Apr09
The American Kennel Club Must Really Hate Dogs ...
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Comments (34)
The hateful little press release from the American Kennel Club that I read today probably shouldn't have surprised me, given that these are the same people who think it's just a swell idea to breed and sell animals when there are 6-8 million homeless cats and dogs admitted into shelters every year. But this latest absurdity is over the top even for the AKC. The topic was what dog lovers should do about legislation in their states to protect their canine friends from being chained up outside all day—exposed to the elements, the boredom and anxiety that tends to accompany being tethered to a frickin’ tree for long periods of time, and God knows what other miseries lie in wait for so-called "backyard dogs." The AKC's message to their members? "Do nothing." According to their press release:
"With substantive animal cruelty statutes already in place, states simply need to enforce existing law in cruel tethering cases. The already-existing cruelty laws make these proposed tethering bans or restrictions unnecessary."Â
Isn't that lovely? We can all relax and let state governments enforce their own woeful anti-cruelty statutes and the problem will just disappear. The AKC even has the audacity to speak out against an anti-tethering bill pending in North Carolina, calling it "an attempt to intervene unnecessarily with tethering as a useful tool for confining dogs."Â Having spent a good deal of time in rural North Carolina myself, delivering doghouses and straw to some of the countless dogs in that state who spend their entire lives languishing at the end of a chain, I can affirm with some confidence that the only thing tethering is a "useful tool" for is being cruel and ignorant. Which brings me back to the AKC. If you'd like to let them know how you feel about their twisted logic, you can contact their president, Dennis Sprung, at dbs@akc.org. And for more information about what you can do to help chained dogs, click here. Phew. Sorry for the rant, but seriously, WTF?
The American Kennel Club's Anti-Dog Press Release:
[Tuesday, April 03, 2007]
The Canine Legislation Department is currently monitoring numerous state bills proposing laws that would ban, restrict, or limit the practice of tethering dogs. In response to the consideration of these bills, many constituents have contacted AKC regarding how best to respond to and oppose these proposals.
The American Kennel Club believes that dog owners bear a special responsibility to their canine companions to provide proper care and humane treatment at all times. This includes an adequate and nutritious diet, clean water, clean living conditions, regular veterinary care, kind and responsive human companionship, and training in appropriate behavior. The American Kennel Club also believes that dogs should not be kept in circumstances or numbers where these needs can not be adequately fulfilled. Additionally, anyone convicted of animal cruelty involving a dog will have all AKC privileges suspended.
With substantive animal cruelty statutes already in place, states simply need to enforce existing law in cruel tethering cases. The already-existing cruelty laws make these proposed tethering bans or restrictions unnecessary.
For example, North Carolina Senate Bill 1172, introduced by Senator Cowell, proposes to make most instances of tethering dogs a criminal act. However, North Carolina’s existing animal cruelty statute—N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-360 (1999)—already properly addresses all instances of animal cruelty, including cruel tethering, by providing that if any person shall intentionally overdrive, overload, wound, injure, kill, or deprive of necessary sustenance, or cause such damage to be inflicted upon any animal, such offender shall for every such offense be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. This law applies to any act, omission, or case of neglect causing or permitting unjustifiable pain, suffering or death to an animal. Enforcement of this law effectively negates any need for the proposed legislation.
North Carolina is not alone in its attempt to intervene unnecessarily with tethering as a useful tool for confining dogs. Bills similar to North Carolina’s have been introduced in Maine, Maryland, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. (The proposals in Rhode Island and Virginia have been effectively quashed in committee.)
It is imperative that concerned breeders and owners express their opposition to this legislation. For more information regarding specific bills and bill status in any of the above mentioned states, contact AKC’s Canine Legislation Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org.
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Comments
The AKC is a PRO-abuse organization.
The AKC now receives MOST of its income from registering puppy mill puppies.
They have a business arrangement with Hunte Corporation of Missouri, the most notorious puppy mill broker in the country.
