Happy Saturday, everyone! The Girl here.
Our good friend Daisy posted yesterday about the release of Beverly Hills Chihuahua. She used this great poster, and told us to distribute it far and wide.
The issue here is that after a movie starring dogs is released, there is often a rush by people to get a dog "just like" the one in the movie. I think most of us know how 101 Dalmatians led to massive overbreeding (and irresponsible breeding) of the Dalmatian.
This can also happen after a TV show, such as Frasier, which led to many people buying Jack Russell terriers without a real understanding of the breed's needs.
Because they don't know the real needs of the dog they are getting, people end up surrendering many, many of these poor animals to SPCAs, humane societies, and other animal shelters. Their expectations don't square with the reality of the breed, and they give them up.
Now we've got a movie about Chihuahuas. It looks like a cute and fun movie. But we want to get the word out: if watching this movie makes you want to have a Chihuahua of your very own, PLEASE do your research! Learn about the breed to find out if your lifestyle and the Chi lifestyle are compatible.
And just as important, PLEASE start your search for your new Chi best friend at animal shelters and rescue groups!
Not long ago, I did a post about puppy mills. Well folks, this is just the kind of situation that has puppy mill owners and irresponsible backyard breeders rubbing their hands together in glee (and greed). They know that there will be an increased demand for Chihuahuas as a result of this movie, and they will overbreed and inbreed the poor Chis in order to meet this demand.
What many people might not know is that the Chihuahua is the fifth most posted breed on www.petfinder.com. (This is a great site! It advertises the animals available for adoption at shelters, rescue groups, and animal control facilities all over North America. I just did a search for Chihuahuas in Western Canada and the Western US, and I stopped looking once I hit 500 dogs up for adoption. I don't know how many more there were, but seriously: 500 Chihuahuas!) There are so many Chis out there already who are looking for a home. If you or someone you know decides that they want a Chihuahua, please adopt one from a shelter or rescue!
Spread the word! Rescue dogs are AWESOME!
Posts
