Target: Tom Vilsack, Secretary of The United States Department of Agriculture
Goal: Reduce the number of breeders in an effort to help eliminate dog and cat overpopulation in the U.S..
Most people are familiar with the horrors of puppy mills and know to avoid backyard breeders and pet stores. However, while certified breeders aren’t necessarily abusive to their own dogs and cats, breeding is a problematic practice more generally.
In the United States–as well as throughout the rest of the world–we suffer from a tremendous pet overpopulation epidemic. In the U.S. alone, nearly 27 million dogs and cats are born each year. Many of these animals end up in shelters, where they are killed by the hundreds of thousands—a decline from an estimated 1.124 million killed in 2018. Those that do not end up in shelters or homes take to roaming in the streets, where they are subject to dangers like predation and disease and are forced to compete for food, territory, and safe places to sleep. Since stray dogs and cats are non-native species, they also pose a threat to other endemic wildlife and plants.
In spite of all this, breeders are continually putting more animals into an already animal saturated world. Every dog or cat purchased from a breeder reduces the chances of one of the millions of homeless shelter animals from finding a forever home. Plus, many breeders don’t spay their dogs and cats so that the animals themselves–if not sold off–can have litters of their own. This, again, contributes to the overpopulation problem we are currently facing.
Since the sole purpose of breeding animals is to create perfect “purebred” samples, dogs and cats at breeders are often extremely inbred. This can cause a whole onset of health complications and defects down the road, including hip dysplasia, epilepsy, and heart issues. Dogs bred to have pushed in faces to appeal to buyers–like Pugs, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and French Bulldogs–have serious breathing problems, making exercise hard or even impossible for these dogs. For this reason, it is actually illegal to breed such dogs in some countries, such as Norway.
Dogs and cats should not have to suffer because of our personal preferences. Sign this petition to discourage the practice of breeding and to push for more regulations against the allowed quantity of breeders, and the types of animals that can be bred.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Secretary Vilsack,
Pet overpopulation is a serious problem in the United States, with over 27 million dogs and cats being born annually. Hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats are euthanized in overcrowded shelters each year simply because there isn’t enough space to house them all. Others, still, roam the streets, forced to compete for simple resources like food and shelter. The introduction of non-native dogs and cats to outdoor environments also contributes to the spread of diseases and extinction of other wildlife and plants.
Certified breeders fuel this overpopulation, as their sole goal is to breed animals into existence in order to make a small profit. Often, breeders do not spay or neuter their cats and dogs so that, if not sold, they can use these animals to breed more. In addition, many “purebred” animals also succumb to major health complications—such as painful hip dysplasia and heart conditions. Some dogs, like Pugs and King Charles Cavaliers, have been specifically bred to have pushed in faces, which directly causes severe breathing problems and premature death.
We are asking you, Mr. Vilsack, to please place restrictions on the number of breeders allowed to operate in the U.S. and the types of dogs and cats these breeders can breed. Encourage our people to adopt, not shop.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Nom d’util
THIS MUST STOP! There are purebreds on death row!!
MNY GOD!!! THIS MUST STOP!!!!!!
It’s not just irresponsible breeders but irresponsible owners who have a duty to get their pets neutered, whether their pets are ‘breeds’ or mongrels.
I completely agree with you. Just want to add – “ALL LIFE MATTERS”! Therefore, the best way to save a life is to prevent it in the first place through sterilization and of course shutting down all puppy mills across the board!
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT JANICE!!! WOULD ALSO LIKE TO AD THERE NEEDS TO BE A LAW ANYONE THAT HAS CATS OR DOGS MAKE IT MANDATORY AND LAW SPAY AND NUTERING!!!
Rescue groups i know will NOT give a cat unless fixed.
Same here!! Rescue group,,gets everyone of their dogs an cats fixed …also fully Vetted before adopted into their new family..
Coincido contigo Hexenbeest, la castracion es el deber y la responsabilidad de los dueños!!!!!
Totally agree with both of you!
ALL veterans need to offer reduced rates for spay and neuter services to help this. Our government could offer such service help as well to reduce dogs and cats that did NOT asked to be born !!!!!
Time to get this under control. It is a disgrace that so many animals land up in shelters or are euthanised.
