awwww shucks marm(s)... t'werent nuthin
Now, someone gave me back my soapbox, so be careful, hold onto your hats and get a cup of joe, this will be long.
I guess I'm just willing to give up some of my personal freedoms for that of my dogs, the future of the breeds that I love, and the future of the sport of showing. People put too much into breeding, making it a buisness. It is true that it's a
living, I
live and breath dogs, but it sure isn't a buisness. I really dont mean to sound preachy or know-it-all. These laws DO worry me, because you have to wonder where they are going to stop. I think that clear cut exceptions should be approved by AKC and a panel of excellent breeders. Probably a crap shoot- but it's worth a shot. If everyone fighting this law came together to work with the legislation to improve it, rewrite the parts that come off a little loose, then we'll be ok. They have been really good about some things; for instance, your dog doesnt have to be currently competing, but must be in training or prove that they have competed at some point in their lives. Well thats fair! That gives retired CHs, veterans, puppies and fuglies (Er... thats a term I use to describe akward puppies waiting to mature before they get in the ring) a chance, without having to go under. If we can limit people's choices to good breeders or rescues, we have won 90% of the battle. There will be people that slip through the crack, just like any law, but not as many. And with proper education, campaigning and legislature we can make it possible for people to UNDERSTAND the point of this law- they aren't taking away your rights, they are GIVING rights to animals. I think too many people feel that what they choose to do with their "property" (Dogs) is their buisness and no one elses. Well, sorry folks, it aint the case. You're going to have to meet some standards. It's like breed bans. I am a FIRM believer of punish the deed, not the breed- however, if neighborhood associations want to make it a rule that any dog (NO MATTER THE BREED) has to pass a CGC test to live there? h*ll, I'm all FOR that.
I bet when the first speeding laws came out, people were furious. "How dare you tell me how fast to go! Its my car, my life! It's just going to make it more annoying for those of us who drive safe." Well... if you do drive safe.... it really shouldn't affect you, now should it?
Here are a couple of points that someone (who will remain namless) argued with me in a PM.
#1- we wouldnt be able to attend shows in CA, because they could seize our dogs and spay/neuter them immediatly.
Ok.. lets look at an average three day AKC event, with conformation, obedience and agility trials. Do you know how many THOUSANDS of dogs and people would attend that? Thousands..of people..and dogs.. who need Hotels. Food. Gas. Supplies. (God, we spend money like WATER when we go to shows.) Events that draw tourism, attract people to stadiums and other places. Draw people into cities. Seriously- do you think a local government would allow AKC to pull shows from the entire state of California? I promise, there WILL be exceptions for dogs coming into a state for events, and if not, AKC would pull shows from the state, and I guarentee an amendment would be written reeeeeeal quick.
#2- you say that peoplle should just up and move, what if they cant, what if they cant move say, 25 dogs?
Well,
most responsible breeders dont have 25 dogs. I know a few, but most dont. So, fine, lets look at those that do. I have moved with 32 dogs. My home came into new zoning, affecting the shelter that I ran and it required me to move. Immediatly. Instead of wasting my time fighting to stay, I enlisted the help of friends, fellow show people and rescue groups, to take the dogs while I moved, settled, and then took them all back. If you are a breeder, then you belong to a very close knit family- the club of your breed. There WILL be options.
#3 what if they charge a licensing per litter?
What if they do? Say they charge $1000 to register a litter, and you have 2 litters a year. That's $2000. Lets add ANOTHER $1000 for a general breeders permit. So, $3,000.
(These are just random guesses at licensing, I dont think it will be this high, but lets just pretend
)
You have 8 puppies per litter. Normally, you would sell 75% of your litter at show cost, which for you is $1800. 25% go to pet homes at $1000 Normally, that would bring in $25,600 (that sounds like a lot, but trust me, when you actually DO it and realize how much you spend on vet bills and health scans and the 5 years of showing it took to get you to a place to breed, its chicken scratch)
To stay at 25,600, you would need to add a mere $200 to each puppy. Is that really too much to ask? I dont think so. Not when people are standing in petstores every day shelling out $3500 for a designer mutt.
And hey, I bet thats going to stop a lot of "I like this dog, but dont know if I want to waste all the money on showing him, let me breed him once and see what he throws" breedings.
#4 What about vacationing dogs?
See number 1. CA would loose a WHOOOOlE lot of dollers, and once that was brought to their attention I think there would be an amendment. I mean c'mon. These aren't aren't the ellusive ferret owners complaining. This is Mr and Mrs DOG owner here.
#5 they will take peoples dogs and kill them when they can't oblige by the law
Seriously. There would be rioting in the STREETS. You can't get your dog altered by 4 months? Then your dog gets taken, ok so what. Guess what, I do that on my pet puppies. I dont get a spay contract by 6 months, that puppy is BACK IN MY HOME immediatly, and you just lost all your rights. Its in my contract. Do I have a problem with a puppy gestepo knocking down doors and clubbing dogs to death because they aren't spayed and neutered? !&@*(! yes! But that wont happen. What will happen is the same enforcment there is for all animal control laws. You'll get a notice. Then a ticket. Then another notice. Then a polite "You really need to handle this" then a fine. Then another notice. Then maybe.. they will take the dog. And guess what, it wont be put to sleep, it will be altered and put up for adoption for those people that want a dog and can't afford to get one from one of the remaining breeders.
Holy smokes thats horrible!!!!!!!
You think shelters won't have the room after all the BYBs and puppy mills get shut down? Please, that will be their main job! It will be hectic for the first few years, but I think the death toll would be substantially LESS then what it is now- and in a decade, if everything went perfect, shelters would be filled with only a few of those situations.
Let me also mention this. Responsible breeders have their own spay/neuter contract. I've already mentioned this. I take back my puppies if they are not altered. So do most breeders I know. Its in the C-O-N-T-R-A-C-T. So, lets say that the law mandates a 6 month alter. Well, breeders, put it as 5.5 months in your contract. Good breeders take any of their dogs back, no matter what. I just took a 14 year old doberman back I bred (yep you guessed it) 14 years ago, because her owner died. You dont get an alter certificate by 5.5 months, take the dog back and alter it yourself. Problem solved, no one goes to doggy jail.
Theres going to be flukes, theres going to be problems. But people, there is with ...every... law. We CANT please everyone. It WILL hurt some responsible breeders, but its gunna hurt the bad breeders a LOT worse, and guess what, sometimes you gotta take one for the team.
Good breeders are going to have to network, stay close, share ideas and leads. Theres going to have to be a panel of educators to step in and take the reins of this and help lead it in the right direction, or there is a good chance that it could slide down, that IS true. However, the definition of insanity is doing the
same thing over and over again and expecting
different results.
It's time for a change people.