Animal Welfare Professionals

What do you do when your friends and family want to show you their designer dogs? 
A friend answered this question with, "I say how cute the pet is & ask which rescue they got it from?"

I find friends who know I spend most of my resources in animal rescue + buy a designer dog will actually make a donation to our rescue. However my heart breaks a little bit each time. My day-job is in Higher Ed, so I decided to do research.  Here is an article I found helpful.

"Desire for status or control may motivate some consumers to own certain types of pets. In the light of recent debates surrounding "designer pets," this article examines the dark side of pet ownership through interpretive interviews with dog owners. The findings compare and contrast two types of ownership motivation - pets as companions to love versus pets as toys, status markers, and brands. This latter category forms part of the dark side of pet ownership. Owners differ in their motivation for ownership, their appreciation of the pet, the nature of human–animal interaction, breed choice, and the purchase of pet-related paraphernalia."

"This article contributes in a number of ways. Most importantly, it examines non-loving motives underpinning pet consumption."

I struggle to understand how people treat animals so badly. This article helped me remember that most negative behavior is based in fear. These abusive people are suffering from insecurities and mental health concerns. Logic won't work. Addressing the underlying consumption culture is a path to saving lives of pets in our community.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014829630700197X__;!!GNU8KkXDZlD12Q!7EugKSYe9pX0pzKJaitHBV9UP3mdQTLQJ6xZTAnIJP23SkoK6OhZyylogkPMmKBY-j7cFkZXUpasvcJX$ [sciencedirect[.]com]

Upsetting to me why there is so much bashing of people who are looking for a dog with a particular temperament, looks, and other characteristics that might make him/her a good companion for life. Unlike cats, dogs temperament, needs vary widely. When I retired and wanted to train a dog for therapy, I chose a golden doodle from a breeder I knew. What is wrong with my decision? She has the perfect temperament, we went through all the training together and although COVID interfered with our ability to do as much therapy work as we would have liked - she is my constant companion - MY therapy dog. You see for 15 years, I've been involved in cat rescue - TNR, spay/neuter and kitten foster. We see some awful things, your heart gets broken over and over - kittens die, cats die. What would I do without my Lucy? Yes, maybe I could have found a dog like her from a rescue - but I wasn't looking for a dog as a project. I wanted a dog with a particular, predictable temperament, intelligence, size, and yes looks,  to do a job with me.  She is such a happy, approachable girl - wherever we go, she makes people smile just looking at her.

While I'm on the subject - why are there so many dogs that need to be rescued? When I asked, on this forum, about why there aren't spay/neuter programs for dogs like there are for cats, I was told by the only person that answered - "it is because puppies are so cute". I rest my case.

Laurie Counts, Director and Kitten Foster

Madison Community Cats, Syria, VA

What do you do when your friends and family want to show you their designer dogs? 
A friend answered this question with, "I say how cute the pet is & ask which rescue they got it from?"

I find friends who know I spend most of my resources in animal rescue + buy a designer dog will actually make a donation to our rescue. However my heart breaks a little bit each time. My day-job is in Higher Ed, so I decided to do research.  Here is an article I found helpful.

"Desire for status or control may motivate some consumers to own certain types of pets. In the light of recent debates surrounding "designer pets," this article examines the dark side of pet ownership through interpretive interviews with dog owners. The findings compare and contrast two types of ownership motivation - pets as companions to love versus pets as toys, status markers, and brands. This latter category forms part of the dark side of pet ownership. Owners differ in their motivation for ownership, their appreciation of the pet, the nature of human–animal interaction, breed choice, and the purchase of pet-related paraphernalia."

"This article contributes in a number of ways. Most importantly, it examines non-loving motives underpinning pet consumption."

