Comments on: Killing for a Myth http://www.astraean.com/borderwars/2008/12/killing-for-myth.html A Border Collie Manifesto Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:23:25 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Edward Diggs http://www.astraean.com/borderwars/2008/12/killing-for-myth.html/comment-page-1#comment-571 Edward Diggs Sun, 21 Mar 2010 05:48:18 +0000 http://astraean.com/borderwars/2008/12/killing-for-a-myth-2.html#comment-571 I own a cat I got at a shelter. He is normally nice even if he is independent. But every now and then he attacks me and viscously claws and scratches. I can never predict when he will strike. One moment is as dangerous as the next. He can go weeks without an incident or any sign of aggression. But normally when he goes crazy on me it lasts for just a few minutes and so he is far too dangerous for small children. The anti-breeder people would argue that he is my responsibility and that I should not abandon him. I would agree with that part. I believe in taking care of all the animals I have regardless of their circumstances. But the anti-breeder people take this farther than I do. They want to require that I only purchase my animals from a shelter so that I save the lives of dogs and cats who would otherwise be euthanized. There are several problems with this but the most important one is that they are against my freedom. If I had a baby or child I would want to make sure that my dog or cat was not crazy. Really the only way to do this reliably is to buy from a breeder who knows the temperament of the puppies that he or she sells. And of course a lot of people will just choose not to own a dog or cat if a buying from a breeder is not an option but there will be many other parents who accept a shelter animal only to find that their children get attacked or mauled. P.S. I have a friend with a nice shelter dog but if I had a child I would not risk letting a shelter animal into my home. On average they are too dangerous. I own a cat I got at a shelter. He is normally nice even if he is independent. But every now and then he attacks me and viscously claws and scratches. I can never predict when he will strike. One moment is as dangerous as the next. He can go weeks without an incident or any sign of aggression. But normally when he goes crazy on me it lasts for just a few minutes and so he is far too dangerous for small children.

The anti-breeder people would argue that he is my responsibility and that I should not abandon him. I would agree with that part. I believe in taking care of all the animals I have regardless of their circumstances. But the anti-breeder people take this farther than I do. They want to require that I only purchase my animals from a shelter so that I save the lives of dogs and cats who would otherwise be euthanized. There are several problems with this but the most important one is that they are against my freedom. If I had a baby or child I would want to make sure that my dog or cat was not crazy. Really the only way to do this reliably is to buy from a breeder who knows the temperament of the puppies that he or she sells.

And of course a lot of people will just choose not to own a dog or cat if a buying from a breeder is not an option but there will be many other parents who accept a shelter animal only to find that their children get attacked or mauled.

P.S. I have a friend with a nice shelter dog but if I had a child I would not risk letting a shelter animal into my home. On average they are too dangerous.

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