 |
The following is a guest post by my friend and esteemed colleague Alisa.
Next week, the dog world's biggest shindig, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, will descend on New York City with much fanfare and flying fur. Parts of the show will be broadcast live on TV; expect the camera to spend almost as much time panning to celebrity dog fanciers in the audience as it spends on the dogs. Commentators will breathlessly call the action as if something exciting were happening besides just primped dogs running in circles around Madison Square Garden accompanied by handlers in sensible shoes.
Westminster and other dog shows are simply overblown beauty pageants—nothing more, nothing less. So what if a dog wins. What does it mean? That she or he was having a really great hair day? How silly is that?
As trivial as dog shows are, they have repercussions that are dead serious. They create a culture of celebrity that is actually harmful to dogs. We can only guess how many families gathered around their TV sets will decide that they absolutely must have a dog exactly like the one named Best in Show. How many will rush out to buy a puppy from a pet shop or breeder without stopping to think about how much time, money, and effort puppies require? How many will then dump the puppy at the animal shelter six months later when that puppy cuteness has worn off but that puppy energy is still going full speed?
It is estimated that 6 to 8 million animals are abandoned at shelters every year and roughly half are euthanized. Most of these animals are young, healthy, and friendly (and approximately a third of them are purebreds). There is nothing "wrong" with mixed-breed shelter dogs. They are not "inferior" to the dogs you see prancing around the ring at Westminster—in fact, studies show that mixed breeds are often healthier and even smarter than purebreds. They simply lack Westminster's marketing muscle.
The Westminster Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club (AKC), and the various other kennel clubs are culpable in the deaths of shelter dogs. Not only do they promote and breed purebred dogs—taking away homes from shelter animals with every litter they bring into the world—they also actively fight efforts to combat the overpopulation crisis with spay/neuter legislation. The AKC even brags on its Web site about the role it played in tabling a groundbreaking California bill that would have required most animals statewide to be spayed or neutered (breeders could have paid a modest fee to be exempted) and that had the potential to save 500,000 animals from being abandoned and consequently euthanized every year.
Westminster may seem like good, clean family fun, but in reality, its message is that dogs are status symbols to be dressed up and shown off. But dogs are more than just a pretty face—they are our companions, our best friends. Imagine if, instead of fawning over dogs lucky enough to have a really good hairdresser and important-sounding “papers,” we started appreciating dogs for who they are—or who they could be if let out of that shelter cage long enough to strut their stuff. What if Westminster were renamed Westmuttster, and instead of promoting inbred show dogs with complicated hairdos and amputated tails and ears, it showcased homeless dogs up for adoption at local animal shelters? Now that would be something worth setting the Tivo for.
Comments ( 10 )
Hello, In the world we live today it is a day by day way of life to respect, love, and judge people by the way they look. I think this is an extremely important point, I am not sure if we have to start with humans or with animals. The only thing that is more than obvious (sadly not to everyone) is that compassion can’t exist without seeing the inner beauty of humans and nature. This will make us walk through a path were humankind will realize that we are part of nature not before, will we live compassionately. Something I would like to point out to all of you PETA members is this: I know your publicity is made to be controversial and yes, it is the best way to get loads of attention; but in the “I’d rather go naked than wear fur” ads aren’t you addressing the outer beauty part? Isn’t the change to a compassionate lifestyle an inner and personal option? I feel it is hollow because many of these media stars are ephemeral, do we really want people to sense a compassionate lifestyle like being in style and not like lifelong philosophy?
>>>KP's Response:
Hi Daniela,
Thanks for your question. Here's a question back to you:
How much media attention do you think our message would get without celebrities? Answer: Zero. We have to do eye-catching things in order to get the media to pay attention. Once we have their attention, we can convey the important points. Unfortunately, it doesn't do any good to have an important message if no one hears it.
Besides, the celebrities we work with are wonderful and sincere, not ephemeral at all. Pamela Anderson, for example--despite her persona, she is very intelligent and would do anything to help animals. We love our celebrity supporters! :)
KP
Posted by Daniela | February 11, 2008 1:38 PM
Posted on February 11, 2008 13:38
I truly applaud your efforts to raise awareness of mutts and mixed-breeds in you column. However, there are people out there who have their heart set on a purebreed. I've found that the best way to obtain a purebred dog is to go through a breed-specific rescue group. These groups take in dogs and work to find homes for them and educate the public. They're also great for networking and know a lot about the breeds in which they specialize. And many of them will require that the dogs be spayed/neutered before they can be placed in a home.
My husband and I have researched getting a dog and plan on adopting a retired racing Greyhound later this year. The group through which we'll be going is very knowledgeable and screens all potential adopters. Above all, we will not blindly adopt an animal without looking at all the facts and weighing how to balance our lifestyle and the animal's needs.
