Farrell and I are what I would call practical dog lovers. We aren't terribly indulgent- dogs need structure- and we don't lose sight of the fact that dogs are not human. Which isn't to say our dogs past and present don't have pretty cushy lives- they do and we love and appreciate them very much. After working in the thoroughbred industry in Kentucky I also think I'm realistic about the overbreeding situation (of dogs, cats, and horses) in this country. However, I was extremely shocked by some information I found on the website of L.A.B Rescue and Adoption Network. According to their page entitled
About Our Organization, approximately 30-40% of the animals put down in Texas pounds are purebred. Isn't that crazy? Can you imagine paying $900+ for a dog only to realize that maybe you don't have enough time for it? Clearly there are some very uninformed people out there, and I have to say I partially blame the breeders. I recently called a reputable breeder about a Rhodesian Ridgeback, which is a rather high maintenance dog, and I was shocked by what she didn't want to discuss before launching into her sales pitch. In addition, this throw away attitude is creating a false market for more purebred dogs and more breeding. But I'm getting off track. This information about Texas (and its
dog gas chambers) really got to me. If you live in Texas or Connecticut, please consider working with this organization through fostering, adoption, or donation of goods and services.
