02/16/2022
A message from the sorry not sorry department:
We $ell dogs.
(See how I have to misspell that word just to get this post past animal rights influenced rules that are slowly becoming accepting as the norm.)
I’m getting messages daily about people looking for information about the “adoption process.” I truly appreciate you reaching out and I am very grateful for it, but this is just something I need to say.
I do not subscribe to the language of those animal rights influencers that include words such as "adoption", "pet parent", "fur baby", etc. This may sting to hear and might make some think I think of my dogs as livestock or unworthy of being family members. It is in fact the exact opposite. Words matter. You want to OWN your dog. You want to be the one to decide what your dog needs to be the most confident and well rounded companion animal within your family.
When all dogs are "fur babies", we will no longer be able to fulfill their genetic desires with the real work that they thrive on such as picking up birds; scrambling rubble piles to find lost or injured people; leading the blind as guide dogs; using their noses at the airport to ensure our safety in customs; doing service work for disabled individuals or individuals in need of the support only a dog can bring including veterans and children. We will no longer be able to put them in crates that provide safety and rest, we will no longer be able to use fair and humane training tools to teach them how to live with us, and eventually owning even family pet dogs will become too difficult to even attempt.
There is an epidemic of badly behaved dogs and at the very same time there is an explosion of doggy daycare, dog parks, and fur parent culture. Behavioral euthanasia is commonplace as death is chosen over the mild discomfort and inconvenience of taking control of the animal. It is also more commonplace because the damages created by raising a dog as a human infant “fur child” are often nearly irreversible.
Please consider the language you use and what it means to the future of dogs sharing our lives with us. Be your dog's owner, and be a good one. Enjoy the freedom to decide what is best for your dog, but be responsible and put their needs first when it comes to what they need. Being a good owner is a lot of work and the first two years of a dog's life will set the tone for the many years ahead you will enjoy together. The kind of leadership that works best for all dogs is in jeopardy of becoming a thing of the past, and the dogs themselves will be next.
-Adrienne Mesko
