I had soo much hope for this president but he seems to be taking back his word on almost everything he told us before being elected

I am thrilled for the Obamas, especially the girls, that they are finally getting their puppy.  That's the least that the girls deserve for the hassle of having their dad be President! :-)

I don't see any sense in politicising this decision.  They had constraints on what they needed (hypoallergenic) and what they wanted (youngster, not a small dog), and a PWD was a reasonable choice.

I saw a few dogs advertised as PWD on Petfinder.  There were three puppies.  If black and wavy haired, they might be called PWD or PWD mixes, but the breed, and hence hypoallergenicity, was a guess.  There were several young adults, called PWD's or mixes if mostly black and wavy haired, same problem.

I think the Obama's did well with the puppy they chose. 

Best wishes to the Obama's and Bo!

It's interesting to me that we can't conceive of a situation where the President of the United States could have requested information about young, hypoallergenic dogs available for adoption or rescue during one of his many news conferences in which he was asked about this situation. 

President Obama has literally every resource available and could have succeeded in finding a dog suitable to his needs in but one brief statement. And yet, nothing.  

I sent this link to the White House...

What is wrong with getting a puppy from a breeder?  I like knowing what I am bringing into my home.  I have a wonderful, well behaved, and smart Australian Shepherd that I bought from a breeder.  I don't have the time or the patience to bring something into my home that I don't know anything about. 

This puppy was a "second chancer" (he had been returned by a former buyer). Furthermore, he was a gift from Ted Kennedy. These circumstances probably put Obama between a rock and a hard place.

Nevertheless, I'm certainly not in favor of breeders. They deal in blood money, and all are unethical. 

Stephanie wrote, answering Coleen:
"And if you don't have the time or patience for a shelter dog because you don't know exactly what he or she will be like, you don't have the time or patience to bring any living being into your care. So maybe you should stick with virtual pets--"

This reads like a personal insult against Coleen.  You are saying, not knowing her or the care she gives her animals, that she has no business having any in her care.

You are also exaggerating.  Coleen never implied that she would know *exactly* what her selectively bred dog would be like.

Do personal attacks really have a place in this conversation, about humane care of animals?

Doris wrote:
"The Obamas received the dog as a gift from the Kennedys.  If the dog was rejected by someone and returned to a breeder, to me, that sort of qualifies it as a "rescue".  Why do we have to be so critical??"

I appreciate your kind view, but respectfully disagree that the Obama's puppy was any kind of rescue. 

Bo came from a breeder who is dedicated to the welfare of her pups, for life.  She seems to be the kind of person who would rescue a dog of her breeding, if it needed rescuing from someone else.  But once that dog was in her care again, it would be in safe hands.  So receiving a dog from her can't qualify as "rescuing", only rehoming.

I applaud the Obamas for taking a "rehomed" pup, demonstrating that an older pup can be cherished, and is not a cast-off, and is too old be be brought into a family.

Really, I think that their choice of dog should be thought of as personal, and not politicized.  There is no reason to be so critical.

Doris wrote:
"The Obamas received the dog as a gift from the Kennedys.  If the dog was rejected by someone and returned to a breeder, to me, that sort of qualifies it as a "rescue".  Why do we have to be so critical??"

I appreciate your kind view, but respectfully disagree that the Obama's puppy was any kind of rescue. 

Bo came from a breeder who is dedicated to the welfare of her pups, for life.  She seems to be the kind of person who would rescue a dog of her breeding, if it needed rescuing from someone else.  But once that dog was in her care again, it would be in safe hands.  So receiving a dog from her can't qualify as "rescuing", only rehoming.

I applaud the Obamas for taking a "rehomed" pup, demonstrating that an older pup can be cherished, and is not a cast-off, and is too old be be brought into a family.

Really, I think that their choice of dog should be thought of as personal, and not politicized.  There is no reason to be so critical.

HH

I appreciate your kind thoughts towards both the humans and the dogs under  discussion in this thread. Compassion for one should not be made at the expense of the other, otherwise it is not compassion, merely self-interest in disguise.

The Obamas' decision seems to be that of people who don't know dogs, guided by people who look at dogs by brandname.

As within ethnicities and genders in people, individual dogs show great variety within breeds.

This decision reveals an objectification of animals, a failure of imagination. For first-time dog adopters, it doesn't take much to learn about it all. The Obamas clearly didn't think it was worth it.

If they hadn't made such a big deal about getting a dog in the first place, it would be only a minor disappointment. But they did make a big deal about it, thus politicizing it. And faced with a raft of offers to help find an appropriate dog from a shelter, recognizing the tremendous need -- and variety -- they turned to the Kennedys' breeder instead.

It shows not just ignorance and weakness, but also an utter lack of respect for those who work on behalf of animal welfare.

RE  Objectification of dogs and analogy comparing adoption of dogs to adoption of human children. Clearly, dogs are NOT children.

Is this blog a case of the pot calling the kettle black?

A large number of people think its morally unconscionable to give a home, attention and resources to a pet (i.e objectify) when there are tens of thousands of children in the US (and millions more around the globe) languishing in fostercare-shelters/homeless. Where's the blog on change.org that addresses this?  You celebrate and sensationalize your own right to choose your morality and ethical stance , but would deny that to others?

"he has done a great disservice to the millions of animals languishing and dying in shelters, by knowingly passing on the chance to set the most high-profile of examples."

