How can we convince people that there is an overpopulation?

Question

How can we convince people that there is an overpopulation?

Answer 1

There is nothing you can do to convince the uneducated. The best thing someone can do before deciding to breed their dog is go look at the homeless animals at a shelter.

Answer 2

They are probably already aware of this problem, these breeders breed not for the welfare of the dogs but for cash.

Answer 3

The interesting part of this debate stems from where you live.



In certain parts of the U.S., believe it or not there ISN'T a pet overpopulation problem. Many areas - particularly the east coast and New England have a shortage of nice, purebred dogs to adopt in their shelters. I'm not saying we should favor purebred dogs either, I'm just stating what I know to be true.



There are many rescues that ship dogs to the east coast where there are waiting lists to adopt.



THIS is a huge leap forward. We need to convince other areas of the country to follow this model. But, when you consider that area, it's very very urban. They have a different outlook on animals than the midwest, where they are considered livestock.



In addition, no breeder is going to stop producing their "product" when there is so much money to be made. This is more true with the designer dogs than purebreds. Many of those designer dogs cost more than their purebred parents.



We as dog advocates must keep spreading the work and educating the public. POLITELY.



With the invention of petfinder, more animals have a chance at a new life than ever before.



Things ARE better - but we have a very long way to go.

Answer 4

You'd think that facts spoke for themselves, wouldn't you? But that's not the case. I honestly don't know how we can get through to these close-minded people. Maybe tell them to go and look at the shelter's 'death row' dogs?

Answer 5

Force them to watch dogs and cats be euthanized at the pound. After that I wonder if they still think breeding is a good idea.

Answer 6

You're not going to convince the backyard greeders or the puppymills as long as there is a MARKET for the pups.



The key is to educate people about the best ways to buy pups/dogs and shut down the market. They won't stop breeding until it costs them more to breed than what they can bring in in $$.



The other component to it is to ENCOURAGE responsible breeders to actually BREED dogs. So that when people WANT a dog there actually is one to buy. My last litter, now 16 months old, I sold a pup to someone who had been on another breeder's waiting list with a $500 deposit for *2* years. She lost her deposit with that breeder because she only wants one dog. 2 years is too long to have to wait for a well bred dog -- and most people will turn to a backyard breeder well before then.



As far as whether there is overpopulation or not... The real issue is not whether people are breeding dogs and producing pups--- the real issue is a LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY on the part of the owner. Either in buying a dog and then not training it, buying a breed of dog that doesn't fit their lifestyle AND buying a dog from a source that does not have a mandatory return policy should the dog require re-homing. At any point, had the OWNER as well as the breeder been responsible, the dog would not have ended up in a shelter.



Europe does not have the same issues with dogs in shelters that we do. Some progressive European nations have laws that DO NOT ALLOW alteration of animals (including spay/neuter). What is the difference, why do we have this problem here in the US??? Lack of RESPONSIBILITY!!!!

Answer 7

I hate this. It's so hard to change people of their ways, even when it's so important that they do. I hate how people think it's horrible to fix your dogs, or even to let them have a litter first to experience motherhood. Not only does getting your dog fixed help keep the homeless population down, but it's so much healthier for the dog. You could try educating them with cruel tactics, such as seeing the effect over population has on these poor animals. Show them the abused, starved and dying animals that are found on the street or even in their neighbors homes. This would effect some, but so many people are in it for the money...even if they say it's for the love of the dog/breed.



Most towns or vets can work on a lower rate depending on your income if that's a problem for some. There's so many stray cats, I really thing everyone should get at least one stray cat and get it fixed. Same thing for dogs. It's so sad really that some people can't see the effects that their actions are causing.

Answer 8

EDUCATION. That is the only way. Many backyard breeders do not realize what they are doing because they are uneduacted about the situation. If the would learn the truth, many would have their dogs fixed. Maybe I have to much faith in the goodness of most people though....

Answer 9

Hey Lucy!



