Disadvantages Of Breeding Animals

Man’s best friend can be found in around 44% of households in America (ASPCA). These fun-loving companions can be the perfect addition to many families as there are numerous dog breeds, each having its own set of characteristics. These characteristics are selected using specific breeding processes to choose “desirable traits” which produce the famous pedigree or purebreds. To purchase a purebred, one must either buy directly from a breeder or through a pet store. The issue is, breeding pets and purchasing the puppies is doing more harm than good as it is aiding pet overpopulation, health problems, and unnecessary cosmetic appearances. With around 78 million dogs in America, the dog breeding business is fueling the overpopulation of pets (ASPCA)

Pedigrees or purebreds, the most commonly bred dogs, often have distinct characteristics. Depending on the dog, there are certain styles and lengths of ears and tails. This means dogs like the cocker spaniel or the boxer have docked tails. Docking removes part of the tail making it shorter. Besides docking, some dogs like the Doberman experience ear cropping, a surgery to make the ears appear pointy. These surgeries do not have health benefits and are purely for cosmetic purposes. Breeders and associations such as the American Kennel Club say that these cosmetic surgeries preserve breed character. The truth is, it presents nonessential risks such as nerve damage, defecation difficulty, or ear infections (Natural

With the high number of dogs in shelters, citizens should adopt a dog that needs a home rather than purchasing one (BE10). To aid in the number of people going to shelters to adopt, restrictions should be placed on breeders (BE8). For example, there can only be so many breeders in the country who can only breed so many times a year. This will not only lower the issues of overpopulation, health, and unnecessary appearances but will be healthier for the breeding dogs. Plenty of loving dogs that need homes can be found at local shelters, so adopt, don’t