This statement is SO extreme. I do not feel that this is a political decision. What else could he have done, but take the gift from Ted Kennedy? Kennedy is his long time friend, political supporter and not the youngest of the bunch. I'm sure Pres Obama felt obligated to take this gift for his children. I understand some of us are disappointed, but he is ONE man and we can all take note of his values of compassion, kindness and generosity and do our part to help animals. The economy is coming back from the brink of death and I'm sure as much as he would have liked to adopt a shelter dog, he is constrained by many other issues in the White House. I say to give him & his family the benefit & perhaps his own children will grow up to be advocates for animal rights...let's give them a chance.

Martina:
"A large number of people think its morally unconscionable to give a home, attention and resources to a pet (i.e objectify) when there are tens of thousands of children in the US (and millions more around the globe) languishing in fostercare-shelters/homeless. Where's the blog on change.org that addresses this?"

There is no blog on Change.org that specifically addresses human population growth.  There should be. The U.S. Census Bureau projects a 40% (human) U.S. population increase by the year 2050. 71.7% of U.S. women responsibly complete their families with two or fewer biological children.

Whether one is talking about humans or dogs or cats, too many is a recipe for disaster.

St.Louis ASPCA Online Community.
http://www.Change.org/profiles/PawsAcrossTheBorder

As in the past, it's interesting to me that there is always more disagreement on the topic of dogs and adopting vs. breeding, than there is on the topic of, say, farmed animals and veganism vs. the meat industry. 
Wouldn't you think more people would be opposed to veganism than to adopting?
Just an observation, after reading this blog over the past 4-5  months.  

Man, Stephanie, chill.  I was never talking about human beings.  Take your anger down a bit.  Look, the Obama's live in a museum.  They need a dog that they can trust its' temperment and have some idea about how the dog will behave.  It is entirely true that with shelter dogs, you don't really know what you are getting.  Thanks for not seeing my point of view and creating such a hostile place to share comments. 

Alex said    What makes human beings so special as to make our plight categorically more important than the plight of nonhuman animals?

I don't know, you're free to research that answer for yourself, but you're missing the entire point.

This attack and criticism on the Obama family's right to choose for themselves what type of canine compadre will suit all of them is an example of the underlying objectification virtually all humans indulge in. I'm not aware of any other species that does this, are you?
They can't just be a family making a choice, they are expected to be "trendsetters and rolemodels" to suit someone else's agenda(preferably yours).
I'm happy they found a  family member they can all cherish for years to come.

If you want to rant against specieism, make your own blog.

I'll bet Stephanie's   "senior dog" did not go all by himself to choose the rest of his pack members or make the arrangements to accept her "adorable pit bull" foster, nor are any of her pets writing this blog.

A puppy from the shelter or streets is intrinsically valuable, so is a puppy who is the result of deliberate breeding.  The problem has not been caused by the puppy and all deserve good homes. Unfortunately there are not enough good homes.
This problem has been caused by people who carelessly let their dogs (and cats) stray and breed. It is also caused by breeders who think it's okay to make a buck on a living creature. It's something we have to chip away on.

One place to start is with some state departments of agriculture who raise money with such things as "Blue Ribbon Kennel Programs".

Look, the president is a politician and he knew as long as he said the dog was rescued that most people would take him for his word.  Even if the dog was a return it was returned to a breeder who would have placed it somewhere else for some insane amount of money. 

Listen- I'm all for shelters and rescues and such, but what animal rights activists did to Biden and the breeder he bought from was insane. Death threats? For selling a dog? I mean, come on! In all seriousness, Obama should have adopted from a shelter. In light of what happened to Biden, He could have done a good deed and a favor for an animal in need.
I very much disagree with the anti-breeder sentiment that's spreading- I breed rabbits, and if anyone ever tells you that it's the breeders fault that animals are in shelters, they'd be lying or sincerly misinformed.

Hailey Queen wrote:  "HH: they should have been looking for a Poodle... they are not an unusual breed, but they are as hypoallergenic as the PWD and they are as a breed they are smart, great with kids, and friendly to strangers, other pets and other dogs. AND there are 1,000's in shelters all across the country waiting for a home!"

A poodle seemed like a reasonable choice to me, too!  But it's their dog, not mine, and I respect their choice.  It's a personal, family choice, and I will not objectify the Obamas to the point that I overanalyse this choice!

Remember that poodles everywhere have been selectively bred.  If you get rid of all selective breeding, you have gotten rid of hypoallergenic dogs. 

Walt Vasco wrote: "Animals sold to persons other than respectable, licenced and regulated breeders should of course be neutered or spayed by the new owners.  Not only do I feel it is irresponsible pet ownership for people not to do so, it is proved to be healthier for the animals."

Walt, I appreciate your compassion for animals, particularly pit bulls.  However, I think that your idea to regulate all dog breeders would result in a terrible intrusion into people's lives.  The cure would be worse than the disease.

However, I really want to address your assertion that spaying and neutering is healthier for dogs and cats.  In fact, there is an increasing body of research that shows profound, non-reproductive health effects from s/n surgery.

The balance of benefit and harm from s/n needs to be considered on an individual basis.  Certain cancers are more common in altered animals.  Diabetes and thyroid disease may be more common in altered dogs.