Dennis Sprung and his profit-mad board recently approved a business deal with Petland, a chain pet store that sells puppy mill puppies and has mountains of complaints. This particular deal only feel through because the few remaining responsible members of the AKC became angry and demanded it be at least put on hold.
But the Hunte deal has been bringing in the cash for some time.
Thus, the AKC is now PROTECTING puppy mill and animal abusers' interests.
They oppose ALL anti-cruelty laws and bills, because these would reduce profits.
They publically state that dogs are "property," to be used and abused at will by the "owners," and that the government has no "right" to pass laws that regulate "ownership," even abuse and killing.
In particular, they oppose anti-tethering and anti-chaining laws because many puppy millers (and dog fighters) keep their animals outdoors 24/7, caged or chained, in the weather.
Anti-tethering laws would require that these abusers would have to spend money and build kennels, etc
Look to the AKC for lobbying for abuse in every state through extremist members who are being manipulated by these business interests (not to mention, many of these members hate and detest anything and anyone connected to humane efforts or animal welfare.)
If anyone is interested in who the pro-abuse parties are in their state, look to AKC legislative liasions, many breed clubs (not all! but many,) federations of dog clubs, "responsible dog OWNER" groups (the emphasis is on dogs as OWNED property), and various "pet law" groups, boards, forums, websites, and some radical groups founded by AKC board members.
These people will do or say anything to protect profits and stop anti-cruelty legislation. ANYTHING!
They will try to label people who lobby for anti-cruelty laws as "terrorists" and "extremists."
They do have some legislators who receive their donations and support their efforts, and there are some legislators who are personally involved in dog breeding, puppy mill activity, etc
(Not to mention the legislators manipulated by the hunters, trappers, furriers, some farmers, etc who will go along for the ride.)
There are some legislators who are simply gullible, and are being manipulated by deceptive words and claims.
If cruelty to dogs is to stop and anti-cruelty laws passed or strengthened, then the AKC must be publicly exposed for what it is- a lobby for the dog abuse and pet profiteer markets.
It is VERY important to contact the media, legislators, authorities and be loud and clear about these facts!
Those of us who love dogs need to fight for them, and the AKC is but one of the enemies of canines everywhere.
Posted by: kelly | April 9, 2007 07:17 PM
I am experiencing no shock whatsoever.
In my years working at a shelter all I saw from the AKC was stacks of paperwork telling potential adopters if our dogs were "pure enough" to meet their standards.
All this while 200+ animals sat in our shelter's cages waiting for a good home (the lucky ones) or death.
Posted by: Maya | April 9, 2007 07:24 PM
I don't tether my dogs because I have a fenced yard for when the go out. But, my sister lives in SC and her dog has figured out how to beat everything except a tether. She can climb their 6 ft privacy fence, they even tried those invisible fences and it didn't work and she didn't like it anyway. They can't keep her in the yard when they let her out to use the bathroom. What do you do about that? Tethering is sometimes necessary. Should they be left on 24/7? NO! But being tethered on a LONG tether while being watched is not cruel. Sometimes it's necessary.
Posted by: Liz Mouna | April 11, 2007 09:48 AM
Can the AKC PLEASE just back out of this campaign to stop States from adopting anti-tethering bans? I am an legitimate AKC breeder only trying to keep a breed pure for showing purposes. (Which is what AKC is supposed to actually be concerned with.)I've lost sales, sponsorships, valuable friends and allies because AKC is standing in the way of the progress of the anti-tethering laws. There are bonfires taking place where whole groups are burning their AKC papers and publishing the videos to the media. AKC papers are going to be worth nothing by the time this is over. Other groups are starting to use other methods to register dogs without the AKC. Why are we cutting the throats of the AKC by sticking our nose where it doesn't belong by going against the anti-tethering ban?
Posted by: Sandie | April 11, 2007 01:52 PM
i hate people who hate animals
Posted by: laura | April 11, 2007 03:52 PM
Sandie is so right. The AKC is sticking their nose where it doesn't belong. Why? We can only guess it is because no one is going to tell them what to do with dogs, regardless of the issue. Plus their money is at stake, which is probably the bigger issue. I can't believe how they label everyone who works on behalf of animal welfare legislation as being "against pet ownership". That is just absurd.
