3 Reasons Why Breeding Cats and Dogs is Unethical
Written by: Bethel Tessera
Edited by: Eva Ternovska
I’ve always wanted a Scottish fold cat because of how adorable their small ears are. However, when I found out that they are created by breeders, I realized that adopting a cat from my local animal shelter was the best thing to do. Breeding for the sake of these cats’ small, cute ears is harmful: From the sky high overpopulation problem, to the endless amount of medical problems pets face from selective breeding, here is a list of reasons as to why breeding is unethical.
Scottish fold cats are popular for their small ears, but this notable feature can only be
achieved through harmful breeding. Image from Pixabay.
Overpopulation
As the years go by, the number of cats and dogs keeps increasing. Breeders usually don’t get their animals from a shelter, instead choosing to buy them from the internet. People keep paying hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars for cats and dogs that they believe are aesthetically pleasing. At the end of the day, it is important to adopt dogs not purely because of looks. Because people buy cats and dogs from breeders, the breeders are encouraged to continue their business. The more the breeding, the fewer animals adopted from shelters. Overpopulation has gone as far as resulting in millions of dogs and cats getting euthanized.
Unethical Practices Causing Health Issues
As a result of bad breeding practices, dogs who are bred experience worse health issues than rescue dogs. Not all breeders practice damaging breeding, but some push the limits for “better” results. Breeding practices used to be pretty virtuous until it got popular and more people started to look for a designer mix or purebred. Consequently, it led to damaging breeding which causes numerous health issues in bred cats and dogs.
One example you might be familiar with is the unethical breeding practice of English Bulldogs. Over time, they have gained popularity because of their cute faces and friendliness with kids. Unfortunately, due to their high demand, English Bulldogs have become one of the breeds with the greatest amount of health issues. These include congenital diseases and a high puppy mortality rate.
English bulldogs. Their cute faces also come with damaging health issues from breeding. Image from Pixabay.
Looks Matter Most
Breeding dogs and cats used to be for hunting, police work, search and rescue, therapy, and public service. Nowadays, dog and cat breeding is for people who want to get a pet that looks beautiful or unique. The knowledge that their purebred cat or dog may have health issues is not a dealbreaker for many people, because they would rather have a cat or dog that looks cute rather than one that is healthy. It also shows the breeders that they can continue their harmful practices, because their customers’ priority is a pet for aesthetic purposes.
You can help eliminate harmful breeding practices by choosing to adopt from your local shelter. Shelters have dozens of dogs and cats that are looking for loving families. Adopt, don’t shop!
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