Something that is well established that the rise in sex hormones at sexual maturity causes the bones in the body to stop growing.  Removing the influence of those hormones allows the bones to grow for a longer time, and hence reach a longer length.

Neutering before skeletal maturity changes bone growth.

One possible consequence is that cats who were neutered as young kittens have a higher risk of a spontaneous fracture in the hip joint, requiring surgery to treat. 

Dogs who are neutered as puppies, particularly large and giant breed dogs, grow taller and narrower than their littermates.  Neutered dogs are at higher risk for a very common injury, rupture of a ligament in their knees.  It is not known if and how the age of neutering affects this risk.  However, the changes in the shape of the hind leg from early neutering may be a risk factor.

The decision to s/n, by its nature needs to be individualized. 

I too was one who petitioned the president to get a shelter or rescue dog and I too do not see this as a rescue or shelter case and I'm sad to say I'm ashamed at Michelle especially. I see Michelle as the driving force to the dog and the type of dog. I had mentioned they should get the help of the Dog Whisperer,Ceasar Milan. He could have found the perfect dog for them in every way not just the hypoalergenic issue. Then as I watched them with the dog yesterday I allready saw there was going to be trouble with that dog if they don't begin right away to be good "pack leaders".We ask again Mr. President, please think before you act further and take your dog to the dog whisperer.

In her piece, Stephanie not only wrote about the Obama dog BUT she also commented on Secretary Salazar's delisting of the gray wolf in Idaho and Montana.  THIS IS Serious, people. Two distressing reports have been made:  the NYTIMES' Verlyn Klinkenborg, writing as the Editorial Observer (on the editorial page) eloquently explained "why  delisting the wolf is a recipe for its destruction."  This works with the new campaign launched by Defenders of Wildlife on its website which horrifyingly describes a wolf hunt to begin May 4 aimed at eliminating 26 wolf packs (complete with cubs).  I think Secretary Salazar must be the first casualty of this wolf hunt; he has to go now.  He is no friend of animals.  What can we do?  President Obama, if you are reading this or hear of this, please reverse the Secretary's decision.  This is probably just the first of many more distressers.  Next, polar bears? 

Obama being the President of the United States could have totally set a good example when adopting a new pet: "We should always try looking into adopting from a shelter or a rescue pet due to this epidemic over population in shelters."

I know he or his staff could have tried harder in finding his breed of choice for this are the obvious resources: A Portuguese Water dog rescue, www.petfinder, and I do agree Caesar would have been a great option in finding the right Portuguese Water dog as far as personality matching to the Obama family.

Where I work we take in last chance shelter dogs and it is amazing to see their turn around and how they blossom. And it's even more rewarding when they are finally adopted out.

I am an advocate and always trying to make change in decreasing the amount of animals being put down due to over population and the lack of funding. I also volunteered at my local shelter and that experience has left a scar in my heart in knowing the many that were put down. Every week there were a whole new row of dogs and I didn't even dare to ask where the others went.

That is why I say shame of President Obama not just in his choice of a commercial breeder (for profit breeder) but also in not being a true advocate for the animals!

One other note, I shared this story with my mom and she was neutral in the sense of saying "he has a lot that he is dealing with" which I understand. But again his staff or the ones in charge didn't do such a good job. Maybe I should have been hired for the job?

 I don't think the President meant this intentionally but again just a reminder on how "we as the people" are paying attention to the choices he makes and how in this time of overpopulation in animal shelters, makes it more of a interest of concern on whether he is aware. I know he can't make everyone happy but this is a "big message" missed.

This news has literally has broke my heart. One of the reasons i voted for Obama was because he gave hopes of being the only president i could live under that understaood the true root of the problems we face.

I went through some of the responses here and was shocked to see so many people defending him as if he had no choice due to allergies in the home, and all the arguments about wether a breed can truly be Hypo-allergenic or not....?....I just dont understand....how is that even the issue?

The reason that we have unumbered animals milled and bred to become abused and neglected in this country is the simple ego centric desire to 'own' animals in the first place. 

The single most impressive and honorable move that Obama could have made would be to make the choice not to buy a dog at all if his family was allergic.

Disapoint the children?  Are you serious? THIS is what im talking about- this could have been a perfect tool for teaching not only his children- but the worlds children- and their parents- of the big picture. We all must learn to not be so spoiled as to turn our heads to the problems with the productions of the "things" we desire.

This goes for EVERYTHING. Our energy consumption, our food consumption, our clothes, our entertainment, EVERYTHING.  It is the fact that we turn our attention from the big picture every time we want something bad enough.

What would have happened to his children if they didnt get that puppy they wanted?  they would have gotten over it.  They would continue to live high on the horse and one day- when they were old enough to understand- when they look back and see how their father was right and just in his decision- they would thank him for it.

But instead, breeders got their cash.  And Ill bet you that his full bred breed will now go up in popularity- and we'll have even more to add to the pile of unwanted animals.

I just dont get it. 

If a species of  animal doesnt fit into your human environment- the answer is not to breed it and mutate it and change it to fit your needs. 

An animel is obviously not a toy. Its not here to please you and suit your desires.

Thats the lesson that he should have taught his daughters and the reat of the country.