After so many years of trying to stop breeding factories, it’s time to throw these sick greedy people in prison NOW!!!
Yesss!! There must be a severe punishment for those criminals who are so cruel to precious dogs/cats…..
Humans treating animals like a throwaway, dispensable commodity. Absolutely heartbreaking and shouldn’t be allowed to happen.
It would help if stupid people didn’t BUY from the damn breeders – if these status-seekers didn’t support this, the breeders wouldn’t have incentive.
THERE ARE BY FAR TOO MANY STUPID PEOPLE THAT BUY FROM PUPPY MILLS AND BREEDERS THAT DO NOT GIVE A DAMN JUST HOW MANY PUPPIES THEY BREED AS LONG AS THAT F-ING MONEY KEEPS COMING IN. DID THESE IDIOTS THAT BUY FROM BREEDERS OF ANY TYPE EVER HEAR OF SPAY & NEUTER SERVICES??? WISH THE HOW WE COULD SPAY & NEUTER A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ASSHOLES. THAT WOULD SURELY HELP AND LOWER THE PUPPY AND PEOPLE BREEDING POPULATION !!!!
RIGHT!! WHEN THE HELL ARE PEOPLE GOING TO STINKING WISE THE HECK UP?!?!?! ALL THOSE PRECIOUS DOGS AN CATS ARE SUFFERING HORRIBLE WAY OF LIVING,,,,THIS MUST STOP!!! IMMEDIATELY!!!
Ending the AKC would be a good idea too. It would have a significant impact on breeding.
Need to get this under control.
There should NOT be any pet owners should Be ALLOWED TO BREED ALL DOGS AND CATS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN!!!!
EXACTLY!! And this petition is a joke! This craziness will never end.
PERFECT PUNISHMENT IS TO PUT ALL THOSE EVIL BEINGS WHO OWN PUPPY MILLS,,,,IN THOSE CAGES THEY HAVE ON THEIR PROPERTY…..CHARGE THEM ALL A HUGE FINE FOR TORTURE AND CRUELTY AS WELL AS CRIMINAL ACT!!! POST THEIR FACE AND NAMES ON BILLBOARDS FOR ALL TO SEE….
DISGUSTING GREED. Those who allow it happen are even more disgusting. Their indifference to the suffering of innocent and defenseless creatures is shocking.
I vondemn the “puppy mill breeders” who just want to make momey and don’t care two hoots about the welfare of the animal but I aldo condemn strongly the shelters with a euthanise programme. Thete are so many good people out there trying their best to save innocent animals when these shelters have no morals. No animal should be euthanised just because they are a stray. Where is the mighty USA welfare for animals board when they are needed. Presumably not raising their heads above the parapit in case they have to do something. DISGRACEFUL AND SHAME ON YOU ALL WHO ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN
GREED GOT US TO THIS PLACE….BREEDERS AND PEOPLE WHO ADOPT FROM THEM CONTINUE THIS VICIOUS NON ENDING CYCLE.
NO MORE BREEDING UNTIL ALL ANIMALS ARE ADOPTED! THIS SHOULD BE MADE LAW!
Where is funding from government? Why is the welfare of animals not on ALL countries agenda WORLDWIDE!! WHY ARE ANIMALS SO IRRELEVANT. ASK YOURSELF IF THAT IS THE HUMANE WAY TO MOVE FORWARD!!?!?!?!? More shelters! Make spraying and neutering available to EVERYONE! Make it MANDATORY – ALL GOVERNMENTS WORLDWIDE SHOULD GET ON BOARD.
I applaud the goal of ending backyard breeding, but don’t find the reasoning in the letter to be the most compelling. Why no discussion of the taxpayer burden for managing and euthanizing all these animals while puppy mills profit?
STOP BACKYARD BREEDERS! TOO LAME AND STUPID TO GET A REAL JOB, GOT TO USE INNOCENT ANIMALS TO MAKE A LIVING! MAKE IT A LAW .., NO MORE!!!!
To the creator of this petition, I totally support it and hope that Tom Vilsack, the Secretary of The USDA, realizes the ongoing problem of breeding that results in overpopulation in our shelters that leads to unacceptable amounts of cats and dogs being killed.
$tinking greedy $OB$