Thanks, Julie, for the links, and I do appreciate your knowledge and experience! I am concerned about Berner mixes having some of the same problems as purebreds. As for the rest, obviously I'm not euthanizing any puppies and there won't be any shelters getting my dogs. Emotions do run high on these issues and I think that's fine because it's coming out of care for animals. The problems we have as a society dealing with animals are all coming from people who do not share this care for animals, and that is important to remember. So I can hardly be mad at anyone's remarks, even the most intemperate ones, when those come from someone volunteering her time and effort for rescues.Â
I've been to the shelter in Pontiac, Michigan, when I was still mourning my Berner and thinking about his successor--it is absolutely full of pit bull mixes, all refuse from our vibrant dogfighting industry. The saints at the shelter do not destroy any nonaggressive dogs no matter how long it takes to adopt them. The social issues leading to the destruction of animal life in this country are complex, but they do come down to thoughtless, irresponsible, or as in these cases really criminally negligent ownership by humans. The assumptions by many posters that a reasoned decision by a dog owner to allow a particularly wonderful dog to have a litter is the cause of these problems are.. well, I said it before, ideological, and could be thought through a little more.Â
cheers