It is very emotional just reading this article and the responses. I'm not sure what to add except to say that I too believe animal rights to be anything but a throw-away issue. A part of the big thunder behind 'hope' and 'change' was not merely policy stands, but of more humane vision and values. A serious part of the exposing of the true Palin was when the world saw the evidence of her savagery against animals. Rev. Bookburn - Radio Volta

OK so first i would like to say that obama had unlimited resources. Im sure he could have had rescue centers lining up to get one of there dogs adopted to him. All he would have had needed to say to the press would be something like " hey im looking for this certain type of dog any shelter out there that has one please get in contact with us" maybe not in those words but you get the point..

And on another issue. I have owned 3 dogs in my life, 2 where adopted, 1 from a breeder.. My purebred came from a very respectible breeder who bred golden retrievers. I got her as a young puppy and she was the WORST dog i have ever seen.. Her mom and dad where both GREAT dogs and never where crazy but the dog i had refused to be taught anything (if you have seen the movie Marley & Me she was kinda like that dog) At the age of 3 she got severe cancer.. Now neither her mom or dad had cancer.. We ended up having to put her to sleep..

   After that i refused to buy from a breeder, so the other 2 are rescues and BOTH mutts.. They are the best dogs i have ever seen. healthy and well behaved, they didnt come from any specialized breeder they where just backyard mutts. 1 of our mutts is almost 10 right now and still extremly healthy a few months ago we had got the 2nd girl and she is only about 4 months old and already knows sit, shake, lay, come, stay, and so much more, I have never seen a dog learn so fast before. but yet for some dumb reason people got it in there head that if it is a mutt and you dont know the parents that the dog is going to be dumb and unhealthy...

OH one more thing. I read about obama's dog choice on yahoo and they had a comment from the breeder and she even said she didnt think the dog was considered a rescue, she said it went from the old owner strait to kennedy's dog trainer then to the obama's

 This dog had a home the whole time, unlike the millions of dogs locked up in tiny kennels with an unknown future.

Just think what it would have done for shelters across the country if the Obama family had chosen to adopt. What an example it could have been...woulda' coulda' shoulda.

Obama originally made this promise to Dr. Jana Kohl, the author of “A Rare Breed of Love” — a book about a three-legged rescue dog and puppy mill survivor named Baby-to adopt a shelter dog. And the promise is not an asterisk to those who really care about animal welfare. With an estimated 30 million dogs and cats euthanized every year, every dog purchased by a breeder is a death sentence for those in rescue centers..

I really don't think Obama cares about animals. He decided to get a breeder dog despite his knowledge of homeless and shelter animals, and reneged on his promise to get a shelter dog.  This means he really doesn't care about animals and was merely a ploy to get elected. Honeymoon's over-we know he really does NOT care about animals so he's as bad as Sarah Palin

At least with Palin we know where she's at-no deception. This Obama person, he exploited us animal activists just to get votes. And at the expense of of homeless animals. How many of us have donated to Obama's election-when we should have been donating to our local animal shelters? We were fooled. It was ALL A BIG LIE!

Bo’s breeder, Martha Stern of Boyd, Texas, said she doesn’t consider Bo a rescued dog, and is the type of dog that would NOT find difficulty getting a home.

So we were all lied to.

HERE is my letter to senator kennedy, and yes I really sent it to him:

DEAR SENATOR KENNEDY:

Bo is a pure bred Portuguese water dog, a relatively rare breed, whose breeder, Martha Stern, said is not a "rescue".  She explained dogs that don't work out are returned to her and she will sell them to someone else. There is no chance a dog like this would ever have needed rescuing.

If OBAMA cannot even honor a SIMPLE promise to adopt a shelter dog-what makes you think he will honor more important key issues?  This tells you a lot about him: It's no longer about a dog, but it's the  inability to keep an easy promise.

Now word is spreading fast about Obama's inability to make good even with a simple promise. This dog thing is deeper than you think.

I am profoundly disappointed in the Obama's choice.  All I see is the inevitable rush to buy this breed and the inevitable rush to dump them in shelters when this breed is no longer considered cool.  Their choice may have done far more harm than good.  What an utter shame.

We have 2 shelter dogs, rescue dogs, pound dogs, call them whatever you want. The first was 11 months when adopted and is now a 9 year old German Shepherd who looks like a full breed. It  didn't matter to us if she was a full bred animal or not and she has become the most lovable dog around children and people that we could hope for.

Our second rescue dog is a 6 year old Cardigan Welsh Corgi mix that looks like no other dog I've ever seen. With a long body, tiny legs, long golden hair and the temperment of an old hound dog, this little lover became part of our family the minute I brought her into the house. We aren't sure how many different breeds comprise our little Corgi but it just isn't important to us. The fact that she barks when peole come to the door and licks them after we let them in is just what we wanted.

After reading this thread I believe we have the room, time, and patience to raise one more and I hope to get to my local ASPCA next week to find our third dog. As for Obama and Biden, they do not and never will understand the world of puppy mills and breeders and it will take a gigantic effort on our part to make them see that shelter dogs are a viable alternative and breeders must be heavily regulated.
 

First of all... President Obama didn't support breeders. This dog was basically without an owner. It was from a litter of one of Ted Kennedy's dogs. He gave this dog to the Obama family. So, in a way, they did adopt a dog.  I doubt that the Kennedy's think of themselves as 'dog breeders'. Plus, you must keep in mind that the girls have alergies to most breeds and mixes.  I don't see where they did anything to promote dog breeders.

