Given the current state of the economy, a lot of people might find themselves without work in the next few weeks, months. Many folks who lose their jobs might not be able to afford their pets any more. Are any of the rescue groups out there petitioning breeders to “tone it down” until the economy improves? Has anybody noticed a significant change in the shelter population lately?
Breeders: Have you given any thought to how you might handle the possibility that your puppy people might tell you that they recently lost their job?|||The economy is one of the reasons I haven't found the right home for Monica. 2 of the 4 families I turned down simply would have had to do more stretching financially than I feel comfortable with in order to afford what I consider adequate care. While I don't demand people raw feed I do want them to feed a high quality food and I don't want them skimping on vet care if its needed. Sure, I could have sold her and then ended up taking her back if they couldn't keep her, but by then it would have been harder to integrate her back into my pack and she may have learned bad habits.
There are a lot of things in my life that would be cut out long before my dog's care (including dogs returned if that happened) would be affected. I'd probably quit being so lazy and go to the meat wholesale place more often... more dogs means it would be easier to deal with 40 lb boxes of meat.
Will it affect my breeding plans... we'll see. There's a 10 year old male Bernese I'd like to breed to before he stops producing... whether I breed has more to do with what my housing situation is at the point where my b*tch would be ready to breed than anything else. I'm trying to talk his owner into freezing semen... even offered to pay for it.|||Very good point!
i've noticed an increase in shelters and most def a decrease in how many bones my babies get.|||Any of my "puppies" is welcome to come back at any time. I will make sure they are cared for, whatever it takes.
If I should be fortunate enough to have puppies this year, the earliest they will be ready to go is five months from now. By that time the financial situation should be more stable. I do screen buyers to make sure they will be suitable homes. And I doubt that anyone whose financial future is in doubt will be considering spending $1200 on a puppy anyways..|||responsible breeders, will ALWAYS take their dogs back, at any age if the the owners can no longer keep them..
as for the shelters filling,,, you can thank all the BYB and puppymills and the UNEDUCATED people who impulse buy these dogs... and then treat them like possessions instead of living , breathing , parts of the family FOR LIFE.
ARE people giving up their children?? i think not,,, and IMO a pet is a well thought out decision,, a decision for the life of the pet.|||I have had to change dog foods since the price of the kind I bought before the recession is now 12 dollars more expensive per bag.
I think you have really thought this pet problem out. I'm impressed.|||Yes, here in California, all the realestate companys have shut down, and thats scary, my aunt and dad are in real estate. That is why I have saved money incase an inncident occurs with my pets. With less money in the pockets, the vet seems more expensive, but we will pull this through...I hope :/|||My cats are spoiled and aren't even mine originally. They were strays but I love cats %26amp; took them in %26amp; spoil them rotten :). I would go without food to make sure they got food just like I would if I had children ...|||The rescues and shelters are definitely taking on an extra burden from increased owner surrenders. Unfortunately, most breeders (puppy mills and byb's) don't care much about what happens to their dogs after they get the cash anyway, and they aren't going to start now. In fact, more ignorant and greedy people are likely to start breeding as a way to get extra cash when out of work. If they can't make the connection between what they are doing and 5 million dogs being killed in shelters any other year, why would they make the connection that their precious pups will get surrendered and have the same fate because of the economy? Why would they care?
I'm really not worried about the responsible breeders contributing to the problem. Not only are they few and far between, they have contracts that require a dog be returned to them if the new owners can't keep it at any time in it's life.|||Yep. My rescue is getting calls from shelters three states away asking if we have room to take dogs from them. Sadly our adoptions are down and we just don't have enough foster homes for all the dogs so we have to turn the shelters down.
We're also getting adopters contacting us saying they can't afford their dog anymore. Since our contract states they are to return the dog to us, we're getting dogs back that under better economic times would never be returned.|||Yes there has been an increase in shelters and at the same time I have taken in yet another dog. Whatever it takes to make sure that they have their meds and same food I will do. If one of my pups doesn't get sold or has to come back to live I will accept that pup with loving arms. I hope that the people buying and/or taking pups are completely ready to accept every responsibility that comes with owning a dog. That would certainly help to keep those numbers down at the shelters. I'm done preaching now, Happy New Year to all of you responsible and happy pet owners.|||My puppies are always welcome to come back as well. I have had only one litter in the last two years, and there were only two. But, I must say that I did select families from the waiting list that have the most "stable" careers!!!!! I am not planning on breeding much in the coming year, for many reasons....the economy included.
The shelter I work at is WAY over-full and getting calls like never before. I am sure that after this holidays puppies and kittens grow up, there will be many more needing help but there is only so much each shelter can do. Euthanasia is going to be on the increase. I think in the past, people have thought they could "try" a dog or cat and if it didn't work out, a shelter would be there to take it in. That is just not the case anymore. If you get a pet and find you cannot keep it, you may have to make the hard decision on your own.|||I am not a breeder, but I know that the REPUTABLE breeders have contracts stating that they will take back the dog.
