by Brandy Seay

Created on: April 14, 2009   Last Updated: April 15, 2009

I feel that dog owners are more responsible for the excess of abandoned or sheltered dogs. While I do believe that most breeders are in it for the money rather than ensuring that purified breeds are going to good homes. Also, I believe the media plays a part into the over population. For example, after 101 Dalmatians hit the theaters there was a surge in Dalmatians as pets. The problem that ensued was that most parents did not do the research on the breed and then there was a surge of Dalmations at the shelters. When a child sees a cute and cuddly puppy with spots and automatically says I want one, it is the parents responsibility to research the breed before finding out first hand that they are not that great with children, very hyper, and as with most purebreds have their fair share of health problems. I'm sure after Ol' Yeller there was a surge with yellow labs.

While breeders are keeping up with supply and demand, I believe that research is the key. I live in a rural area and have two boxers, in the local paper each weekend there is an advertisement for boxer puppies from a specific "supplier". I know this because he uses his same email address in the ad. Now, I would never purchase a puppy from this guy because I really do feel he is running a puppy mill. You see, normally there is a specific time when boxer puppies are typically born and then there are "dry" spells but this guy has puppies year round. I think that when puppies are bought from puppy mills this keeps them in business and helps the over population.

I have also heard of people dropping off their old dogs at a shelter and in the same trip adopting a puppy. I'm sure I am not the only person who sees that as a problem. I believe that if you take an animal to a shelter for whatever reason, you should be responsible for the expense of the dog until it is adopted. Most kill shelters have to euthanize because of space and because of expense. I think that if people are still held accountable, then they will think twice before dumping their animal off.

Most pet adoption agencies make you sign a contract stating that if you adopt one of their animals and no longer want it that they will take it back with no questions asked because they survive on donations. This brings me back to holding owners accountable to give shelters more resources.

I had pets before I had children, I still have those same pets. That being said,if we have a bad day with our children or they are not behaving we don't take them to the shelter so why does our society act like pets are disposable?

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