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ANIMAL SHELTERS
Overpopulation reports are false. In fact, many animal shelters and rescue groups resell puppy mill dogs and import cute puppies from other countries. |
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SHELTERS IMPORT PUPPIESSIMPLY PUT, MANY SHELTERS ARE TRAFFICKING IN DOGSLinda D. Witouski, Legislative Editor
Shelter and Rescue operations have become big business; 2018 estimates exceed $35 million for cute imported mutts as American dogs languish in shelters.
Since the 2010 Oprah show highlighting "puppy mills", many people have questioned why PA has not done anything about the conditions that were shown. It could be that there is some type of arrangement between those that "rescue" dogs that are "no longer wanted or needed" and the facilities shown on the Oprah expose'. It was interesting to note that in an interview, the man that has been hailed a hero, by some, for bringing these dogs to Oprah's attention, stated that he was counting on the Amish, featured in the Oprah show, not having televisions.
That comment leads one to believe that something is not exactly as originally stated since the PA Dog Law Bureau is having a difficult time identifying those "kennels". However, that isn't the subject of this article and I only mention it because the Oprah show opened other doors related to the subject.
Many readers who commented simply refused to believe that dogs were being imported into the United States by rescue groups. One individual asked why this phenomena would occur since there are, allegedly, so many homeless dogs available in shelters and rescues across the country? Another person commented that dogs had to sit for 6-8 weeks before entering U.S. soil. Good questions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has regulations on the importation of dogs and cats into the United States. In general, they require that dogs be vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days prior to entry, except for puppies younger than 3 months and dogs originated or located for 6 months in areas considered to be free of rabies .
As of Feb 2010, the US Department of Agriculture has certain restrictions on the importation of dogs from any part of the world except Canada, Mexico, and regions of Central America and the West Indies. Think about conditions in those countries...
Only "those dogs that are to be used in the handling of livestock must be inspected and quarantined at the port of entry for a sufficient time to determine their freedom from tapeworm." Those import regulations need to be changed. It is monetarily advantageous for groups with a "non-profit" status who claim the country is "overpopulated," to import puppies for resale or "adoption" - for a non-reportable fee.
There are some special circumstances regarding dogs imported from areas known to be infested with screwworms or foot and mouth disease but the general rule is that all dogs are only subject to inspection at ports of entry for evidence of infectious diseases that can be transmitted to humans. As a result of this missing link in governmental importation regulation, statistics of imported dogs are estimated according to Port of Entry reporting. On April 2, 2008, the Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases of the CDC, filed a report regarding Importation of Dogs into the United States and in the summary of that report it states:
"The importation of dogs into the United States poses a risk for the introduction of rabies and other zoonotic diseases. Federal regulations (42 CFR 71.51) currently require proof of valid rabies vaccination for imported dogs, but allow the importation of some unvaccinated dogs, including dogs less than 3 months of age, provided certain requirements for confinement are met until the dog is vaccinated. Although there are no accurate surveillance data on the number of dogs imported each year, it is estimated based on extrapolated data that over 287,000 dogs were imported into the United States during 2006. Of these, approximately 25% were either too young to be vaccinated or lacked proof of valid rabies vaccination. Import trends suggest that an increasing number of unvaccinated puppies are being imported into the United States, mostly through commercial resale or rescue operations."
Then there's United Hope for Animals in Southern California, Doglandia (a People's guide to Mexico, asks tourists to adopt a dog during their trip), Blue RoadRunner, and SAMM (Save a Mexican Mutt) are only a handful of such groups bringing dogs into the United States from Mexico.
This doesn't include those groups bringing dogs in from Central America, Puerto Rico or the West Indies.
These imported dogs are flown, driven, shipped, transported and sent to shelters throughout the United States. Shelter owners say the importation programs are safe, moral and in demand. Although the work that these people do is admirable, one has to ask what is their definition of safe and moral?
Importing puppies and "cute" (saleable) dogs of questionable background and health issues while healthy American dogs are euthanized is NOT safe, or moral nor humane for those dogs already in shelters across the U.S.
Accusing American breeders of causing overpopulation and high shelter kill rates is not safe, moral, just or fair.
Groups that convince the public that breeding should be restricted or banned should be looked at closely by legislators. Somebody has got to ask the question sooner or later. If all breeding is regulated, restricted or banned, how would these non profit groups continue to operate?
The answer is obvious - they don't need breeders here. They can continue to plead to the American public's emotions about some dog in BF Egypt while they pursue the removal of the American dog breeders and their Constitutional Rights. That's how big business works. In order to make more money, to get more orders or to increase the profit margin, they remove anything or anybody that could be remotely considered as competition while still keeping their sources in place. You won't see non profit importing groups pushing for the demise of all breeding or mandatory sterilization in those countries. It's not good sense to eliminate your sources if your intent is to continue in the business of filling shelters and rescue groups with cute puppies "rescued from a puppy mill" so the unsuspecting public can adopt - for a fee.
Now that you have access to verifiable facts, you can ask ask them why they aren't spending that money and time on the alleged "overpopulation" dogs that are already here? Answer. Shelter imports are a business like any other. Cute, adoptable small mutts and puppies support a dishonest, profitable path while larger American dogs suffer and die. TheDogPlace.org EST 1998 © 1510r1710 https://www.thedogplace.org/Animal-Shelters/Shelter-Imports_Witouski-102.asp SSI Brought to you by the NetPlaces Network
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