It’s about dogs, or is it?

If you read my articles, blogs or social pages, you’re probably a dog lover, enthusiast, handler, trainer, foster carer, vet – vet nurse or perhaps a combination of them.

If asked I am sure you will say you love dogs and want the best for them.

Nothing surprising there, yeah?

Good, because then I guess we all pretty much have this in common.

Having that affirmed, in this article I want to talk about a major problem we have in our country when it comes to what is best for our dogs.

There may be many that say they are advocating for dogs, but how many are actually achieving anything of value?

I am going to mention a few topics here that all have the exact same problem that is not being addressed by those that could and should be addressing them.

Recently the Animal Justice party have been fighting to stop “puppy farming”

So, let’s just for a moment picture in our mind’s what puppy farming means to you

Perhaps the picture may look like dozens of dogs in small cages being bred over and over again.

And I 100% agree that this should be stopped.

But the reality is that the puppy farm bill is not targeting actual puppy farmers, but registered, ethical, dog loving breeders.

All the efforts made have targeted those doing the right thing.

Below is what we have built at our home for the dogs we breed…

 

When their “statistics” show that a high percentage of breeders had been fined for doing the wrong thing, many of these wrong things were small errors on paperwork, collars not fitted to dogs 100% of the time etc…

This “stop puppy farming initiative” has not at all been helpful.

Next up they passed a bill to say that dogs cannot be put to sleep in pounds for convenience reasons. And that pounds and shelters need to work closer with rescue and foster to home these dogs.

Of course, no funding has been sought to help foster carers or rescue people in terms of education or support.

Many foster carers are animal lovers with some great experience, but surely, they need some help?

Dogs or should I say too many dogs in pounds is a big problem.

No question.

Reducing breeding to lower the dog population will not stop dogs ending up in pounds.

Dogs end up in pounds because:-

• People choose the wrong breed for their experience and or needs. Base choices on looks, emotions, or coolness vs rational choices.
• People do not train their dogs to a level that is adequate for them to control their dog and live peacefully.
• People living in a reactive state of dog management vs a pro active state.
• People co habituating with their dogs with little rules and boundaries or none.
• Training is focused on methodology rather than results.
• Breeders selling dogs to people they should not or breeding dogs they should not.

Know that NOTHING is being done to address any of these real concerns.

Reduce breeding, rehome more dogs from pounds and pat yourself on the back but expect more dog bites, more dog attacks, more dogs to be killed and more dogs killing other animals because the powers that be are not in any way addressing these problems.

Standing up for dogs and changing laws to stop them being killed in pounds, gets you votes.

Some dogs will never leave the pound and live a life sentence in a cage thanks to this new bill

Some will be pushed through rescue or foster into homes and will hurt or kill someone or something.

Some dogs should not be rehomed without extensive rehabilitation, they will simply do harm. Again where is the plan for funding for this much needed rehab? No where.

Start educating and stop banning.

Stop looking for votes and start looking to provide SOLUTIONS such as education as prevention.

Everyone knows that prevention is better than cure

The message here is, be careful who you support, many talk the talk just to get your vote and money.