I struggle to understand how people treat animals so badly. This article helped me remember that most negative behavior is based in fear. These abusive people are suffering from insecurities and mental health concerns. Logic won't work. Addressing the underlying consumption culture is a path to saving lives of pets in our community.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014829630700197X__;!!GNU8KkXDZlD12Q!7EugKSYe9pX0pzKJaitHBV9UP3mdQTLQJ6xZTAnIJP23SkoK6OhZyylogkPMmKBY-j7cFkZXUpasvcJX$ [sciencedirect[.]com]

Has that person never seen a kitten?? They are cuter than puppies! :)

But seriously, there are LOTS of spay/neuter programs for dogs. A huge problem right now is capacity: there aren't enough vets to do surgeries for all the dogs and cats that need it. 

If you are referring to TNR for cats, the reason that exists is because there are large populations of feral/community cats all over the country. We don't have a comparable program for dogs because there aren't thousands of groups of free roaming dogs in the USA like there are cats, or street dogs in some other countries.

Upsetting to me why there is so much bashing of people who are looking for a dog with a particular temperament, looks, and other characteristics that might make him/her a good companion for life. Unlike cats, dogs temperament, needs vary widely. When I retired and wanted to train a dog for therapy, I chose a golden doodle from a breeder I knew. What is wrong with my decision? She has the perfect temperament, we went through all the training together and although COVID interfered with our ability to do as much therapy work as we would have liked - she is my constant companion - MY therapy dog. You see for 15 years, I've been involved in cat rescue - TNR, spay/neuter and kitten foster. We see some awful things, your heart gets broken over and over - kittens die, cats die. What would I do without my Lucy? Yes, maybe I could have found a dog like her from a rescue - but I wasn't looking for a dog as a project. I wanted a dog with a particular, predictable temperament, intelligence, size, and yes looks,  to do a job with me.  She is such a happy, approachable girl - wherever we go, she makes people smile just looking at her.

While I'm on the subject - why are there so many dogs that need to be rescued? When I asked, on this forum, about why there aren't spay/neuter programs for dogs like there are for cats, I was told by the only person that answered - "it is because puppies are so cute". I rest my case.

Laurie Counts, Director and Kitten Foster

Madison Community Cats, Syria, VA

What do you do when your friends and family want to show you their designer dogs? 
A friend answered this question with, "I say how cute the pet is & ask which rescue they got it from?"

I find friends who know I spend most of my resources in animal rescue + buy a designer dog will actually make a donation to our rescue. However my heart breaks a little bit each time. My day-job is in Higher Ed, so I decided to do research.  Here is an article I found helpful.

"Desire for status or control may motivate some consumers to own certain types of pets. In the light of recent debates surrounding "designer pets," this article examines the dark side of pet ownership through interpretive interviews with dog owners. The findings compare and contrast two types of ownership motivation - pets as companions to love versus pets as toys, status markers, and brands. This latter category forms part of the dark side of pet ownership. Owners differ in their motivation for ownership, their appreciation of the pet, the nature of human–animal interaction, breed choice, and the purchase of pet-related paraphernalia."

"This article contributes in a number of ways. Most importantly, it examines non-loving motives underpinning pet consumption."

I struggle to understand how people treat animals so badly. This article helped me remember that most negative behavior is based in fear. These abusive people are suffering from insecurities and mental health concerns. Logic won't work. Addressing the underlying consumption culture is a path to saving lives of pets in our community.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014829630700197X__;!!GNU8KkXDZlD12Q!7EugKSYe9pX0pzKJaitHBV9UP3mdQTLQJ6xZTAnIJP23SkoK6OhZyylogkPMmKBY-j7cFkZXUpasvcJX$ [sciencedirect[.]com]

Hi Maria, thank you for your thoughtful reply. You are in Maryland, we are in Virginia - neighbors! Here hundreds of dogs are being transported from the southwestern part of the state to rescues closer to DMV in order to prevent them from being euthanized. I see the heroic work groups like SFCVA are doing everyday taking in huge numbers of dogs, litters of puppies, etc, etc.

