Having taken a hiatus from the crazy world of dog law, I had just about gotten my mental health and blood pressure under control when a friend forwarded me a link to a Pedigree Dog Defence Forum from the UK on Facebook. Apparently there’s a new law under consideration which would require puppy buyers see the parents of any pup they are considering. Why not, they were remarking. Sales in pet stores are disallowed, and this is the” responsible” way to go. After all, THEY are wonderful breeders who all follow this practice anyway.
SIGH this attitude is nothing new to me. I hear these comments all the time from many show dog breeders here in the US.......Thinking their way is morally superior and a willingness to sell others down the river who disagree.
I USED to breed dogs. I don’t want strangers coming to my house. People have been robbed of their pups and even killed by lookie Loos posing as pet buyers. Not to mention Animal Rights kooks who harass, demean and threaten breeders especially if they know where you live.
Laws in our country are creeping incrementalism towards the elimination of breeding by any means. Pet store sales bans, then elimination of anyone “commercial” because of course they aren’t as saintly as those who lose money breeding dogs. Next, you classify the remaining breeders as “commercial” based on some arbitrary number like bitches owned or litters produced annually. Now the hobby breeder must comply with commercial breeder rules. Who in their right mind would remain a dog breeder, or even consider breeding in the first place, under such conditions? And so, we march down the path toward extinction. Extinction of breeders. Extinction of entire breeds. Extinction of dogs purposely bred to serve man. After all, these breeders believe that breeders should instead serve the dog and eliminate his role as our helpmates.
“Rescues” get preferential treatment when they import puppies and purebred dogs, sometimes even stolen from their owners yards! I have been to many many municipal hearings, county hearings and even our state capital to try to educate legislators about the hazards of knee-jerk, feel-good laws that actually end up harming dogs and the people who love and breed them. “Reading the comments here is very painful,” I remarked. “People don’t seem to understand or care about the consequences of such matters or their actions in supporting them.”
So in support of my own good health , I left that group of nutters.
Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.
Here are the Effects of Spaying and Neutering as far as Cats are Concerned
ReplyDeleteHealth and Behavioral Risks and Downsides
1) An increased risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer), hemangiosarcoma (a cancer of the lining of the blood vessels), and urinary tract cancer (a type of feline lower urinary tract disease) compared to unneutered/unspayed cats. Hemangiosarcoma is a much more common spay/neuter risk in dogs and is rare in cats.
2) A tendency to develop Feline Endocrine Alopecia (an endocrine related hair loss). Causes a symmetrical thinning or balding of the hair on the insides of the hind legs and the lower abdomen and occurs mostly on neutered middle-age cats, both male and female.
3) A fourfold increased risk of prostate cancer in male cats.
4) An increased, 3.4 fold risk of obesity in both male and female cats, but especially in male cats. A decreased level of sex hormones seems to be associated with an increase in the intake of food. This obesity can be permanent, irreversible, severe, and not respond to changes in diet.
5) An increased, 2-9 fold risk of diabetes, which is exasperbated by the increased risk of obesity. Diabetes is three times more common in Burmese cats than in other purebred cats.
6) Early spay and neuter seems to increase the risk of developing slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), a fracture on the growth plate that results in the overlaying end of the femur to slip. This is rarely found in dogs.
7) Prevents a cats bones from developing properly. This can cause hip displasia or malformed hips that cause pain and difficulty when walking and running.
8) An increased risk of risk of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) in both neutered males and spayed females. Unspayed female cats seem to have the lowest risk for FLUTD. Males, due to the thinner shape of their urethra, are more susceptible to some problems associated with FLUTD, including stones, a urethral plug, and urethral blockage. Early neutering (neutering before 9 months) may further exasperbate this risk in male cats.
9) Neutering may increase shyness and hiding, especially in early-neutered male cats.
10) An increased likelihood of suffering from adverse reactions to vaccinations may occur.
11) Decreases metabolism by one third. Potential side-effects caused by a metabolic decrease besides obesity are constipation, a feeling of coldness, a lack of energy, and skin and blood pressure problems.
12) Neutering , especially early neutering, may increase the likelihood of preputial adhesions (adhesions on the prepuce), infections, and scarring to occur
13) Neutered cats have a higher risk of getting hyperthyroidism than intact cats.
14) Neutering can cause depression and severe depression, especially in male cats
15) Neutered cats (especially male ones) are more likely to be lethargic than intact and hormonally intact ones
16) Neutering can cause complete and permenant personality changes in cats
17) Neutering can cause cats, especially male cats, to feel disinterested in general
18) Neutering can cause late complications