Companion Animal Breeding

Irresponsible breeding leads to pet overpopulation
and more pets in our shelters.

Companion animal breeding is a very hot topic. Cats are very often allowed to breed with the kittens being released into the wild becoming feral cats (those lucky enough to survive). Feral cats can have a major impact on wildlife and often live diseased and inhumane lives. In this article, however, we will primarily focus on dog breeding as it has the highest impact on our society.

Dog breeding has occurred for hundreds of years for very specific purposes. The result has been a fantastic assortment of breeds that meet needs from companionship to working and hunting. The amazing assortment of breeds and personalities can be attributed to these breeders.

There has also been some very negative side effects to your breeding. This includes genetic flaws that range from annoying to life-threatening. This is one major selling point for mixed bred animals.

If you speak to 100 Professionals you will probably receive 100 different opinions on the pure breeding of companion animals. The American Heart Association has very specific opinions on this and we will relay those opinions here.

The APA does believe that pure breeding has its purpose. However due to the massive pet overpopulation problem we currently have in this country reading should be kept to a minimum at this point. Only professional breeders with specific breeding goals should be breeding. We are especially supportive of the working dogs and their role on farms and ranches.

Cute, until you consider there are not nearly enough homes for all of the pets in the US. Many puppies, like this one at Fremont County Humane Society, end up at shelters,
and not all find homes.

Many people that buy a puppy from a backyard breeder or pet store do not go through any kind of qualification process and are unprepared or unqualified to own a dog. Many of these dogs end up at a shelter as adults.

The most harmful breeders are the puppy mills and backyard breeders that not only put much less care into their breeding practices but are often motivated by something other than the love of the breed.

A very difficult subject when discussing breeding is the family that wishes to breed their pure bred dog. Although they have the best intentions this is particularly damaging to the pet overpopulation problem. We always discourage our members from reading their dogs and the most common response we hear is that they will be surer that all of the puppies receive good homes. This is much harder than most people think of the larger problem is that every puppy they find a home for represents one puppy at a shelter that will not find a home. It is our very strong opinion that only professional breeders should breed dogs at this point in our society.

Please do not unnecessarily breed your dog or cat.