FlyByNight Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 PETA and HSUS were in complete agreement on this one, Bill. They wanted to kill 'em all... The HSUS was also instrumental this week in the destruction of the 147 Pit Bulls seized in a bust on Ed Faron of Wildside Kennels' yard on charges of dog fighting involvement. Adults and puppies alike were euthanized, despite the offers of five different well known rescues such as Best Friends and BAD RAP to take on some of the dogs for rehab and adoption. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PennyT Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Bad on HSUS and PETA. However, Faron confessed and then plead guilty. Would it be better if Wildside were still in business? Penny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Getting back to Westminster, and similar issues, I got into a rather heated discussion with someone (who knows me very well) just a few days ago. He asked whether or not I had been able to see Westminster and I said that I had not, and would not have watched if I could have seen it. He said that he enjoyed watching the dogs. Well, one thing led to another and I voiced my opinions on dog shows as beauty pageants, breeding for so-called conformation, styles and trends, etc., health issues in some pure breeds, and also what breeding for something other than purpose will do to a breed that is eminently suited for some sort of real job (like the Border Collie and stockwork) and not just a hobby or entertainment. I discussed how breeding for things that are cosmetic or other than traditional purpose would lessen the abilities of a breed. I also talked about how breeding for the show ring encourages the breeding for extremes of style, and how breeding for only part of a package could have very unintended negative results with regards to the dog as a whole, physically, mentally, tempermentally, and with regards to health and other issues. But he couldn't see past the idea that any one could and should, if they so chose, breed any breed of dog for whatever suited them - if you want a Border Collie as a pet, why shouldn't you breed them to be pets - even though (IMO) that reduces the breed as a whole. Now, I wasn't arguing that there are not perfectly good "pet breeds" and I had no issue with that. I have an issue with breeding purposeful breeds (working dogs that fulfill real jobs) to fulfill a demand for pets, hobbies, or entertainment. In addition, when I said there were people like myself who *need* certain types of purpose-bred dogs he felt that my *needs* were no more valid than those of a person who felt they *need* a Border Collie (or whatever purpose-bred breed) for a pet because that's what they *want*. He asked if I could not accomplish what I needed to do on the farm without dogs, whether or not it was more stressful, harder on me or the stock, more time-consuming, etc., or just plain less pleasant. Or, further yet, weren't there other breeds that could accomplish the same work so, if the Border Collie breed was no longer reliable as a stock dog, couldn't I just get some other, still-suitable breed to do the work? By the way, this same person and I were at a dog park where we met a very lovely couple with an older Sheltie. I unintentionally wearing a 2007 National Sheepdog Finals jacket (I was just a volunteer there, and it was what suited the day best) and this sweet lady commented that they and their Sheltie "had gone herding" to a trainer in the Poconos (I think I can guess who that was). I felt uncomfortable and didn't know what to say that would be nice and yet honest, so I didn't say much. My companion said I had been cold and judgemental, and should have enjoyed sharing a "bond" with these nice people, as they and I "had so much in common". I'm really just venting and this thread concerning (to some degree) the dog show world seemed the place to do it. I think my companion and that nice couple were good examples of people whose viewpoints have been shaped to some degree by the prevalent, very visible world of "the sport of purebred dogs". It would probably be best just to ignore this post but I wanted to get if off my chest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PennyT Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 "In addition, when I said there were people like myself who *need* certain types of purpose-bred dogs he felt that my *needs* were no more valid than those of a person who felt they *need* a Border Collie (or whatever purpose-bred breed) for a pet because that's what they *want*." Ain't relativism grand? Sue's friend has a point: most people are so removed from agriculture that, of course, pet/show breeding is just as worthwhile as agricultural. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyByNight Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Would it be better if Wildside were still in business? Just wanted to make it very very clear that no, in no way, shape, or form would it be good for Ed Faron to still be in business. He was stupid and ethically lacking in a huge number of ways, and it cost his dogs their lives. What I think is so disappointingly unfortunate is that even after the success of the Vick dogs, the HSUS is still fast to condemn dogs from "game lines" without giving them so much as a chance once national media isn't watching. ESPECIALLY considering there were a number of well established, experienced, reputable rescues willing to take some of the dogs in and place them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.