CJ Stanley- - a  "litter" indicates breeding. 

if you have allergies to a species of animal the consiencous thing to do is not breed and mutate the species to fit your needs.  Why must you own this species in  the first place?  why must you own an animal? 

If he would have made this message- the message that he would rather not breed aniamls for the desires of people by just simply NOT getting a dog then he would have made one of the most profound statements anyone could have made on behalf of ALL beings on this earth that are used for nothing more than selfishness.  the desire to posses.  

Pet breeding is no different than the fur trade or factory farming or child labor or any other humantarian cause there is. I mean really.  in the big sceme of everything- it is the production of a living being for nothing more than the selfsih desire of the ego.

You could show me the nicest kept most beautiful dog breeding facility in the world- the dogs could be running around happier than any dog ive ever seeen- and it would still look like a dark hole of humaity to me- BECAUSE- i can go to the average ameraican household and see a dog neglected and chained in the backyard, or i can go to any of the countless shelters and see rows upon rows of abandoned dogs waiting for death, of i can travel through alleys and see the countless starving homeless dogs taht dont have a chance.

There is NO reason to breed an animal.  no moral or logical reason at least.

If he really did have the dog given to him as a gift- then the kennedies must have momentarily lost their minds- for putting him on the spot like that.  they surely knew - like we all did- that he had already promised to adopt.

that breed will now be over bred and sold to every tom dick and harry that thinks its cool to own a dog breed that famous people own and now countless more will be surrendered to shelters.

p.s.  sorry for all the typos. 

Breeders are high class puppy mills.  The Kennedy's are controlling the Obamas and it makes me sad.  Cesar Millan would have been the best person to advise the Obama's about the right pet dog choice for them.  Cesar knows everything!  Where's the CHANGE?  

Friends, I've been dismayed to see a number of people refer to (and glorify) Cesar Millan in this thread. Millan's methods are simplistic, inhumane, and less effective (and with less permanent hoped-for results) than the more patient, thoughtful tactics advocated by most professional behaviorists. His tactics make for good television, but not for good one-size-fits-all dog training and certainly not for kind, effective ways of helping dogs truly overcome real fears. I'll plan to post on this soon.

This cartoon says it all:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/telnaes/telnaescomments04142009.html


The arrival of the new White House canine family member has been closely watched by the thousands of animal lovers across the country. The Obama's committed to adopting a pet and had every opportunity to adopt a pet. This would have sent a message and set a wonderful example for the country. Adopting a pet would have influenced others to adopt. Instead they are taking in a puppy that came from a breeder.

With so many thousands of pets being left homeless due to families losing their homes, pets left orphaned when their owners die or become too ill to care for them and for many other sad reasons- the Obama's really blew it. And those of us who volunteer our time, our money and our lives to helping save homeless pets and working to reduce the tragic numbers of healthy, adoptable companion animals who are euthanized because there are not enough homes for them- we are angry.

As JCrew has suddenly seen a spike in sales thanks to the first family's preference for JCrew clothing...puppies purchased from breeders will also become the rage. If you could remember just one thing- and that is- there are plenty (hundreds, thousands) of pure pred puppies in shelters and with rescue groups waiting for new families. Please adopt, save a life. Go to petfinder.com to find your favorite purebred puppy at a shelter near you!

EPIDEMIC OF HOMELESS DOGS AND CATS IN AMERICA ENDS UP ON THE MENU!!!
MY LETTER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH! - I BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES!! NOT JUST FLORIDA!!!

Dear Department of Health:

AN EPIDEMIC OF UNWANTED AND HOMELESS DOGS AND CATS ALSO END UP ON THE MENU AS IN SOLD AS CHICKEN AND BEEF MEAT!

Did you know in many Asian cultures, dog and cat meat is no different than chicken or pig meat. Meat is meat. As many Asians were raised on dog and cat meat, they think what's the big deal.

I'm about to write to the state about my suspicious that some Chinese restaurants really ARE serving cat and dog meat because I am hearing a lot of people say "the meat doesn't look quite like chicken or beef. I remember back in the early 1980's there were a few Chinese restaurants that had cats in the freezer albeit they denied feeding it to the customers. Yeah, right. I BELIEVE THIS SERVING OF DOG MEAT IS MORE COMMON THAN ONE WOULD LIKE TO THINK. Keep in mind in Guangdong, China-they ROUTINELY eat 10,000 cats a DAY and that's just in one city! (They are boiled alive like lobster.) This happens to be a fact and I can show you newspaper articles that testify to that.

There are THOUSANDS of Chinese restaurants in Florida. And I hear a lot of people say the meat looks funny - not like chicken or beef. Please read on!

Since most people oppose spay/neuter legislation the unwanted and homeless cat and dog population is every growing and most epidemic,  so instead of legislating spay/neutering, multiple "free to good home" ads, and trapping stray cats, are perfect sources of "chicken and beef" sources with 100% profit-they can kill the dogs and cats in their home, chop them up, take the cut up meat to their restaurant, and serve them as beef and chicken dishes and nobody would know the difference. THE ECONOMY IS BAD-SO IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME - PEOPLE WILL DO ANYTHING TO MAKE A BUCK!

