Page 4 - Dog-Harmony Life Summer 2021 V3Q2
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founder’s note
Dogs in
Shelters
recently attended the Dog Behavior Conference
I presented by Victoria Stilwell of Positively.com, and
one of the slides presented during the conference stated
the following statistics:
• 7,000 shelters in the United States
• Four to five million dogs enter those shelters Nancy Bown
• Two million are adopted
• Two-thirds are returned after adoption Founder, Content Director
• Two-thirds are euthanized hello@dog-harmony.org
• Length of stay is increasing
The startling truth is that these are good numbers,
lower than they have been in years. I feel sick to my A responsible breeder will have genetic testing,
stomach when I see these numbers, as it confirms my ongoing support and be selective about where the
belief that we desperately need to educate the public puppy goes. It’s important to remember that you
to reduce shelter population. are not rescuing a puppy when you purchase from
How can we help our area’s shelters with this undesirable conditions or someone selling puppies
issue? Shelter staff members are overworked and on the side of the road; you’re funding a puppy mill
under appreciated, and I don’t blame them for the or other disreputable breeder. Help those puppies
return rate. I believe that if the public was better by reporting these activities to animal control or the
educated before they adopted a dog, those numbers Department of Agriculture.
would decrease. 3. Fear Free Training
Here are three key concepts to consider to help Whether you adopt or buy a dog, make the
reduce the number of dogs in shelters: commitment to properly train your dog. Selecting
1. A Pet is Forever your training method is crucial. Aversion training
Adopting a puppy and returning it is a common may lead to aggression, and dominance theory is
occurrence, so when adopting a dog, one should ask: outdated. Enroll your puppy in a structured, fear-free
• Can I make an 18-year commitment to this animal? puppy class early, because according to the American
• Can I afford the care of this animal? Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, “the first three
• Is my lifestyle suited for the animal I choose? months are the period when sociability outweighs
2. Puppy Mills & Back Yard Breeders fear, [and] this is the primary window of opportunity
Our community can help reduce our increasing pet for puppies to adapt to new people, animals, and
population by not breeding their pets simply for the experiences. Incomplete or improper socialization
family experience. If you purchase a puppy, be sure to during this important time can increase the risk
do your research. Don’t buy from a box store, as they of behavioral problems later in life including fear,
usually support puppy mills. avoidance and/or aggression.”
2 dog-harmony life • summer 2021
