If you watch the USA network, then you are probably aware that the Westminster dog show is next week. They're promoting it out the wazoo—I know this from being forced to sit through commercial breaks during House because the Best Cat in the Universe is snoozing on my lap.

Anyhoo, PETA wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to get dog breeders' dander up, so we'll be outside Madison Square Garden during the show.

Last year, we held giant posters bearing the image of a sad-eyed shelter dog and reading "Breeders Kill Shelter Dogs' Chances." This year, we're up to something different and thought-provoking: We'll show up dressed as Klansmen to point out some of the eerie similarities between the AKC and the KKK. Pure bloodlines, master race/master pedigree, woeful lack of fashion sense. Creepy, isn't it?

To give you a sneak peek, here's the leaflet that our "KKK recruiter" will hand out:

And here's the banner that our hooded henchmen will brandish:

Purebreds only? Wrong for people. Wrong for dogs.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

abcnews / CC

You guys remember how the BBC dropped coverage of Crufts, the UK's big dog show, right? After that, we asked USA Network to do the decent thing and follow suit by refusing to air the American Kennel Club's Westminster Dog Show.

Well, it seems that USA is determined to wring a few bucks out of the suffering and illness of dogs and will be airing Westminster as planned.

OK, USA, if that's the way you want to play it, we're not above doing an end run and going directly to your oxygen supply. That's right—we've written to USA's Westminster sponsors (LifeLock, TransUnion, Intuit, the CityKids Foundation, the Flex Belt, and Pedigree) and asked them to withdraw their support. Read our letter here.

We obviously can't count on either USA or the AKC to put honor before profit, but we hope that there are still a few businesses out there that will step up and help make a difference for dogs.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

Intentionally breeding dogs for their looks while millions are dying for lack of good homes in extremely crowded shelters? The American Kennel Club just doesn't get it. And neither does the USA network, which broadcasts the AKC's Westminster Dog Show every February.

That's why we sent USA a letter asking for a little face time to discuss really important things like, oh, not airing the controversial pure-breed pup parade. Coming on the heels of the BBC's announcement that it will no longer broadcast coverage of the Kennel Club's Crufts dog show (the Brit equivalent of the Westminster monstrosity), the letter points out that breeding dogs in order to create a look that negatively affects their health, temperament, and quality of life is totally not cool. After all, one in four purebred dogs is plagued with a serious genetic problem.

So USA, how about being a good network? Sit. Listen. Roll over. And fetch a few reruns of Law and Order to replace that dastardly dog show …

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

phapet / CC

The BBC has announced—in a momentous victory for dogs everywhere—that it will no longer broadcast coverage of the Kennel Club's Crufts dog show. Crufts is the British equivalent of the American Kennel Club's Westminster Dog Show with all the attendant hype and fuss and dogs in crates.

BBC officials have learned that "purebreds" entered into dog shows are genetically predisposed to debilitating diseases caused by generations of inbreeding. And it's all in an attempt to make sure that the dogs who are bred for money are the best "specimens" in town. Kudos to the BBC for taking a stand for dogs!

Apparently USA Network (which broadcasts Westminster Dog Show every February here in the states) hasn't yet gotten the memo that "breedism" is a thing of the past. Remember last year's winner, Uno? As a beagle, Uno has a significantly higher risk of hypothyroidism, demodectic mange, umbilical hernia, epilepsy, eye and eyelid problems, cryptorchidism, hip dysplasia, intervertebral disk disease, and luxating patella. Now what ribbon does that deserve?

Posted by Liz Graffeo

The vile American Kennel Club held its championship dog show at the Long Beach Convention Center on Saturday, and PETA members were out in force to let attendees know that “breeders kill shelter dogs’ chances.” As you might expect from the breeders, who congregate at these events like flies around a cesspool, their comments to our activists made it clearer than we ever could that they’re willing to blame the suffering of animals in shelters on just about everybody except themselves. Here’s a selection of comments these people made when they saw our signs:

“But this makes me happy!”
“We take care of our own.”
And, my personal favorite: “The only dogs they are putting to sleep in shelters are mixed breeds.”

As PETA Director Daphna Nachminovitch points out, “Not only does the AKC promote breeding as a 'sport,' it also opposes spay/neuter laws that would save hundreds of thousands of animals' lives in California alone. Countless animals across the country are being destroyed, and it's time that the AKC is held accountable for its role in the crisis." Here’s a picture from the event, and you can learn more about our campaign against breeders here.

And on a completely different topic, I’d like to take this opportunity to say goodbye to a regular commenter on this blog: Mars has been a frequent contributor to posts on the blog, and I had initially hoped that increased interaction with people who care about animals might encourage him to start thinking about animals as living beings who are capable of suffering, but it’s become increasingly clear that his posts have no other purpose than to antagonize good people who are trying to make the world a better place. Furthermore, his professed “hobby” of trapping animals is both sadistic and reprehensible. So, goodbye Mars, and good riddance. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.