -they have ample access to "names" etc. via breed organizations/vets/dog sports clubs etc. Not that any of that will help them in their extremist quest...

 

[billiethekid40]

Oh but don't forget those who own animals and fill this out also have just voluntarily given their names to the people who don't want humans to own animals.

I think you have the SPCA confused with PETA. The SPCA is not the organization known for thinking that animals should not be kept as pets, that is PETA.

I couldn't get the page to load for me, so I haven't seen the survey, but i can't see it being a bad idea. if someone were going to fill out a survey just because they didn't like you, they would also bad-mouth you by word of mouth. I think the benefits here outweigh the risks of a few bad apples. If it gives people a chance to out the real bad breeders then it is at least a small step in the right direction. And as for having their names, like I said the SPCA isn't the organization to be worried about.

 

[Miniv]

It's actually a very poor survey.........How do you answer it when you have four dogs and got them through three of the five ways they list???

How many people do you know that only have ONE dog???

MA

 

[minisaremighty]

It's actually a very poor survey.........How do you answer it when you have four dogs and got them through three of the five ways they list???
How many people do you know that only have ONE dog???

MA

I thought it was a poor survey also, as one of my dogs was not acquired by any of their options. I got her at a livestock auction house from a guy who was giving them away after his border collie had accidentally been bred by a neighboring dog. Nowhere does it give you the option to answer if your dog was a result of an unplanned breeding.

 

[Reijel's Mom]

I am SICK TO DEATH of doing rescue in my "free time" (direct care for our local non-profit rescue group, fostering in my own home, spreading the word about animals in need, etc) but I do it for the animals and I sure don't see any end in sight. It's an EVERY SINGLE DAY COMMITMENT. For those who don't believe it's a problem, get on board with a rescue group in your area! Go to their meetings, get on their e-mail lists - see what they do first hand so you know that what they are doing is REAL, not a bunch of trumped up lies by PETA or whomever. I'd be HAPPY to put you on some of the e-mail groups I'm on. And I know for a fact that every single one of them is legit because I have BEEN THERE, I know the people that volunteer for these places, and I've met many of the rescues.

Something HAS to be done! If a simple survey is going to help cut down on some of the pet overpopulation problems, than GREAT! And YES there are way more pets in the US and I'm sure in other countries than there are homes for, so please don't bother to tell me that that is a lie and that it is just an "owner retention" problem. The two go hand in hand. If there were only responsible people breeding animals than folks that mistreat or abandon their animals would not be so easily getting their hands on one after the other, or happily go along breeding their own, handing them off to whomever will take them.

This survey doesn't look like it would take any reputable breeders out. And, the website did explain that you can take the survey more than once per the animals that you own.

 

[Minimor]

I guess I don't quite see how these surveys are supposed to help shut down puppy mills? How they will stop irresponsible owners from letting their dog get bred accidentally?

 

[mininik]

I'm not aware of any hidden agenda(s) of the ASPCA, BUT as someone else has pointed out, there are already dozens of ways for nuts to get this information. What's more, this little survey filled out by a few disgruntled puppy buyers and/or your competitors (IF they find it) is unlikely to touch a breeder's reputation. Take a look at the many lawsuits, BBB complaints, news reports, etc. filed against some of the top "breeders" and pet stores out there who are still going on (and quite successfully, too). It's really a shame!

 

[Reijel's Mom]

I guess I don't quite see how these surveys are supposed to help shut down puppy mills? How they will stop irresponsible owners from letting their dog get bred accidentally?

I don't know how this survey is going to stop any of the pet overpopulation problem at all, actually, and I'm not sure that is what it is even intended for. BUT - if they found a way to utilize it in a way that would decrease the pet overpopulation problem, I'm all for it.