[pyrnet] Shelters and Breeders (was: shelters)

["Karen Reiter" <kreiter@servtech.com>]

From: <clhenke@juno.com>

<< The problem is, not everyone buys pups at the high dollar end anyway.  I
am not arguing why the prices are that way, I understand the costs involved
with tests used to produce only quality.  >>

And not all ethical, reputable breeders sell dogs at the "high dollar end".
I think that this is a misconception.  Most of the dogs that are turned over
to our rescue group (Pyrenean Fanciers of the NE) are dogs that were
purchased from pet shops for at least $900.00!  Many of these pet shop
puppies are purchased through puppy brokers, whose sole job is to play
middleman to the breeder and pet store.  Some of these dogs have health
problems, some have crappy temperaments, and usually these dogs have spent
their first year in a home with a clueless owner(s) who had NO idea what a
Great Pyrenees was.  Don't misunderstand.  I have met and placed some
absolutely wonderful rescue dogs.  But comparatively so, they just generally
don't measure up to what most of the breeders that I personally know will
produce with respect to health and temperament.

<< Someone needs to cut down on the number of pups produced, when too many
are showing up in rescue.  Sadly it may be the ones who care the most. >>

Sorry Cindy.  I don't think that my right to breed a litter should be taken
away from me in order to cut down on the number of Great Pyrenees that are
produced.  I'm not responsible for *producing* the crap that is sold to pet
shops, but I take care of it every day in the form of rescue.  So why
shouldn't I be able to breed my own litter?  Why shouldn't I be able to
breed toward a standard of excellence with my dogs?  I have 2 beautiful
young bitches that I show and hope to breed one day.  IMNSHO, they have
flawless temperaments, are sound, healthy and (hopefully) will produce
wonderful offspring.   :-)   I would love to be able to place their puppies
in great homes!  What I intend on producing is a total balance (as best as I
can get it) to conformation, temperament, health, and the ability to do a
job, whatever that job may be (pet, show dog, LGD, all of the above, etc.).
Why should my intentions be taken away from me because there are too many
Pyrs.

FWIW, there are many people who want a Great Pyrenees who *should* have the
option of owning a rescue dog or a well bred dog.  Why? Because not all
homes are *equipped* with the ability to deal with a rescue dog that may
have problems.  BUT these people can (and will) offer a wonderful home(s) to
a well bred, balanced Great Pyrenees.  I've seen it happen many times.  This
is why home evaluation is so important.  It's not just the house, but what
the people can offer the dog and vice versa.

<< Maybe more dogs need to be going out on spay/neuter contracts ( or done
early? ), with less intent of turning every dog purchaser into a breeder.
>>

Most, if not all reputable/ethical breeders are already doing this.

I'm curious as to what you mean by "with less intent of turning every dog
purchaser into a breeder".  Could you clarify please?    :-)

Any pet puppy that I sell will be spayed/neutered before it leaves my home.
Any dog that is sold as a breeding prospect will have a contract with
limitations.  But out of any litter of puppies, not all are show quality.
Most will probably be pets, as most breeders keep the best out of the litter
for themselves.

<< At any rate, cutting back on population needs to start somewhere, and I
think watching the rescues in any given area is just being
responsible. >>

I've been watching (and doing) rescue in the Northeast for over 5 years.
I've held dogs that have had to be put down, I've retrained
dogs, listened to owners whine about their dogs and why they need to find
homes for them, watched owners cry because they were forced to give up their
dogs, shed many tears and even some blood sometimes, yadda, yadda... I'm
sure you get the picture.  Personally, I don't think that *I* should have to
cut back on the population.  I'm not part of the problem, but seem to be
part of the solution (if one could call it that).

FWIW, whenever I get a dog into rescue that has registration papers (PFNE
Rescue as a whole, not me personally), a letter is sent, registered mail, to
the breeder to inform them that have a dog of their breeding in rescue.  We
then ask them to respond to the letter with a specified period and ask them
to take the dog back, contribute financially, or do nothing... The majority
of the time they don't even respond.  Once, we actually received a $50.00
check from a PM breeder in Kansas who had 4 Pyrs of her breeding come though
our rescue group in one year; all from a pet store named "Family Pet Center"
<sigh>.  These stores are all over the Northeastern US.  Just to clarify,
these are dogs that clearly come from puppymills and whose breeder's names
are not listed as a member of the GPCA or any GPCA affiliated club.  Most of
the ethical, reputable breeders that I know will NOT only take back their
own dogs (as will I) but take in other dogs (rescue) as well.

<< Usually the pounds are far less fussy, I have found, so it surprises me
that they gave you that much of a run around.  I've often wondered how I
would screen people, what could be done to make it better?

I think that this depends on the policy and politics of the pound/shelter in
question.  Working as a rescue organization, PFNE's Rescue Representatives
find all ranges of the spectrum when working with shelters.  Sometimes
they're willing to work with us, especially if they're overflowing.
Sometimes, they flat out refuse to work with us.  They've been burned;
they've been promised things that never came to fruition.  It's frustrating
for us all.  We just ask folks to trust us and hope that they do.  FWIW, we
have placed a few Pyrenees in homes without fencing.  BUT these were
exceptional homes and exceptions to the rule.  Again, we have the trust
factor working.

Off my soapbox (can you tell that I've been having a "Bad Rescue Week"?
:-))

Best Wishes,
Karen Reiter
Pyrenean Fanciers of the Northeast Rescue Chair
http://www.gratefuldog.net/pfne