We’re feeling very upset and ranty today. We think it’s a great shame when people’s dogs or cats get pregnant by “accident” and then plan to sell the puppies or kittens, and continue to claim that they’re animal lovers. They’re nothing more than backstreet breeders.
They justify it by saying that if a dog or cat has a litter, then it means that they have less lady problems later on. But we think that’s just an excuse that backstreet breeders make up to justify their actions.
I don’t understand people who buy backstreet puppys and kittens. I came from RSPCA Ashford. Teego came from Foal Farm as a kitten and cost £150 but INCLUDED in that price was a certificate of health from a vet, his first set of kittie injections, AND his Teutering. So actually, it worked out pretty cheap when you think about it.
So I simply CANNOT understand why anyone would buy any animal off a backstreet breeder, because although the initial price is cheaper, you have to pay for neutering and injections on top of that. PLUS you can rest assured that from an animal rescue place, they’ll be honest about any possible issues with the animal. Of course, if you’re dumb enough to buy off a backstreet breeder, you’ll probably not be responsible enough to have it neutered either, and probably want it to have “just one litter” before it gets neutered.
Also, buying a puppy or kitten from a backstreet breeder, you have no idea if the animal has even been looked at by a vet (Of course they haven’t)
Everyone loves puppys and kittens. I would have dearly loved to see Teego produce a litter of his own before he got neutered, but I know that rescue centres are already overcrowded, so it would be in direct opposition to my claim of being an animal lover and “accidentally” having a litter.
A responsible breeder will have every kitten/puppy checked by a vet and be able to show PROOF, and will already have had its first injections, and will also make you sign a contract to say that you will have it neutered within a certain period of time. Anything less, and you’re a backstreet breeder.
My friend the grand champion abssinian cat breeder hardly makes any money from breeding her cats, because the costs of vets and injections and being reputable are why pedigree cats are so expensive. She says it’s more of an expensive hobby than a way of making megabucks!
So, my question to you, all my furriends, have I gone off the deep end with this, or do you agree with me? Can private/backstreet breeders be ok? Let me know in the comments!
Adopt a pet from a rescue centre.
Don’t buy from some dodgy backstreet breeder.
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my sons neighbor let his cat run the streets and of course she had a litter an he had the nerve to sell ‘alley’ kittens! My son and his other neighbors are trying to trap the mama and get her fixed!
To be honest, I have no use for people (non-registered breeders) who let their cats or dogs breed. I feel they should spend time in a high-kill shelter and be forced to assist in the euthanasia of all the unwanted animals.
I so agree with what you have said here, I do feel that people need education beginning with children at school. I try and talk to children about it a few times a year and I hope it can change the sitaution every spring.
Teego is so big and beautiful and Freya is such a patient girl.
Well said!!!!! If you love and care for animals and are looking to get a pet then you go to a registered breeder and/or registered rescue centre. I think it’s ok to adopt by default – say a stray/abandoned kitty/doggy “adopts” you – or in my case – my first kitties – a mama kitty snuck in through the back door under my sister’s bed and gave birth to 3 beautiful kitties – whom we adopted of course – including mum. But to actively go out of your way to get a pet illegally is not on!
Take care
x
Nope, the end you thought you went of wasn’t deep. We totally agree!!!
We agree, too! Harley lived in a shelter for 6 months before we adopted him!
We agree with what you’re saving on a whole, but feel that you may be tarring some very caring animal owners with the same stick brush as ;backstreet breeders’.
Accidents do happen. Our very own Charlie O’Marley was a result of a accidental mating of a friends cat who came into season and got out before her spay was booked. After Charlie’s mum had her kittens and was health che3cked by her vet she was spayed. Even though we didn’t get Charlie or indded any of our cats from rescue centres, they have all been neutered/spayed and given their annual vaccinations.
We have in fact attempted to adopt a cat from Battersea Dogs and Cats home and the RSPCA. We were turned down by both because we a) have a dog, b) have children.
I agree with you except for one point. People who accidentally end up with kittens or puppies should charge a nominal charge for them to assure that their new owners really want them and will take care of them. Also, sometimes disreputable people will take whole litters of kittens or puppies that are given free and sell them to research labs. I know that this is a little different subject.
All my animals have been from shelters or strays I have taken in and all are neutered and spayed.
You haven’t gone off the deep end at all. It’s a sound message and one that needs spreading. Our ape manage to persuade the manager of the local Tesco to stop displaying cards with animals for sale. We think that rule may now be applying to all Tescos (paws crossed) People should NEVER buy animals from cards displayed in shops or vets. We know of vets who display these cards too, and despite words from our apes, don’t see that it encourages back yard breeding. Avoid buying animals from pet shops too. They buy most of their animals from bulk breeders and puppy/kitten farms and the RSPCA and the police do nothing to stop this. The RPSCA won’t touch puppyfarmers.