Posted by: Lou | April 11, 2007 09:13 PM
Liz Mouna, tethering is NEVER necessary.
There are many people who have dogs that are escape artists, but have figured out the right combination of things to stop the fence jumping.
But I take it she doesn't leave the dog out overnight or for huge periods of time?
The main issue behind anti-tethering laws is addressing dogs that are forced to live outside 24/7, lonely, cold, hot, wet, open to attack.
Posted by: kelly | April 13, 2007 08:59 PM
If your only alternative is to tether your dog to a tree, then I would suggest finding them a safe, new home. Your only alternative would be a dog run that has a top, with all of the comforts of home when they are outside. Tethering is NEVER an option!!!
Posted by: Jay'me Golden | April 13, 2007 10:45 PM
Jan 2007 in CA it became illegal to tether a animal to an object for more than (3) hours at a time. It's not a fraction as bad in CA as what I saw living in GA. I now have animal control on speed on my cell phone to report tethering and I make it clear to them I'm aware of the law and their responsibilty to respond and I follow up with them until I see results.
Although full of legal loopholes - it is a step in the right direction in the progress for animal rights and I hope and pray other states will follow suit.
Posted by: Kerstin | April 14, 2007 01:37 AM
I come from a remote island on the west-coast of Scotland and I can tell you that there are idiots there who tie up their dogs day and night in atrocious weather conditions. They use the excuse that they are working dogs, not pets and I have had cross words with many of those people because of this very subject. When you see a dog that has been tied up long-term you can tell that it is slowly going mad. running up and down all day barking at its shadow, it is not nice, so the UK needs to change all its animal welfare laws as well,good luck with trying to help all animals in this situation.
Posted by: Jean Campbell | April 14, 2007 04:36 AM
In response to your comment, Liz Mouna, there is a simple answer- your sister can stand outside with the dog on a leash untill it does its buisness. This is what I do with my 3 dogs and I have found that the amount of time we spend outside together to be enriching to our relationships. My dogs have learned to go to the bathroom on command so we dont have to spend more than 10 mins outside when the weather is uncooperative (Which it often is in very northern Maine). Think about spending more time together.
Posted by: Bri Fournier | April 14, 2007 10:48 AM
If you don't want your dogs in the house then you really don't want them.I understand that some dogs have to stay a couple of hours a day, in a fenced in yard, but there is no excuse for tethering.
Posted by: Patricia | April 14, 2007 11:20 AM
The AKC is a bunch of greedy sob's who don't give a rats butt about dogs. They think it is perfectly fine for animals to be tethered; that tethering is a useful tool for confining dogs. Too bad we can't tether THEM to a tree or dog house and see how they like it! Scum bags!
Posted by: Kathryn Dalenberg | April 14, 2007 01:41 PM
this is ridiculous
Posted by: mary mazzone | April 14, 2007 03:20 PM
Tethering a dog makes it aggressive. Tethering for long periods of time (or all of its life) is cruel and unnecessary. The AKC doesn't care, apparently. The states don't enforce the animal cruelty laws they have now.
Posted by: Marjorie Hass | April 14, 2007 07:21 PM
why the f are people like the people who wrote this in the world?
Posted by: sasha | April 14, 2007 08:41 PM
ummmmm... yeah, this is pretty bad. GET A FENCE and stop tying up dogs. the last time i tied up my dog was when i was keeping her away from a dying baby bird. there is no excuse for keeping dogs tied up and bored as hell. if you can't handle taking care of an animal, than give it to somebody who CAN handle it, or to a shelter that will find it a good home. ♥
Posted by: emma vinciguerra | April 14, 2007 09:59 PM
I just wanted to make a comment from the other side. I've recently moved to a home without a fenced yard, although my dog is typicaly in the house with me sometimes I do teather her outside. Her time out there is limited to a few hours...only on nice days (not too hot or cold,etc), she has water and shelter and I keep a hawk's eye on her (I'd absolutly never would put her out there if I wasn't home). My dog is the most precious thing to me...she seems quite happy and content on her teather. I won't argue the fact that MOST people who chain up their dogs though are pretty much just leaving them some place to die or go insane...but there are some of us whom are responsible with it.
