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We Will Be Obsolete in 10 Years
by Tam Cordingley
If we want to preserve our hobby (call it what you will) of working with and enjoying our dogs, it is time to wake up and smell the coffee. Every week there are stories on the National news about dog limits, BSL (breed specific legislation), and the animal programs on TV are beating up the horrible breeders.
IN MY OPINION if we continue to call ourselves breeders, rather than exhibitors, breed fanciers, or some other term, we are playing into the hands of the Animal Rights and Animal Control people. As long as we are wearing the same label, ie: breeder, we can’t effectively demonstrate what makes us OK but the puppy producers or puppy millers the bad guys. In the eyes of the general public “breeder” means puppy miller. Somewhat like a large flock of white ducks, they are all white, they all have feathers, they all quack, but one is different. He is a pet duck. However not one person in a thousand could point out the pet duck and say “He’s the good duck”. It is the same with breeders. The worst puppy miller is a breeder, every back yard producer is a breeder; so there needs to be some distinction. First, we need a name change.
We need to get off of our collective duffs and get involved locally. Get known as the good guys. If Animal Control is going to go out and check out a dog person who has been reported it would behoove us to have a person who knows something about keeping dogs along on that raid. The volunteers at the local shelter don’t know good dog care from bad in the main. To a “Mary housewife” type, who owns one dog and a cat, the normal look of a kennel at 7AM is appalling. The same kennel at 8 AM might well be immaculate.
If rankings, points, ribbons, slick advertising, and endless shows are more important than preserving our hobby and lifestyle maybe we should be obsolete. Can you visualize Mrs. Dodge, Mrs. Farrell, Steve Field, or Mrs. Kuska just letting people take their dogs away without a fight? All over the country dogs are being confiscated by local authorities and people don’t fight them, they just sign over the dogs to avoid trouble.
There is another side to this story. Many dog fanciers are older, some are ill, and we all have dogs. We need to help our fellow fanciers. It might be just to let the dogs out while someone is away for the day, maybe to intercede and help with a lifestyle change. As we age or have health challenges it is sometimes a problem to take care of ourselves, let alone take care of the dogs. They’ll be fed, usually let out, but regular kennel care and house care may be “left for later”. And later never comes.
It happens and we all know it. Let’s not just shake our heads and cluck about “poor Joe Blow, he fell ill and the authorities came and took his dogs.” Not after his self respect was in ruins and he’s lost decades of possibly great breeding stock. When we see a fellow dog person beginning to slide it is time to intercede. At the very least offer understanding help. Sometimes all it takes is the offer of keeping a few dogs for a time until he or she is stronger. Sometimes it takes an effort of going to the house daily and keeping cleanliness and feeding under control during a crisis.
If we, as responsible members of the dog community, don’t help these fanciers, then the authorities will. It is our duty to help our friends. It is also our responsibility to keep real dog people out of this type of situation.
thc/2006
For more Articles:
RESCUE, SHELTERS, REGULATIONS, AND PRIORITIES
