By Carey Sharp

Mower County Humane Society

“Re-homing fee” and “free to a good home” are two phrases that can raise the blood pressure of even the most relaxed person involved in animal rescue.

These phrases are found in many ads soliciting puppies and dogs. Shelters and rescues are locked in a constant battle against overpopulation and crowded conditions. The bane of their existence is the local backyard breeder.

Whether these breeders are deliberately breeding dogs for profit or producing litters due to negligence, their actions have a profound effect on shelters everywhere.

Stories about large puppy mills are headline news, but backyard breeders fly under the radar. They offer many excuses to validate their actions, without thinking about the long term impact.

Some feel that they are providing a service by supplying a certain type or breed of dog. Many feel that because their dog is a purebred, it must reproduce.

One breeder even stated that although her dog’s pregnancy was deliberate, it’s more of a hobby, and she is “not a breeder.” The price tag of $350 to $450 per puppy says otherwise. Sure, there are legitimate breeders in the world. However, they don’t have to resort to craigslist or ads posted on bulletin boards to find homes for their animals. They are in it for the dogs, not the money. That being said, 25 percent of dogs in shelters are purebreds.

Let the numbers speak. Petfinder.com lists over 24,000 labs in shelters and rescues. Close to 17,000 Chihuahuas and over 20,000 pit bulls are listed, too.

The ever popular Golden Retriever is also there: over 2,000 needing homes. It’s no coincidence that these are some of the most popular breeds listed in ads by backyard breeders.

These people are not always careful when it comes to choosing a new home for their product. An accidental litter, offered “free to a good home”, usually needs to be gone as soon as possible. Any person can claim to be a good home. Those bred for profit will most likely go to any person who has the money in hand. Backyard breeders follow no real guidelines when selling their dogs. It truly is a “buyer beware” market.

Those involved in rescues and shelters see the long term effects. For example: out of a litter of eight puppies, it is highly unlikely that all of them will remain in the same home for their entire lives. Many will be resold, given away, or dumped. This usually happens after they’ve left the cuddly, puppy stage.

Purebred or not, some will eventually end up in shelters. The lucky ones will end up in a no-kill shelter. They will be nurtured by the shelter’s staff until their true, forever home is found. The unlucky ones will find themselves in a kill shelter, with an expiration date. They will wait until the facility decides that their time is up, and their life is over.

Backyard breeders won’t see this, though. They will have moved on already, continuing to collect their blood money. This money is brokered by craigslist, social media sites, print ads, and ads posted at local businesses.

A “re-homing fee” is just a polite name for a price tag. “Free to a good home” doesn’t really exist. Everything comes with a price.

When a backyard breeder is successful, that price becomes way too high for more 2 million, innocent dogs in shelters nationwide. Purebred or mixed breed, they pay with their lives. Kind of puts a new spin on the phrase, “how much is that doggie in the window?”

The Austin Veterinary Clinic is once again holding a reduced cost vaccination clinic from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday. It’s also a great opportunity to stock up on heartworm preventatives and flea and tick preventatives. MCHS volunteers will be on hand to help. Please call AVC at 433-5225 for more information.

The MCHS is grateful for donations received in memory of Darwin DeRemer, Bryan Green, Donald Leckness, “Lena” Dudas, Lorraine Oestreich, “Sheldon” Kroymann, Edith Finley, Marti Friest, Dr. Inman Hesla, Dale Wiste, Nancy Peck, Jane Reeve, Matthew Learn, Sylvia Satter, and Sid Heiny.