Posted by: TJensen | April 15, 2007 09:13 AM
If you cant invest in a sound fence, or a kennel with a concrete base and escape-proof roof, then you really aren't "set up" to adequately care for your canine friend. Please DON'T get a dog.
Posted by: Deb Conner | April 15, 2007 11:34 AM
Unfortunately, from my experience, most people who tether dogs use it instead of walking and spending time with their dogs. They don't take the time to socialize their dog. When a dog is tethered all the time, that dog will become frantic for attention. You can also have some nasty accidents from tethering or even allowing dogs to be outside in a fenced area with no supervision. It doesn't seem complicated to me. Either you want the responsibility of a companion animal, which comes with the joy, or you have the decency to find another solution for the animals under your care.
Posted by: Michele Curtis | April 15, 2007 11:47 AM
Please re-post this cross post as a quotation was taken from an unreliable source and needed to be corrected. The item, “Because of the recent announcement by the American Kennel Club stating, "…laws to restrict or ban the cruel tethering and chaining of dogs are unnecessary", of course an organization dedicated to anti-tethering would have something to say about this was an incorrect quote.
The posting should have read: Because of the recent announcement by the American Kennel Club stating, "The already existing cruelty laws make these proposed tethering bans or restrictions unnecessary."
akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3177
Introduction of Tethering Bills in Multiple States
Tuesday, April 3, 2007 Paragraph 3, Last sentence, of course an organization dedicated to anti-tethering would have something to say about this.
I apologize for the misquote and assure you in no way is this cross post meant to discredit the American Kennel Club. It is merely a plea to ignore a slanderous cross posting that has been circulating about an organization I care about. -Dawn
Permission to cross post:
We at Dogs Deserve Better are not dog thieves; we are a chained and penned rescue group. We lobby against chaining and penning 24/7 backyard dogs and stress socialization. This benefits the dogs, the owners and the community. We rescue and rehabilitate neglected and abused, chained and penned dogs and adopt them out to carefully selected, wonderful people who open their hearts and homes to these once forgotten dogs, making them part of their families. I have never had a dog in my possession that was acquired without a signed surrender form.
Because of the recent announcement by the American Kennel Club stating, "The already existing cruelty laws make these proposed tethering bans or restrictions unnecessary."
akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3177
Introduction of Tethering Bills in Multiple States
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Paragraph 3, Last sentence, of course an organization dedicated to anti-tethering would have something to say about this.
Yes, it's true that the organization's founder was arrested and has been on trial for "dog-snatching', however, the dog was dying, lying in feces and mud, unable to stand for days and was taken to the veterinarian for the care the owners neglected to provide. In the end, no way was Tammy Grimes going to return the dog to be placed back on the chain to die alone, except for the other two dogs that were chained beside him. For this she was arrested and put on trial.
The more involved I become in animal rescue, the more I learn, not just about dogs, but about people. As naïve as it sounds, I thought people who cared about animals would care about those who were trying to help them too. The more I read and hear, the more I wonder how many people have forgotten about the animals and have focused more on slandering those who are trying to save them.
Here I go…once again…preaching against rescue bashing and spreading lies in order to try to destroy a rescue group dedicated to saving the animals we claim to care so much about.
This is just one of many emails being passed around. These are malicious attempts to break our spirit and get us to stop rescuing and lobbying against 24/7 dog chaining. The only ones threatened to be hurt by this are the dogs needing saving. Please help us end the rumors where they start. Thank you.
Dawn Ashby
DDB Rep, IL
(Proud to be "Tammy Grimes Cohort")
This posting reflects the thoughts and feelings of Dawn Ashby and not necessarily the the thoughts and feeling of Dogs Deserve Better, Inc.
