> I believe there really is a large core group who care about the Cavaliers
> more then anything else. But this is definately going to be an uphill
battle
> until we get our own houses in order. And the puppy millers are probably
> laughing at us. They certainly don't fear us.
Although a united front will help, I doubt it helps much.
The puppy millers probably are laughing at us. Why? Because they both
understand AND accept human nature such as it is--and feed it! They know
darn well that for many years to come there will be a fairly large
population of humans that will accept a pet shop as a decent place to buy a
puppy, or that believe a dog is a dog and not close to a human. They know
there is a large population of humans who would like a dog that don't come
across as decent enough to be approved as a good home by reputable breeders.
They know there is a large population of intelligent humans that will still
impulse buy--either for themselves or because their family talks them into
it and they feel an intense need to please that family. They know there are
just plain all types of humans--and that some of them will buy from
anyone--from them. And they especially seem to know that many of us do not
seem to understand this!
Human nature is both our enemy and our friend. How do you come up with one
idea that will *convince* many, MANY different types of humans that puppy
mills/pet shops are not where one should be buying their puppy? You don't!
You will need to implement many ideas. And I can assure you that for every
idea implemented, there will be some negative effect and someone else will
find a way around it.
If I had to come up with one idea I think it would be to use human nature to
our advantage. Peer pressure to be more precise. I haven't the slightest
idea how to do that. Every idea I come up with would require something that
is nearly impossible. A 2-tier registration system would only work if all
puppies were actually registered and people believed the AKC was the best
registration system--it would not work if everyone keeps trashing the AKC or
no one takes the time to transfer their dog. Or I thought about requiring
all puppies to be sold from the place they were raised--not sure how that
could work for imported dogs or dogs that must be shipped (the owner
wouldn't see where the dog was raised). Or how would you get the vets to
notify the breeders of every single dog they vetted that had or developed a
serious inherited problem? Or have a one hour class every year in every
classroom across the country about how to choose a reputable breeder for
your next dog? All impossible ideas. I don't have any answers--it seems
to be a very complicated problem.
Laura Trunk
Roycroft Cavaliers
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