u/Some_Doughnutter

I know this post will get downvoted, and I don’t care. I just wanted to show some praise for those putting in their free time, money, and effort to fight a problem they didn’t even create to begin with.

The reputation of rescues is somewhere down at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. With bad actors mislabeling dogs or hiding bite history, which is really bad. But the hatred on Reddit right now just goes way overboard, and it’s not productive at all.
It’s ridiculous how the people cleaning up the mess get more hate than those who create it.

Breeders are worshipped and praised with titles like “ethical breeder” and with arguments about how they are not making money off it, spending soooo much money on health testing (for the issues they themselves created in the first place). They’re framed as somehow doing public good, while shelters are broadly scrutinized for cleaning up the mess.

Ethical rescues are lumped in with the bad ones and even threatened by the public when they do BE unrehomable dogs or dogs with bite histories. The no-kill movement is a thorn in the eye for them just as much as anyone else.

They are expected to have unlimited resources, only offer the breed the person wants, deliver healthy dogs, have no waiting lists, and then get criticized for taking in dogs from pedigree or non-pedigree breeders. Dogs that would otherwise end up somewhere down the drain if it wasn’t for them.

And then when they do take lots of precautions and maintain high standards, I see them getting criticized again by people who are angry they weren’t “the chosen one” or because the standards are “too high”. It feels like they can never win regardless of what they do.

I hope we can share some positivity toward our much needed ethical shelter workers. They truly aren’t doing this for profit, unlike the breeders.

My opinion of vets used to be more negative. I always had the feeling that many of them were making money from unethical breeds and all the expensive procedures these animals need.

After speaking up about this, I noticed that a lot more of them shared their stories on this subreddit, and I really appreciate that. This is sorely needed. Owners need to hear these perspectives.
I’ve seen so many vets talk about dealing with owners who don’t follow their advice, and how frustrating that can be. Writing how they wish they could be completely honest and tell people what they’re really thinking.

Challenging pet culture and pedigree breeding isn’t easy. I understand that. Breed organisations and clubs hold a lot of power, and many people involved believe they are experts in the field. Every dog owner is a dog trainer nowadays. It’s not an easy task to go against a huge industry with a lot of money and influence built around it.

Despite all the vets speaking up here, I still think more should speak up to create change! Including publicly. Maybe some owners won’t listen, and the media may prefer the voices of breeders, but I genuinely believe vets could help shift public opinion.