"The AKC is the KKK for Animals,"

[The Straight Story]

Breeding 'Pure' Bloodlines and Master Pedigrees While Pound Pups Die Makes the AKC a Ku Klux Klan for Dogs

For Immediate Release:
June 6, 2008

Contact:
Melissa Karpel 757-622-7382

Quincy, Mass. - Holding signs that read, "The AKC is the KKK for Animals," PETA members will protest in Quincy on Sunday outside a meeting of delegates and directors of the American Kennel Club (AKC). PETA's point? It's cruel and irresponsible to promote bloodline dog breeding and spur interest in "purebreds" while animal shelters overflow with unwanted mutts who are dying for lack of good homes. Protestors will show video from a PETA TV spot that shows a KKK member making himself right at home at an AKC meeting. (Click here to view.) The ad has aired in various cities, coinciding with AKC-sponsored dog shows:

Date: Sunday, June 8
Time: 12 noon-1 p.m.
Place: Boston Marriott Quincy, 1200 Marriott Dr., Quincy

For every dog or cat purchased from a breeder or a pet store, an animal awaiting adoption in an animal shelter loses his or her chance of finding a loving home. And because breeders and pet stores almost never require that the animals that they sell be sterilized, many of those animals will have litters of their own--creating even more unwanted animals. Nearly 8 million animals--many of them purebreds--are abandoned at animal shelters every year in the U.S., and about 4 million of them must be euthanized for lack of good homes. The AKC not only promotes breeding but also vigorously opposes lifesaving spay-and-neuter legislation designed to combat the animal overpopulation crisis and reduce euthanasia rates.

"When it comes to contempt for 'mixed breeds' and an obsession with 'pure bloodlines,' the KKK and the AKC have a lot in common," says PETA Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. "All dogs should be created equal, yet millions of wonderful dogs in animal shelters across the country are paying with their lives because of purebred supremacy."

http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=11510

[Vincardog]

1. PETA believes that NO animal should be kept in captivity. I have no respect for their opinion.

[flvegan]

2. PETA thread?

Glad I'm in early.

nom :popcorn: nom

For the record, I agree with the idea that the AKC is bad for animals.

[blondeatlast]

7. Maybe we've become all too chummy after Hillary's speech!

FWIW, this Whippet lover thinks their point has some serious merit.

[Benhurst]

3. I got my first mutt from an animal shelter after having had nothing but pedigreed dogs since

child. She turned out to be a wonderful dog, who only had to be taken to the vet's once a year for a check-up and her shots. She died at age 15 several years ago and is still greatly missed.

I also loved my pedigreed dogs; but when it comes to health, there is no comparison: mutts win hands down.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

10. I have only had pedigreed dogs and they all had long healthy lives until

they were old. A Boxer until she was 13, 2 Miniature Poodles 15 & 18, and an Irish Terrier until she was 15. None of them came from puppy mills but reputable breeders. I think puppy mills have been one of the biggest factors when it comes to dog's lifelong health.

If I were to ever get another dog (although I adore dogs, I am very happy with all 3 of my rescue cats), I would definitely would go to a shelter.

[Benhurst]

11. My pedigreed dogs all had long and reasonably healthy lives (they were also

not from puppy mills); but they were prone to minor infections and things like that (as if any thing is MINOR these days when it comes to vet bills! LOL!) But Missy, my little mutt, was never sick at all until the last week or so of her life.

It's the animal shelter from now on for me as well. :hi:

[hootinholler]

4. How can that be?

They have no standard for a white German shepherd.

:shrug:

-Hoot

[The Straight Story]

6. I have a white cat:

[LiberalFighter]

5. Again PETA doesn't know what they are talking about.

What a bunch of losers.

If they should protest anything it should be reckless breeding both purebred and specialty by those not qualified.

[TwilightGardener]

8. I volunteer in a shelter, but I am not opposed to pure-breed dogs

from responsible and humane sources. I refuse to feel guilty because I've wanted a dog of a particular breed--and some breeds are not easy to come by in shelters, especially if you want a pup. I do believe that dog-breeding should be much more regulated, though--maybe states should enforce having a license and charging fees to keep an unneutered/unspayed dog for breeding purposes, keep records, have inspections, etc. But to seek to eliminate responsible breeders is ridiculous.

[unauno]

12. First, thanks for helping in a shelter. You are an angel.

We have gotten all our animals from shelters.We got a little brown mutt 2 weeks ago, and he is a darling. I don't care much for breeders, but to each his own. There is no reason to eliminate responsible pet owners of any kind.

[bean fidhleir]

9. "And because breeders ... almost never require that the animals ... be steril"

I don't believe that's so. If I'm not mistaken, any animal intended as a companion (ie is not "show quality") is required to be sterilized as a condition of sale.

Not that I hold any brief for breeders or their organizations, but the truth is damning enough.

[Arkana]

13. Screw PETA.

They are quite content to think that violating HUMAN civil liberties is OK when they tell us we CAN'T EAT MEAT GUYZ!