The Pennsylvania Dog Federation has informed us
that there will be a protest on Friday at the dog show in Harrisburg
by Tammy Grimes and her cohorts from Dogs Deserve Better. These are
the same people who have gone into people's yards and taken dogs
stating the dogs have been abused. Presently Ms Grimes will stand
trial in Altoona, PA for dog snatching.
It is imperative that you not leave your dogs unattended at any time
and I would strongly suggest that you not leave them unattended at
any point during the weekend. These people are looking to cause
trouble and let's not allow them to use our dogs to do it.
Their "scheduled" protest is on Friday from 9:30am to 12:30pm but I
can tell you they are probably there to cause problems for us all
weekend.
Comment by Tammy Grimes, Dogs Deserve Better Founder below:
Yes, it is extremely offensive. My biggest hope is that anyone who is
TRULY in rescue would think for a moment and realize that it's
completely untrue, based on this simple fact: what rescuer is out
LOOKING for more dogs? Aren't we all full to capacity and turning away
dogs on a daily basis? I know for myself and on our lists we probably
get 15-30 pleas a day come through our group, of dogs all over on
chains and looking for help. I have no place to put more dogs, and I
know neither do other rescuers.
We went there to protest the AKC, because they have now come out with a
stance against any legislation which would better the lives of chained
dogs. That is a completely irresponsible stance to take for an
organization who supposedly 'loves dogs'. Because they know they can't
fight us on the issue and win, they instead try to divide us by
spreading lies about me and Dogs Deserve Better as a whole. Please tell
your friends in rescue that this is just an attempt on their part to
take the focus off the real issue.
The REAL ISSUE is this: many AKC breeders (I'm hoping not ALL of them
are like this) want the right to chain their dogs anytime and as long
as they please...even if they don't ever use that right. Meanwhile,
they are sentencing hundreds of thousands of dogs to spend their entire
lives on the end of the chain.
Continue to stand and fight this irresponsible and self-centered
stance. Stand up for the chained dogs. If not for us, they have NO ONE,
because obviously this group of people do not care about them and the
suffering they endure on a daily basis. They care only about their
right to do whatever they damn well please with their dogs.
Dogs Deserve Better than life on the end of a chain or in a pen. We
will continue to stand for them regardless of the lies they spread
about me.
Tammy S. Grimes
Posted by: Dawn Ashby | April 15, 2007 01:47 PM
If someone didn't realize that getting a "cute wittle puppy" was a 15-20 year commitment and decided it's easier to keep them on a chain, or just let them out to pee twice a day without walking, they are NOT responsible dog owners, obvioulsy. There MUST be laws against this. The AKC is a bunch of bs.
Posted by: Aly | April 15, 2007 11:03 PM
The people who are spreading the rumors about groups like Dogs Deserve Better are AKC lobbyists for the puppy mills.
They are fanatical wackos who have been doing this kind of thing for years against all kinds of humane groups who pursue anti-cruelty legislation.
These people MAKE THESE THINGS UP. They know full well that these are lies. They tell them because they want to keep abusing animals for profits, and helping the AKC make money from dog abuse.
in
Posted by: kelly | April 16, 2007 04:00 AM
I might also add that some of these AKC breeders are in league with the dog fighters.
Dog fighters and breeders chain dogs outside, apart from each other, as a matter of course. This is how they raise their stock and operate.
The AKC is also representing these people's interests.
For a chilling story, read http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A73429 titled "Member of Orange County's chained-dog study panel has ties to dog-fighting"
Posted by: kelly | April 16, 2007 04:06 AM
I do not own a dog, but I do love dogs, cats, and most other animals. I just cannot understand why someone would want to tether a dog outside for hours at a time. What is the point in having an animal if you are going to ignore it?
I can understand having a dog on a very long leash to "do its business", but tethering is completely different. Dogs are very social animals and they crave human attention.
I wonder if Liz Mouna's sister's dog might be trying to escape simply because of the fact that it is confined...