It's not so much the reputable breeders as it is the Puppy mills and Bybs. They could care less if the economy is in the down low right now. They just want there $money$.
Yes, I have seen an increase of the shelter population. It seems like every week we are getting more and more dogs in. It's horrible.|||Of course I've noticed. Unfortunately I live in a place where people like to dump their dogs for some reason. I live in the country and I see new dogs all the time. Right before Christmas I saw 7 dogs I'd never seen before in one day. One was a pure bred Yorkshire terrier. I managed to catch that poor dog and she now has a nice home at my friends house. I also have an AmStaff, two APBT, and one lab that I took into my own home because of people dumping them.
Why people think it's better to let their dogs starve to death than go to a shelter is beyond me. I'm so pissed that I'm forced to helplessly watch it happen. I leave a big bowl of food and water filled up at the edge of my property. Along with three igloo dog houses for shelter for those poor dogs, but that's I can do. Oh, it makes me sick!!|||I would happily take one of my guys back if their owners' financial situation changes.
I haven't seen any more than the usual "You're ALL responsible for dogs dying in shelters!" from the all-breed rescues. I've actually had several people call me looking for an adult Siberian to adopt in the past month, rather than the usual spate of give-ups (although that will likely come in the new year).
Since I have no plans to breed in the next year, the economy's affect on people buying puppies hasn't really occurred to me.|||Well in our contract it states that at any time that you cant handle the dog any more the dog is suppose to come to us. We have screened people and found the best owners for our previous pups. Government people, lawyers, doctors just some of the people that have gotten one of our dogs.
Its not responsible breeders faults for the increase in shelter dogs its the bad byb and puppy mill breeders that have up to 30 litters a year or more.
Shelters cant really tell a responsible breeder to do that cause its not against the law to breed your dog. But i agree most shouldnt breed.
I suppose shelters have seen an increase in dogs. I really dont know there isnt one close enough to me to see. My uncle works part time at a no kill shelter and its always full there.
This wont last forever the new government will put us back on track.
Edit- I personally have a litter right now, they are in no way near being ready to go to homes. But when they are we will screen people just like we have before.|||Unfortunately, the only breeders filling up rescues are those that could not care less if their puppies end up homeless or not as long as they get their cash at the time of sale. I doubt anyone can get them to tone it down as long as they are making their money. And even more unfortunate is that rescues are feeling the state of the economy too. We are full to capacity, turning dogs away and getting less and less donations. The rescue I volunteer for had enough money to support 20+ dogs at this time last year but due to foster homes dropping off and donations falling, we only have 7 dogs and even that is stretching the budget. Even I am personally finding it challenging to take on more than my one foster due to loss of income.
It's unfortunate, the dogs seem to always be the first to suffer. We actually got a dog in not too long ago that was found left locked in the pantry after its family moved due to foreclosure. We already had a huge amount of dogs in need of homes, I fear it's just going to get worse for good breeders and rescues.|||I was thinking about this the other day, sadly i'm afraid. The shelter were i volunteer is flooded, and has been on the rise for owner turn-ins for the last 6 months.
We have more turn-ins than adoptions, it's really bad. We need foster homes more than ever, and i've already volunteered to take on more fosters than i usually bring home. I usually deal w/abandoned litters or mommas that are pregnant, or just stray young pups, getting them potty trained, fattened up and socialized. So lately instead of maybe 2 litters (of 4-6 pups each) i am taking on 4 and last month 5 litters (and/or stray pups) at a time.
currently not including my own 4 dogs, i have 3 litters right now, 3 in one, 4 in another and 6 in the other. only 2 from these litters will be going to a new home after the new year. the others still wait...they are 20 wks.(almost 6 months).
the rate at which we can rescue from kill-shelters is also decreased. we just don't have the space, or the funds.
people are donating less.
and the amount of dogs euthanized at the local kill shelter has almost doubled in the last year.
I'm very scared for dogs and cats right now.
and even farm animals such as horses, goats, sheep etc. I live in Texas, livestock is suffering here as well.|||I agree!!
Its been really hard on us with the care of our pets
But we make sacrifices on our own needs to be able to still care for them
We will feed the candiae als until it gets really bad (if it does) and in that case... I hate to say this...but we might have to switch to a commercial brand of food.
But we will do our best to be able to stop that from happening
I hope that breeders will take this in to consideration
I know of a breeder who is sensitive to this issue. And she is also taking steps to make it easier on people
Good question! I will star!|||breeders are greedy...they will never stop...they don't care about all the homeless ,abandoned pets being euthenized daily by the 1000's...
guess they can't read or see whats going on in this world about all the killing of unwanted pets...that the economy has done this to all of us|||First off there is no such thing as profit for a dog breeder. Any money I make goes back to the dogs..even if everyone is fit and healthy, there is always room for improvement, be it an even better dog bed than they already have or stocking up on toys and treats.
But yes, I don't breed my dogs often and I have even slowed that down, I have also given away some dogs to exceptional homes,and I always take my puppies back if I am needed to. That's my rule, I don't have to sell them they can stay right here with me forever.
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