Why is it that the most extreme positions seem to hold the conversation? The rest of us are left in the middle avoiding conversation at all costs……
The Moderate & Reasonable Position
The moderate and reasonable always make up the silent/silenced majority right?
Man, why does writing this feels like such a huge risk? Should we just continue compartmentalizing our efforts? Support rescues with money back and free products to help their sickest cases? Work with breeders wanting the best for their dogs' health and to breed healthy puppies? Pretend that every time we do one we aren’t scared we will be pissing off the other? Just work in complete silence and service both in secret like every other pet company?
As a brand, balancing our messaging on these issues can be like walking a tightrope.
Enough is enough, we’re ready to bulldoze a space for the moderate majority to have a space and be heard.
(If you are interested in trying out products and would like to support a Rogue Partnered Rescue click on this link for a list along with a discount code for you to save on your order while we match with a donation back to the rescue associated with the code you choose)
Rogue Is All About Improving The Life Of Pets
“We’ll just keep bull dozing a space for meaningful conversation to happen, and for our up-front honest commitment to improving the health of all pets no matter if they are from a Rescue or Breeder.”
A saying I like is that:
“a person that needs to be right all the time, becomes a person who is unkind.” -- Unknown
There are breeders who hate rescues at the far extreme -- and there are rescues that hate all breeders at the other. Both sides have their reasons and will tell you why they are right.
We can all acknowledge that there are breeders who are in it for all the wrong reasons and they are hurting breeds with their actions.
When I was just 18 years old, in the year 2000, I had my first lesson. Guys, this was before the whole internet was in our pockets on our phones, before Caesar Millan, before Pit Bulls and Parolees, before Animal Rescue the TV show! Do you get the point? I bought a dog off the side of the road. I was young and ignorant. That tea cup Pekingese was my first hard lesson in dog ownership. I spent over 1K dollars that I didn’t have over a 2-week period trying to keep that puppy alive and still ended up losing the puppy. That was how I learned what a puppy mill was!
Every dog I had for years after that was a rescue. Nate and I got involved in rescues, we even fostered, trained, and re-homed many dogs while we both lived in Galveston.
Most Rescues Do Great Work
Can we all agree there are rescues that are less than honest and are also hurting pets? I know this is a hard one for some to consider. There are rescues that seem to be about making the people running them money before the animals. I know, I’ve seen it first hand. I might even be willing to name names…
I have even adopted an adult dog from a rescue that was supposed to be spayed and had it go into heat! The owner of this rescue was later charged and convicted of animal cruelty! I’ve seen a “rescue” set up at a local home and garden show with over 150 puppies, no dogs over 6 months, and charge $250.00 adoption fees. I’ve seen local rescue owners charged and convicted for animal cruelty.
However, I think if we really are honest, many of us can give examples of questionable rescues we have come across….. rescue is an honorable endeavor and almost all are in it for the right reasons, however, like anything once we treat it like it is sacred it’s easy for things to be overlooked that should be called out.
Most Breeders Do Great Work
Probably for many of the bad rescues, just like many of the bad breeders, it started as one thing with good intentions and drifted or spiraled into something bad. Sure, you can say but there are certainly more backyard breeders or puppy mills than bad rescues, and we wouldn’t disagree.
We have to remember every person is at a different point on their journey and not everyone is going to end up at the same place as us at the same time regardless. So, what’s the best course of action?
- Be and set a good example at all times
- Share accurate information
- Educate and act with compassion, can impact behavior and win converts
Being a dedicated and reputable dog breeder is really hard work. So is working at or for rescue. Breeders work valiantly to breed sound and healthy dogs that do what the breed was meant to do. Rescues work tirelessly to save dogs and get them into the right homes.
Let’s get down to some things people need to think about when evaluating a dog breeder or a rescue?
How Can You Recognize A Responsible Breeder?
Check their website, and their social media, planned litters, breeding dogs, titled dogs, and whether litters are all or mostly sold before they are bred. See how many different breeds they are breeding. See where the dogs are registered. Check the pricing, how expensive or cheap are their dogs? Do they do health testing & do they screen prospective owners? Do they offer a health guarantee? Do they guarantee they will take any dog back for any reason if an owner can not care for it?
How Can You Recognize A Responsible Rescue?
Check their website and their social media. Do they screen applicants, what are the adoption fees, are they too high or too low? Do the service-specific breeds? Are all dogs properly vetted for temperament and have up-to-date vaccinations? Are they spayed or neutered before placement? Do they only bring puppies to adoptions? How many dogs do they have and how many are puppies?
Education Always Helps!
Hopefully, we can educate prospective pet owners on the things to look for when looking for a good rescue or a puppy from a reputable breeder. We can all learn to appreciate both the rescues and the breeders that are committed to doing things ethically and responsibly. The more we promote these concepts and set what is acceptable, the less space we leave for either side to exploit pets for personal gain.
We’ll just keep bulldozing a space for meaningful conversation to happen and for our up-front honest commitment to improving the health of all pets no matter if they are from a Rescue or a Breeder.
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