RESTAURANTS ARE GETTING MORE CLEVER AND JUST SNEAK THE DOG AND CAT MEAT IN RATHER THAN KILLING THE ANIMALS IN THE RESTAURANT

I think the state should randomly investigate by taking samples of food-discreetly-and get them lab tested especially if it doesn't quite look like chicken or beef.

IT'S DOG MEAT!!

Is this possible? Well, take a look at this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URVOZa6Suks

Sincerely,

can somebody call Obama and tell him whats hes done,and fix it. it kills me to know that all those poor dogs are  suffering  in awful puppymills. and now there will be a massive amount of PWD's suffering in puppymills and then they will be in shelters and or homeless.

I'm an american living in Australia and have been investigating the cruel heartless puppy mills here for 20 years.  Words can't express the disappointment in the Obama's decision to buy from a breeder, 'gift' or not, the promise is broken, the light fades.  Today 350 dogs are being killed as I type in Australia (which is equivalent to ONE US State population wise) and tomorrow another 350 scared dogs will die and so on for EVERY day of the year.  Not only has Obama let down the dogs of the USA but dogs around the world.  He could have so easily been such a beacon of hope for so many.  Don't breed or buy while homeless animals die.

Let's think about where shelter dogs and rescue dogs come from.  There are no reliable statistics to quantify the percentages from puppy mills, legitimate breeders, "backyard/casual" breeders, strays, people who must give up their pets because of economic situations, or pets whose owners have died/become unable physically to care for them, etc.  Some pets are given up because of behavior problems, unwillingness to train/housebreak the dog, and health problems with the dog or the owner.  That puts many, or most of those dogs in the "undesirable" category, when it comes to finding new homes for them.  Not many people will adopt a dog that eats its own feces, because it was raised in a cage, or is difficult to housetrain for the same reason.  Not many people will adopt older dogs, given up when their owners die or go into nursing homes.  Not many are willing to take on aggressive dogs, or shy dogs that may be fear biters.  Not many will knowingly adopt dogs with expensive health problems like hip dysplasia, potential blindness, kidney disease or diabetes.  These are the dogs that end up in shelters and rescue groups.  Some dogs get lucky and get the rehabilitation they need to make them adoptable.  Most don't, or, let's face it...are not adoptable.

Some of those underlying causes, like puppy mills, can be addressed through legislation, and enforcement, if there is enough public pressure to force the issue.

Breeders, both legitimate and casual, can also be controlled through legislation, if the public demands it.  Do we have the will to do it?

Breed rescue groups, "no-kill shelters", and the rest of the groups that try to make a difference in the lives of shelter dogs are to be commended for their compassion and dedication.  Unfortunately, all their efforts won't stop the flow of unwanted animals.  Mandatory spaying and neutering, while perhaps not an ideal answer according to some "pet health experts",  goes a long way toward reducing numbers.

The ultimate question will have to be, though, "Should humans be allowed to keep companion animals?"  This will cause a lot of negative reaction, as many, perhaps most people around the world feel entitled to have animal companions, as their "right" as humans.

These basic issues, rather than the Obamas' choice of a puppy for their daughters, I think should be the focus for discussion.

Exactly, Sharon, thank you.  According to the National Council on Pet Population Study , which is affiliated with the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators, there are no truly national statistics on the origin of companion animals that enter animal control and animal welfare shelters.

Legislation, and its enforcement, is normally tasked to local and state levels government. There have been strides over the past 40 years, but at the current rate of progress, there will continue to problems for a long time.

I think the Obamas ahould be able to get a dog anywhere they please, thats the joy of being in American. (FREEDOM)

Unfortunatly Bob your right- the definition most americans give to freedom is the ability to do whatever you want and not have to worry about who it hurts. 

freedom is the unattatchment from your ego.  when you do that- thats when you find true freedom. 

America was founded on the idea that it would care for its sick and for those that could not speak for themselves.  protect the innocent and protect the meek.

I wish less people thought like you did...if they did- then there wouldnt be any use for this forum, or this website.  we wouldnt have to be trying to fight to save all that we carelessly abuse and screw up out of selfishness.

Let one thing be clear, Bo is not a rescue dog.

 
One can adopt a shelter dog that ended up in a shelter for any number of reasons. One can adopt a “rescue dog” which is an animal rescued from some kill shelter by a nonprofit rescue group. One can get one from a friend, or one can get one from a breeder.  
Bo came from a breeder and one who sells lots of breed dogs. Bo never was in a shelter or came close to one. Bo would have been sold again, maybe for a few hundred less than the first time.  
Most who defend Obama’s refer to one video clip where he says he’d prefer to get a shelter dog. He also talked about a two-dog strategy, getting both a breed dog and a shelter dog. No one mentions that anymore.  
However, during the six months after that statement, both he and Michelle stated repeatedly they wanted a shelter dog setting up expectations form animal rescuers and advocates all over the country that they would get a shelter dog. One of the daughters was very explicit about getting a shelter dog and even an adult shelter dog.  
Had they gotten a shelter dog, our lemming-like populace would have adopted shelter dogs by the legion, saving hundreds of thousands of shelter animals over the years. They did not, now those animals will die. When Oprah encouraged everyone to adopt a shelter dog, shelter adoptions all over the country went up by 20%. How many more would have been adopted had the most popular president in recent history adopted from a shelter?  
“Hypoallergenic” dogs abound in shelters all over the country. In fact, 25% of all shelter dogs are pure breed coming directly or indirectly from volume breeders.  
The day the Obamas announced they were getting a Portuguese Water Dog, one was available at the Los Angeles West LA shelter. During the months they allegedly began looking for a dog, likely hundreds were available across the country.  
To say Obama as president didn’t have time to train the dog is ridiculous as a defense because you get a trainer to train the dog or a volunteer who does train dogs.  
Obama’s choice will lead to breeders turning out thousands and then tens of thousands of Portuguese Water dogs during the next year and then more after that. In three years they may be as common as German Shepherds in shelters across the country and breeders will be riding high.  
They had a window of opportunity to get both what they wanted and also to help some of the five million shelter animals killed each year in this country and they didn’t do it.  
Edward Muzika  
http://laanimalwatch.blogspot.com