We agree with Kara upthread, we need to get animal welfare and management onto the national curriculum for all school children from the age of 6 upwards. This would help change the culture and lower the number of unwanted and abandoned pets.
My mom loves Persians/Himmies and promises me that she will go to a reputable breeder after I go to the bridge.
I totally agree with you and would strongly urge those would want to offer homes to kitties adopt from the shelters. I was a stray and pregnant when I was adopted and didn’t get my lady gardenectomy done until after. My family thought that I might have been abandoned because I was pregnant, because I certainly wasn’t feral. So, so sad!
The people make my blood boil. Cold, calculating and money grubbing I hope they are all stopped and punished. I feel for every cat or kitten in a high kill shelter because of these people. EVIL EVIL EVIL they are – every single one.
You’re absolutely right.
We are advocates for shelters, too. Having said that, if Mom had adopted from a shelter, NONE of us would be here, and 2 of us would probably not have survived. Gandalf and Grayson were abandoned in a box left at a Vet’s office during the night. Whitey was a homeless stray. Gracie was born to a feral Momma.
We think that once a kitten or puppy has been born they ALL should have the same right to be adopted into a loving, responsible home, regardless of how they came to be here. To simply say ‘don’t buy from backyard breeders’ means these sweet little ones would never find a loving home.
What’s sorely needed are stricter laws and fines – not only for the puppy and kitten mills and the backyard breeders, but also for pet-owners who do not spay and neuter their pets.
It’s simple, but it’s complicated, too.
We agree with you…most of us here were strays that were abandoned when sub-humans moved and didn’t take us along. That happened to Jonesie, Bennette, Ginger, Nigel and Cecilia. Figaro’s human is still in the neighborhood, but didn’t get him neutered and didn’t have the resources to care for him. We sprung Grete out of the County pound when she was picked up as a stray and was unclaimed. Figaro and Nigel were not neutered and it’s inexcusable because we have a low cost good v-e-t just a couple of minutes from our place. My momma and I were adopted from a wonderful rescue organization.
My mom has become more militant over the years and now vows to TNR any unneutered full grown male cat that comes into our yard.
We wish there was stiffer penalties for those who don’t spay/neuter their pets and even stiffer penalites for those that abandon them.
We know of a horrible mistake made that way. A “Turkish Angora” kitten was offered by a Backstreet breeder and brought home with an unknown problem… Leukema! The vet bills were exorbitant and the outcome was very sad. Lesson Learned!
Hello! We agree with DailyGs. We think there should be stricter rules regarding neutering. However we are two Bengals who were bought by our mum from separate adverts where people couldn’t (or didn’t want to) look after us anymore. Ben was six months old & Cookie was three years. Our mum did pay a fair amount for us though.
So in a way we are rescue cats even though we weren’t from a rescue centre.
It is very irresponsible for any owner to let their cats reproduce while there are many animals patiently waiting for homes
Thanks for this all of you. We so support rescues and were the Welfare Officers for a nationally known club for a number of years in addition to our breeding (incidentally we lose money at breeding and can show you the accounts to prove it!). As F & T said, it’s an expensive hobby! Our kitties don’t leave us until they’re fourteen weeks old (at least) and are fully vaccinated, many have alreday had their “little ops”.
We do understand the “oops” litter when girls get out and I agree, they SHOULD be charged for to make sure they’re going to the right home, but it’s the byb’s that really get us. Many of their kits are ‘sold’ at six to seven weeks, not fully weaned, no vaccinations and a lot are NOT the breeds they’re claimed to be – just look at some of the pics on some of the websites.
Further rant over, keep up the good work Freya and Teego!
A great organisation which I support in Australia is Doggie Rescue. They do a fantastic job http://www.doggierescue.com
We love those graphics you used. If you don’t mind us asking, where did you find them?
And we agree with what you said. Jan gets upset when she sees folks giving away puppies or kittens in the walmart parking lot. Those animals do not have a happy ending. They end up at the shelter, abandoned or worse.
Well I am happy that my owners were dumb enough to buy from a back street breeder. I was born with three siblings and I was only ten weeks old when my current owners called our breeder to ask about me. They were hesitating, probably because they guessed that there was something very dodgy going on with us, but in the end they decided to come and take a look at me. Now, I am a pretty kitty but I don’t think they saw that when they finally arrived. What they saw was somewhat a gruesome view to a cat lover’s eye: me, sitting in a cage where I lived in the living room, shaking like mad cos I felt so exposed with no hiding hole to go to, trying to look smaller that I was because I was so so scared of all the noise and hassle. There were dogs barking and I could hear my old man miaowing outside in his small run where he lived all alone. And these new people. I have no idea what they thought when they got me but oh boy am I glad they did: on the same day, another backstreet breeder came and bought all my three siblings. I now live a happy life. I have been neutered, I am healthy and confident, and I am being treated like a well-loved pet deserves to be treated. If it wasn’t for them, I would be a mum now. Or even worse, neglected. -Evie