>>>KP's Response:
Hi Shannon,
Good for you! I applaud anyone who rescues any dog, purebred or not.
KP
Posted by Shannon | February 11, 2008 5:49 PM
Posted on February 11, 2008 17:49
While this charade goes on, thousands upon thousands of dogs in puppy mills are caged and tortured to pay AKC's bills to run these dog shows.
Puppy mill registrations are the primary source of income for the AKC.
That is what provides the cash for the dog shows, breed clubs, lobbying, salaries.
The AKC is built on a mountain of suffering and AKC breeders don't care one bit. They profit too from puppy mill torture.
Posted by kelly | February 12, 2008 7:54 PM
Posted on February 12, 2008 19:54
The AKC also has another venture with the puppy mills. They have a microchip business that they sell to the puppy mill industry.
More quick cash, more blood money.
Posted by kelly | February 13, 2008 9:50 AM
Posted on February 13, 2008 09:50
I think that you are completely wrong. Everything that you say makes no sense to me. It gets me so frustrated. You fight for animal rights, and then you get mad when they are treated like people. If you don't like the media attention that they get, take it away from people too. It has worse effects on them anyway. Oh, wiat. I forgot that no one would pay attention to you without the media.
Posted by Aly | February 17, 2008 10:13 AM
Posted on February 17, 2008 10:13
Aly,
You make no sense. Part of animal rights is giving them the freedom to behave like animals, not an expectation to be human. If KP frustrates you then why are you still here? You certainly aren't contributing anything positive.
Posted by Amanda | February 20, 2008 11:28 AM
Posted on February 20, 2008 11:28
I'm sorry but I think this article was nonsense. Yes there are bad breeders out there and there are even bad shelter people out there. What about that "shelter" that is run by a celebrity? When people try to obtain a pet from a purebred shelter there are a ton of hoops to jump through. A lot of the time you won't be able to get one because you don't have a tall enough fence or you work too many hours in one day or your kids are too young. So what do people do? They go to a breeder and not everyone is aware of reputable or backyard breeders. So when the average person goes to purchase a puppy because the rescue won't give them one they take whatever is available. So instead of pointing your finger at AKC and dog show people maybe we should look at the bigger picture. i.e. breeders, rescues and puppy mills. Just because I don't want a mutt and I prefer a purebred dog doesn't make me a bad person. And with respect to AKC helping to stop the law making it necessary to spay/neuter that's a good thing. People who show their dogs shouldn't be forced to fix their dogs or pay to be exempt. People who don't show their dogs should have their dogs fixed to combat the overpopulation because they will just be breeding their pets to other pets which will only produce more puppies that will more than likely end up in shelters.
Posted by Samantha | February 21, 2008 4:34 PM
Posted on February 21, 2008 16:34
Before people slam the dogshow world- you need to be involved in it...I am- I'm also involved in rescue of my local breed club, owning show and rescue dogs! MOST show dogs live a papmered life! People who breed for show do so responsibly- look at the majority of shelter dogs- they are mixed breeds who were produced by irresponsible breeders, not those involved in show. Slam the puppy mill and backyard breeders- not those involved responsibly with planned and controlled breedings. I have a waiting list for my dogs. Dogs that will never overcrowd a shelter. Some people just want a pure bred dog. You should be supporting responsible breeders who care for their dogs and pamper them as well as those involved in the show world. If all dogs were treated that well shelters wouldn't be overfilled and animal control officers would be out of a job!
Posted by kimberly | February 21, 2008 7:25 PM
Posted on February 21, 2008 19:25
Dogs should not be bred period. There are too many dogs that sit alone in cages because people enable them to breed. I am not against purebreds. I am against breeding. I think the dog shows make things worse for the already grim life the shelter dogs have. I would like to see more mutts out there in the spotlight on boxes of dog treats and on calenders. Obviously if my lab/??? mix were never born, I would not have him but at least I am not adding to the problem by supporting an industry that adds to the suffering of dogs. Every time you buy a dog from a breeder or pet store a shelter dog sits in a cage, and it's brain rots away from lack of activity. Or it will just get put to sleep. I am not sure which is worse sometimes.
Posted by Danielle | March 9, 2008 2:43 AM
Posted on March 9, 2008 02:43
Except the people watching this and then going out to buy a puppy like the best in show, are irresponsible. The people out there showing their dogs know their dogs. They are there to show the very best of breed. The bred their dogs to be of excellent health and temperament, as well as beauty. And if Westminster is bad, think of all the movies out there! More kids watch Balto and want a husky then watch Westminster. In the end, you're blaming the wrong side. Instead of criticizing dogs who are, in reality, the best examples of their breed, why not go for people who really know nothing about dog breeds?
Posted by Marie | March 19, 2008 10:46 AM
Posted on March 19, 2008 10:46