You really can't convince BYB because as others have wrote, all they see is the $$$$ signs.

I don't even think taking them into shelters for them to see first hand how crowded they are or even making them watch animals get euthanized would have any affect on them because the don't care about the animals.

All they care about is the money.

As for the lady you referred to. She actually thinks its a "terrible curse" to fix your dogs?!?

So, it would be way better to have your dog get pregnant and die during the birthing process or have to undergo an expensive C-section and long recovery or die because of the operation? Or have your dog wind up with uterine or testicular cancer?

AGH! How stupid can one person be?

Answer 10

You will never convince them, why, well because they are in it for the money and not the love of the dog, that is why.



people like you mentioned, do not have a clue as to what they are doing, and this is really causing an overload on the shelters and rescue clubs.



today, we had 3 female GS purebred, be brought in all with new litters, the pups per the vet and I could see that, they were only about 4-5 days old,, eyes closed, dirty and the mothers were starved, someone chained them all to their dog box, put out dirty bowls of water, they had no food, and the pups were all up trying to get milk from mom, she had very little, they immediatley put all three on iv drips, and started putting food down, they took all of 1 minute to eat the entire pan, when I left last night, the pups were warm, and cleaned up, and all the moms were cleaned up as well, no shot tags, so the vets began the task on the moms, moms and pups were all doing fine when I left, and all three litters were being bottle fed, till moms could get milk again.



bless their hearts, this the product of back yard breeders, the neighbors told investigators, the house has been empty for over a year, but they come once a week to feed the dogs and have always kept them bred to sell the pups.



needless to say, this is one place that is shut down, and they cant have the dogs back.



some really good females, just really skinny...and the pups are beautiful, and you can tell they are pure breds.



so, no matter how many work to save dogs, this will continue due to the puppy mills and back yard breeders.



I am worn out trying to bust these places, and the more that is busted, 10 more spring up.



what can we do, nothing, except what we are doing, and save as many as we can.,...I just cried when they brought them in, I just wanted to adopt all of them........but I know we will be able to find great homes for the dogs and pups.



help me, by trying to report as many of these places as we can, all we can do as I said is try to save as many as we can.



and pray for the rest of the babies...

Answer 11

Some people just cannot be convinced. Some people are breeders who just don't care and don't want people to know the truth. Some people believe people who have their own agendas and don't do their own research to learn the truth.

They post articles by people who don't do the real research and can't post their sources or data in the articles, which makes it obvious they have their own agenda. I would love to see those lowered shelter euthanization numbers in black and white-what do they consider as lower??????? 1 million instead of 2 million?



Bottom line? You can't fix stupid.



Here are some rebuttal links:



http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=162773

http://www.illinoisanimalrescue.org/Home_Page.php



I love this last group-I just started working with them. For five years they did this with NO funding-only donations.



As far as Nathan Winograd is concerned, instead of writing a book about shelter mismanagement, he probably could have been busy being part of the solution. Maybe he could donate his proceeds?

Answer 12

we can't convince them because they like to lie to themselves so that they can do what they want. No amount of knowledge is going to find its way into they're ignorant heads unless they themselves volunteer at a kill shelter and see for themselves what happens to all these dogs that never find homes because too many people are adding to the overpopulation.

Answer 13

by not importing mutts from other countries would be a good start.



http://www.vetlearn.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=In+the+news&type=news&mod=Broadcast+News&mid=CF174106B01D4AB08597775A53837CDB&tier=3&nid=8C93267D84364906853CA71CDE33FED6



http://www.canismajor.com/dog/overpop.html

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-10-21-dog-imports_N.html

http://spanieljournal.com/33lbaughan.html



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0979074304/ref=s9sims_c5_at1-2871_g1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-5&pf_rd_r=1F9QN6QV1CQ5JQ0GST6T&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=320449001&pf_rd_i=507846

Answer 14

Oh, I thought you were referring to people.