I don't like the idea of promoting breeders either, but let the First Family have the dog they want. Don't we put enough pressure on them from all sides on every other aspect of their lives? Who they shake hands with, how low they bow. Everyone needs to lighten up on the Obamas.

Americans are like Lemmings. What the leaders and celebs do, the lemmings follow. Oprah Winfry siad adopt from a shelter and shelter adoptions went up for weeks and months by 20%.
The Obamas are well aware they could have saved tens or hundreds of thousands of shelter dogs' lives and they chose not to do it.
They could have had both a "hypoallergenic" Portuguese Water Dog and adopted one from a shelter and saved thousands. Instead they chose a dog from a breeder, as did Biden, thereby promoting breeders and leading to a whole new slew of dogs in shelters across the country for the next several years costing taxpayers an enormous amount of money.
From my perspective, they were not "socially" or ethically responsible.
So, we are not supposed to criticize the leaders we helped put into office?
The least the Obamas could do is revisit what Barach called a two-dog strategy, or perhaps get a hypoallergenic cat.

I logged on when i read the following post in this thread from email- but when i got here it was gone....


"How does giving a home to a companion animal prevent that same person from giving a home to a child in foster care?"  I think you are ignoring the obvious answer here - money.    also your insistence on animals having equality with humans is mind boggling to me. it is evident, at least to me, that animals are quite diferent from humans. what other sentient being mulls over ethical dilemmas? "


I dont know what happened to it- but im going to comment on it anyway.

I cam to this website and became a member because i when i read about it i became incredibly excitied that there would be a place that i could go to and not worry about the poeple that post things like this....i was wrong.  ive been here one week and after keeping a watch on this thread i realize that i will now be leaving.

This is why i remain silent in my charity and activism.  I dont get involved with others.  i am a silent partner to many organizations. 

Here we have a site meant to gather like minded poeple in order to change things.  and they still cant do it- because theres always that percentage of people there in that group that are only their for ego driven purposes.

It shocked me to know that someone who is a member of a website based on humanitarinaism an activism could possibly say something like "your insistence on animals having equality with humans is mind boggling to me. it is evident, at least to me, that animals are quite diferent from humans. "....last i heard being different didnt take away your equal rights....every species in existance on this planet is different.  and equal in their right to living a life free of suffering.


And again i say- like ive said several times throughout this thread- the big picture is still being missed....


Now im going to go back to my solitude and chalk this website up to being just like all the coffee shop gatherings where a bunch of peace love and harmony kids sit around and stroke their egos at one another.



"From the ocean of becoming may you free all beings"
Melissa

Author feels bamboozled by Obama Among those who are less than pleased with the Obama family’s decision against getting a rescue dog is Jana Kohl, whose book promoting adoption of animals featured a photo of Obama with her dog, a puppy mill refugee named Baby.

The author of “A Rare Breed of Love,” Kohl rescued Baby four years ago. Baby not only had her vocal chords removed with scissors but lost a leg due to the years of abuse at the hands of a breeder. Not long after that, she decided to write a book calling attention to puppy mills. The book recounts Baby’s story and features photos of the dog with celebrities, including Paul Harvey, Steven Tyler, Bill Maher, Jim Cramer, and several politicians. One of those politicians that agreed to meet with her was then-Senator Obama. Touched by Baby’s story, he then agreed to a photoshoot and, according to a press release promoting her book, pledged to Kohl that when he brought a dog home for his family, it would be a rescue dog – not one from a breeder. This weekend’s announcement that the president opted to accept a puppy as a gift from Senator Ted Kennedy (via a breeder) and not to go to a shelter or rescue center has left Kohl upset, the Christian Science Monitor reports. “I feel like he’s made a mockery out of the book and the things I wrote about him,” Kohl told the Monitor’s “Vote Blog.”

Still another article blasting Obama for broken promises:
Barack Obama with daughters Malia (C) Sasha (R) and new puppy, Bo.
Jeff T. Green / Getty Images  

