The following was taken from a letter written by Peggy Wolfe. Email her at pegnoca@aol.com

STATEMENT:

Too many dogs end up in shelters because breeders are breeding too many dogs and there are too many puppies.

So, if we require spay / neuter of all dogs this will prevent breeding too many dogs and help reduce shelter population.

This is false and here are some facts to help you understand why.

The reasons dogs end up in shelters are most often because of a lack of training of the dog. The dog causes problems (jumping, barking, house-breaking are examples of the three most common problems) and now that it’s no longer little, fluffy and cute, the dog is more trouble than joy. The family turns it over to the shelter so that “someone” can “find it a good home.” The family? Well they go get another cute puppy from someone else. Mandating spay / neuter will not solve the training problem.

The reasons dogs end up in shelters are because owners have purchased a dog unsuitable for their lifestyle. Someone falls in love with that adorable little puppy but doesn’t understand that this is a breed that needs lots of exercise, or that is prone to chewing, or that has lots and lots of hair. The family can tolerate a little puppy but when it becomes obvious that this is an inherent characteristic of the dog, they decide they’ve made a mistake. And again, the dog is turned over to the shelter. But the owners go out and get a different dog, hoping that this time they’ve got one they’ll be able to manage. Mandating spay / neuter will not solve the knowledge problem.

The reasons dogs end up in shelters are because the owner gives up on the dog. Owners who did not have proper guidance when they wanted to buy a dog give up. Owners who do not have enough help in training and managing give up. Mandating spay / neuter will not solve the problem of owners giving up.

In fact, the best answer to prevent most of the problems sending dogs to shelters is for new owners is to be able to buy dogs from good, ethical, knowledgeable breeders of dogs of their chosen breed.

The best answer to help owners select the proper dog is for them to be able to consult with a responsible, breeder of the type of dog they’re interested in and best of all, having these breeders be local so the new owner can see adults, and puppies and can learn all the pro’s and con’s of that breed.

The best way to help people to keep a dog is to have the advice of knowledgeable people that this dog will suit your lifestyle and personality. The reputable breeder provides this.

The best answer to the problem of owners not being able to handle problems inherent in their dog is to have a network of knowledgeable, caring people who have been there, done that, and can give guidance and help in different ways to solve the problems to keep their dog throughout its life. The best way to get people to train their dog so they don’t give it up is for them to work with breed-knowledgeable people in the first place. The reputable breeder and the breed parent club provides this.

In the sad cases where owners do have to make the difficult decision to give up their dog, the best solution is for them to work with breed-knowledgeable persons to help them find it a new home with a new family who is properly prepared to manage the dog. The reputable breeder, the breed parent club and the breed rescue resources provide this.