While I get your point, I wonder if more emphasis was placed on getting these dogs s/n in these counties, it would drastically cut down on the number of dogs needing transport. And while cats breed faster than dogs, dogs have larger litters, and cost much more to feed and care for. Add that to the breeds of dogs overpopulating - then there are the training and behavior issues. Cats are basically cats - but dogs - not true. When I think about the money spent retraining the bully breeds, desperate pleas for help to keep them from being euthanized - it makes me cringe.  

I think we need a new approach to stop the breeding of so many dogs. Cat owners certainly allow their cats to become pregnant, but often it is accidental - not so with with many dog owners - do you agree? 

I would like to see a new dialog about dog overpopulation. While cats may do damage to wildlife, they are rarely dangerous to humans...

Laurie

Has that person never seen a kitten?? They are cuter than puppies! :)

But seriously, there are LOTS of spay/neuter programs for dogs. A huge problem right now is capacity: there aren't enough vets to do surgeries for all the dogs and cats that need it. 

If you are referring to TNR for cats, the reason that exists is because there are large populations of feral/community cats all over the country. We don't have a comparable program for dogs because there aren't thousands of groups of free roaming dogs in the USA like there are cats, or street dogs in some other countries.

Upsetting to me why there is so much bashing of people who are looking for a dog with a particular temperament, looks, and other characteristics that might make him/her a good companion for life. Unlike cats, dogs temperament, needs vary widely. When I retired and wanted to train a dog for therapy, I chose a golden doodle from a breeder I knew. What is wrong with my decision? She has the perfect temperament, we went through all the training together and although COVID interfered with our ability to do as much therapy work as we would have liked - she is my constant companion - MY therapy dog. You see for 15 years, I've been involved in cat rescue - TNR, spay/neuter and kitten foster. We see some awful things, your heart gets broken over and over - kittens die, cats die. What would I do without my Lucy? Yes, maybe I could have found a dog like her from a rescue - but I wasn't looking for a dog as a project. I wanted a dog with a particular, predictable temperament, intelligence, size, and yes looks,  to do a job with me.  She is such a happy, approachable girl - wherever we go, she makes people smile just looking at her.

While I'm on the subject - why are there so many dogs that need to be rescued? When I asked, on this forum, about why there aren't spay/neuter programs for dogs like there are for cats, I was told by the only person that answered - "it is because puppies are so cute". I rest my case.

Laurie Counts, Director and Kitten Foster

Madison Community Cats, Syria, VA

What do you do when your friends and family want to show you their designer dogs? 
A friend answered this question with, "I say how cute the pet is & ask which rescue they got it from?"

I find friends who know I spend most of my resources in animal rescue + buy a designer dog will actually make a donation to our rescue. However my heart breaks a little bit each time. My day-job is in Higher Ed, so I decided to do research.  Here is an article I found helpful.

"Desire for status or control may motivate some consumers to own certain types of pets. In the light of recent debates surrounding "designer pets," this article examines the dark side of pet ownership through interpretive interviews with dog owners. The findings compare and contrast two types of ownership motivation - pets as companions to love versus pets as toys, status markers, and brands. This latter category forms part of the dark side of pet ownership. Owners differ in their motivation for ownership, their appreciation of the pet, the nature of human–animal interaction, breed choice, and the purchase of pet-related paraphernalia."

"This article contributes in a number of ways. Most importantly, it examines non-loving motives underpinning pet consumption."

I struggle to understand how people treat animals so badly. This article helped me remember that most negative behavior is based in fear. These abusive people are suffering from insecurities and mental health concerns. Logic won't work. Addressing the underlying consumption culture is a path to saving lives of pets in our community.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014829630700197X__;!!GNU8KkXDZlD12Q!7EugKSYe9pX0pzKJaitHBV9UP3mdQTLQJ6xZTAnIJP23SkoK6OhZyylogkPMmKBY-j7cFkZXUpasvcJX$ [sciencedirect[.]com]