Posted by: Michele | April 16, 2007 09:51 PM
There is someone else the AKC is forgetting about here...the children.
visit www.mothersagainstdogchaining.org
Posted by: DAwn | April 17, 2007 03:22 PM
I HOPE YOU GET ALL THE MONEY YOU NEED TO HELP THOSE POOR INCENT ANIMALS AROUND THE WORLD MY DAD IS GOING TO GIVE MONEY TO WHEN HE GETS BETTER!
Posted by: ana | April 17, 2007 05:39 PM
shame on them for being so cruel to the dogs,the dogs should be transfered to another place for the dogs and people who really love and care for gogs.
Posted by: Theresa | April 22, 2007 03:56 PM
Your all crazy
Posted by: David Hoffman | April 24, 2007 07:51 PM
Wow David, what a profound statement!
Posted by: Michele | April 25, 2007 12:50 PM
Nice to see all the dog hating people from peta and dogs deserve better. The same people who'd let someone die on the street to "save" a dog. Sick.
Peta and dogs deserve better both lie about tethering. They want to ban it all no matter what the circumstance or how its done. They don't care about dogs. All they care about is control.
Posted by: rose | April 29, 2007 04:24 PM
Liz Mouna, there is no such thing as responsible breeding. All you are doing is creating more dogs. There is such a surplus already that millions have to be euthanized each year. For every puppy you sell a dog dies in a shelter alone. You are doing nothing for the "breed" only contributing to the pet overpupulation crisis.
Posted by: Aleasha | August 15, 2007 11:27 PM
i just found this and i find this article ridiculous. i am an owner of two dogs and are currently purchasing the third. both of our dogs are tethered. one of them is a whippet/cocker spaniel mix and has gotten out of everything. she jumps and climbs fences, can tunnel out of a kennel, runs right through and electric(and really is shocking a dog more humane then a long leash). how am i supposed to keep her safe if i cannot tether her. she has to be on an actual metal chain as those wire coated ones she chews through in an afternoon. our second dog is a purebreed lab he is tehtered also as he will run off to play with anyone.
i agree that chaining a dog up for life outside is horrible. but many people use these thethers as a way of giving the dog som freedom while knowing they are safe. i annot believe that people aould say that the akc is inhumane because they continue to breed dogs when there are dogs in shelters. people look for certain qualities in a dog and often like to know the background of where a dog came from. the inhumane people are those who do not get there pets fixed or dump the puppies later on. these people should pay not the akc for breeding dogs.
Posted by: kristin | November 25, 2007 12:19 PM
Wow! I cannot believe that there are so many under educated, ignorant people in this world. For example, Theresa, please learn the difference between "your" and "you are" or "you're" before writing in public again. Obviously, you meant to use the later, not the former. Did you successfully matriculate from grade school?
I think the people from PETA are wasting time here. There are people that still believe in "pure" bred people, let alone dogs, cats, horses, etc. I have news for all of you -the "purest" breed can only be achieved by inbreeding; as in breeding with members of your family. This contributes to a shallow gene pool and raises the possibility of the inheritance of recessive traits (that is a bad thing for all of you dullards reading this post).
In the end, human beings are the cruelest, most selfish and brutal species on the planet -a cancer that destroys all that it touches. This is an apt metaphor for our existence, at present. We even demonstrate our ignorance and brutality on each other, e.g., the Crusades, 9/11, the Salem Witch Trials, the Spanish Inquisition, etc., all because we pray to different deities, and belong to a dizzying array of self-righteous religious organizations. As intelligent as we are, we are a very primitive species, in the grand scheme of nature, and we have yet to learn the most important lesson -COMPASSION for sanctity of life. Whatever force put us here, is also very capable of eliminating us. My only hope for my kind is that we continue to learn and grow; to harmonize our existence in nature, and to develop a true respect for all lives, be it human or animal, which is really one in the same. Then, we will begin to see the panorama of our purpose here.
Posted by: Jeffrey | May 28, 2008 02:55 PM