Are you a BYB?

Are you a Backyard Breeder?
Originally written by: Sunny Arruda (South Bay Purebred Rescue)
Personalized by: C. Guss (Bastian's Place - Feline & Canine Rescue)



Over 10 million homeless animals are euthanised every year in the United States. The death could easily be stopped by spaying and neutering your pets.

Euthanasia is the single largest cause of death for dogs in the Untied States. Each year 27 million dogs are born. Five to ten million are classified as 'Surplus' and destroyed (killed). That's about one million a
month. These animals are those who 'must' be killed simply because they are unwanted. These numbers do not include the millions of dead dogs scraped off the streets, or the hundreds of thousands of abandoned, severely neglected or abused dogs who never make it to a shelter to be counted and killed.

Most of these animals are young and healthy; in fact, it is estimated that around 80% are less than one year of age. The problem is simple: we have too many dogs with too few homes available. The solution we have opted for is to kill the 'extras'. This solution has been considered acceptable by default, as though there were no other way to control the crisis and we spend over $1 billion every year destroying 'Man's Best Friend'.

Why is this happening in the United States today? The largest ontributors to this problem are Backyard Breeders and Puppy Mills.

The name 'Backyard Breeder' has become very unpopular. Nobody wants to admit they are a backyard breeder. Many people don't even know they are part of the problem. The only way to stop the needless killing
of dogs is to stop the needless breeding of them.

Every breed of dog recognized by the AKC, UKC, ADBA,or CKC has a written standard, a blueprint of what the dog should look and act like. These standards were written so that all would know what a quality example of
the breed is and strive to produce dogs that meet or exceed the standard in health, temperament and appearance. To be sure that you are breeding dogs that meet these standards, your dogs must be judged by people who have a lifetime of experience among the breed. Do you know the standard of your purebred dog?

Does your dog meet this standard according to an AKC judge? If not, your dog is pet quality. Your dog is to be loved, cherished, trained, cared for, spoiled and bragged about but it is NEVER to be bred. No matter how cute or sweet the dog may be, if it is not up to the standard, you have no business breeding it.

If you have a purebred dog, this does not give you the right to breed it. Most purebred dogs are not breeding quality. If you breed your pet quality dog, you are a backyard breeder. Whether you breed the dog in your backyard, garage, living room or an expensive hotel room, the term is still backyard breeder. If your pet quality dog has papers (AKC, UKC, ADBA, CKC), that's nice but it doesn't change anything. You still don't have the
right to breed it.

If your pet quality dog cost you $500 be glad you had the money to afford it. You still don't have the right to breed it.

Do you think that you can make your $500 back if you breed your pet quality dog or if your pet is a color or a size that isn't the breed standard but you just know everyone will want to buy a pup if you breed her? Shame on you! Now you are a backyard breeder with the purpose of peddling pups for bucks.

If the price for a tail dock or an ear crop may seem high to you, what are you going to do when your beloved pet needs an emergency C section? Will you even be there to know if she is in trouble? Would you even be able to recognize the signs before it was too late?

And if you still want to breed your pet quality dog but need to ask who is supposed to cut off the tails and ears, ask yourself "What in the hell am I thinking?"

Do you think genetic testing is something they used in the OJ trial but has nothing to do with your breeding career? You are a backyard breeder.

Backyard breeders sell pup's that aren't up to the standard of the breed. They do this for many reasons. None are good enough reasons to contribute to the killing of the dogs. Period.

Backyard breeders will swear all of their pups went to good homes. They believe this but it's not true. Some may have been luck enough to go to a good home but more than half will end up dead, in a shelter, alone on a cold table with a needle sticking out of their leg. Some of those good homes will get tired of the dog and will just give it away to the first person willing to take it. Some of your beloved dog's children will end
up living alone in a backyard, barking all night, cold and neglected until the owner gets complaints and then the pup will be dead. Some will be starved and beaten. Some will be bred until they die from it.

Some will end up in a rescue and I will have to find space for them. I will have to teach them that not all humans are bad. I will remove their fleas and get rid of their worms. I will have them vaccinated for the first time in their lives because the previous owners neglected to remember. I will spay or neuter the animal to ensure it is not snatched up by someone looking to make a quick buck. I will do all of these things that the previous owner should have done because they didn't want to.

Backyard breeders are not responsible pet owners. They think they love the dogs but that isn't really true because they don't want to bother with all that it takes to breed ethically. They love feeling important when they
say "I breed purebred dogs." but breeding pet quality dogs is not something to be proud of. It is a shame on our society. It is the reason for the death that occurs in shelters. Why do you want to be part of that?

Do you want to be respected? Spay or neuter your pet dog. There is really no other way. The kinds of homes that you want for your pets puppies do not want to purchase a pup from you. They are looking for responsible, respected breeders who are doing something for the breed as a whole. Most of those who will come running to buy one of your pups are the kind of people I wouldn't give a nasty, aggressive dog to. They are people who will turn your sweet little puppy into a shelter once the novelty wears off. That is a fact.

Spay or neuter your pets now and tell everyone you know to do the same. Leave breeding to people who are doing something to better the breed. These people breed for quality, not quantity.

Want to be a respected breeder? Do your research and find an individual who is an educated and respected member of the dog breeding world. Ask this person to be your mentor. You need to know what you are doing before you are even ready to begin.

Have a savings account ready for any and all problems that you will encounter. Purchase only top quality bred dogs and plan on showing them. Do everything that your mentor tells you, he/she has the experience and is not just trying to push you around. Be sure that everything you do as a breeder meets the standards which have been set for responsible breeders.

Or, Don't Breed!