In a disappointing deja vu, President Obama is getting a dog from a breeder, just as VP Joe Biden did. However, Obama's decision is much more disappointing than Biden's, considering his previous commitment to rescue a dog and his participation in Jana Kohl's book on puppy mills, "A Rare Breed of Love" (Buy Direct).
Barack Obama poses with Baby, a rescued dog, for the book "A Rare Breed of Love."
Photo by Robert Sebree The Obama's new puppy is a Portugese Water Dog named Bo, a gift from Sen. Ted Kennedy, who got the dog from a breeder. The dog made his public debut on the South Lawn of the White House on Tuesday. Kohl now feels betrayed, as many animal advocates do. I'm also very disappointed in Obama's decision, and withHSUS's press release on this subject, which congratulates the Obama's on accepting this "second chance" dog, just because the dog had been returned to the breeder by the previous family who purchased him. As PETA very clearly states, "The new first dog, Bo, is not a rescue." The dog was a gift to which the Obama's consented, and according to People.com, Kennedy "had been lobbying the Obamas to get a Portuguese Water Dog (or PWD) for months." Because of his position in the public eye, Obama's decision affects more than the one dog he could have rescued from a shelter. Even before Bo made his public debut, Obama's anticipated decision created a demand for these purebred dogs: When the Obamas announced earlier this year the breed was on their short list, (Mitch Horowitz, a dog breeder) started receiving three or four inquiries daily . . . "People are going to reproduce these dogs however they can," he said. "Prices have already gone up a lot. It's going to be general mayhem." One newspaper article compares the popularity of these dogs to the popularity of Jackie Kennedy's pillbox hat. Unfortunately, a dog cannot be placed on a shelf in the closet when the next trend comes along. The increased demand for these dogs will lead to more dogs being bred, which will lead to more dogs suffering in puppy mills and dying in shelters. Althouh PETA reports that the dog has been neutered, and Ecorazzi reports that Obama is making a donation to a "Humane Society," (it is unclear exactly which organization will receive the donation) this damage control is too little too late. As Kohl responded to The Vote Blog of the Christian Science Monitor regarding the donation: “That’s baloney,” Kohl said. “It’s farcical. They’re donating money to urge people not to do what they did.” I agree wholeheartedly with Kohl. Donating money after the fact will do little to curb the damage. Not only is Obama setting a terrible example for the country, but he reneged on a promise he had made to animal advocates during the election. Animal advocates are expressing their disappointment to the White House through theironline webform.

Edward, excellent post, just what I've been thinking with an unfortinately ill brain making it hard to correlate well enough to articulate my point. So thanks for making it for me.

The comment below was left on my own blog, http://laanimalwatch.blogspot.com, about Obama choosing a breeder dog. It is extraordinarily well written.
Yesterday I got the new edition of "Pet Press" and, inexplicably. Lori Golden is actually telling people to "leave the Obamas alone."

Normally I like Lori and mostly agree with her, but I think she's really wrong here. Of course, there's nothing we can do to change this decision. But I think we'd be making a big mistake not to push back on this.

First, it wasn't one isolated instance where Barack Obama said they'd "prefer" a shelter dog. Both he and Michelle said they were leaning towards adoption; Michelle flat-out said in an Entertainment Tonight interview that they were GOING to adopt.

Second, if the stories Ed's reprinted here have any truth to them, these "adoption" red herrings were being repeatedly dropped at the same time plans were being made for the Obamas to acquire Bo. That's dishonesty. I voted for the man, but if he lies, we need to say he lied.

Thirdly, if this story is true, he and Michelle (and the ever-self-entitled Kennedys) WILL in fact be responsible for the deliberate large-scale breeding of PWD puppies while dogs who are already here are getting a needlefull of Euthanol. This was a totally foreseeable consequence of this decision and I lay every unwanted Portie bred and every dog who dies at the doorstep of the Obamas. They knew what the stakes were and they didn't care. They wanted a rich-and-powerful person's dog. They blew the unparalleled golden opportunity to make every shelter dog a rich-and-powerful person's dog.

And the fourth reason we shouldn't drop this is: every single time we have an opportunity to show that animal lovers are a MASSIVE demographic, we blow it. Every argument against taking a stand seems to be some variation on "Be tasteful -- and give the guy a break..." But the guy says he's a moral leader. Nothing is more immoral than ignoring the plight of living beings simply because they can't vote and they can't make a campaign contribution.

We OWE IT to the dogs who are going to die NOT to drop this. We owe it to all the shelter animals who needed the limelight, who needed a powerful person to take their side, who watched that powerful person walk away from them and their lives NOT to be tasteful, but to say, "Sorry, Barack and Michelle. I voted for you and you let me down. You sold out on the issue that's most important to me."

Dogs are going to die. We owe them this.

On April 15, Alex Melonas wrote:  "H H, continuously reiterating your point that some species have been selectively bred doesn't solve the problem because ... [snip] ... you are essentially arguing that we need to continue to breed for the benefit of future generations of humans. This second point needs to be defended in light of the inevitable harm and death we will cause millions of companion animals today, and the suffering we will cause future generations of these manipulated companion animals."

You are absolutely right that I think that people should continue to selectively breed companion animals! 

All kinds of harm comes when individuals interact, between animals, between humans, between animals and humans, but I do not see this as a reason to ban interaction.  You see the bad, and I see the bad as well, but also so much good that comes from humans and animals living together.

Your utopia is my hell. 

Where your utopian view is behind animal rights legislation, I am very suspicious of that legislation. 

Do you agree with PETA and HSUS?  Would you like to see the end of companion animals?

What a sad world that would be.

All right, this has gone on about as long as it needs to--longer.

And for the record (and I'm posting this publicly rather than sending it privately to specific commenters, so that my position on it is clear to all), I don't care which side you're on: cursing people out and name-calling just for the sake of name-calling is not acceptable here. Assume your comments will be deleted on future posts too if they devolve into this, whether you're for or against animal rights.