In amongst all the stories with ‘happy endings’ for our doggie friends, there are times when, very sadly, we come across the unlucky ones too.
No doubt , we who live in the DR and those who visit often, have seen the puppy vendors on the side of the highway, on the streets in town and even at the traffic lights in the cities. Many of the alleged pure-bred pups which are naturally cute (aren’t all puppies?) are indiscriminately bred for the sole purpose of profit without any care for the home to which they may go or the life that they may be on their way to endure. Whilst people continue to buy these dogs, either on the street, or through ‘a contact’ who knows a breeder, these people will continue to make money and breed indiscriminately without any thought for the wellbeing of the animals.
When I lived in the UK, I bred both Jack Russells and Labradors and had every intention of breeding from my youngest Labrador bitch when I arrived to live here in the DR. I soon reversed my thinking and had my bitch spayed. Unless being bred for a specific reason, i.e. to continue a notable ‘blood line’ or a specific purpose such as highly trained SAR / protection dogs, please don’t introduce any more dogs onto this island.
Continual efforts by many people ensure that the natural increase of the DR’s dog population is humanely controlled with spay/ neuter programmes and, despite these efforts, there are still numerous puppies, young and older dogs appealing for adoption – see the website of Asociaci?n De Amigos Por Los Animales De Sos?a, Inc. for many good examples.
What has prompted me to post this thread? Just in the early hours of today, the Rottweiler puppy pictured below was dumped on the driveway to AAAS / Judy’ Pet Lodge. He is riddled with screw worms, emaciated and may not survive and it also appears that someone had tied his mouth shut! His only saving grace is that he has ‘bright eyes’ so I have nicknamed him Hazel (reference: Watership Down).
I know we can’t save them all but, surely, we can help to prevent atrocities like this one....
I apologise if anyone finds my words or this pup’s photograph offensive.
No doubt , we who live in the DR and those who visit often, have seen the puppy vendors on the side of the highway, on the streets in town and even at the traffic lights in the cities. Many of the alleged pure-bred pups which are naturally cute (aren’t all puppies?) are indiscriminately bred for the sole purpose of profit without any care for the home to which they may go or the life that they may be on their way to endure. Whilst people continue to buy these dogs, either on the street, or through ‘a contact’ who knows a breeder, these people will continue to make money and breed indiscriminately without any thought for the wellbeing of the animals.
When I lived in the UK, I bred both Jack Russells and Labradors and had every intention of breeding from my youngest Labrador bitch when I arrived to live here in the DR. I soon reversed my thinking and had my bitch spayed. Unless being bred for a specific reason, i.e. to continue a notable ‘blood line’ or a specific purpose such as highly trained SAR / protection dogs, please don’t introduce any more dogs onto this island.
Continual efforts by many people ensure that the natural increase of the DR’s dog population is humanely controlled with spay/ neuter programmes and, despite these efforts, there are still numerous puppies, young and older dogs appealing for adoption – see the website of Asociaci?n De Amigos Por Los Animales De Sos?a, Inc. for many good examples.
What has prompted me to post this thread? Just in the early hours of today, the Rottweiler puppy pictured below was dumped on the driveway to AAAS / Judy’ Pet Lodge. He is riddled with screw worms, emaciated and may not survive and it also appears that someone had tied his mouth shut! His only saving grace is that he has ‘bright eyes’ so I have nicknamed him Hazel (reference: Watership Down).
I know we can’t save them all but, surely, we can help to prevent atrocities like this one....
I apologise if anyone finds my words or this pup’s photograph offensive.