2/8/08 - Boxer, intact male, brindle markings, lost in Golden Hills on 2/6/08. Wearing a faded blue collar. If found, please call Ray at 823-7236.

2/8/08 - Mixed Breed Dog lost near Kmart on 2/7/08 around 1:30pm.  Cream colored / light brown Corgi sized dog.  If found, call 972-4012.

1/8/08 - Miniature Pinscher, female, found 2/7/08 on Oakwood.  Wearing a light purple collar.  If you know who this dog belongs to, call 972-4012.

Adopting out a 2 mth old puppy??? This burns me up!!!!! Why did the owner get him knowing that he might be shipped out??? When you get an animal, you are making a commitment for the life of the animal.  They are not throwaways!!!

As for the "intact Boxer"  why has he not been neutered?  Another irresponsible backyard breeder or just another irresponsible pet owner???

Hey Joty--what was the name of the anger control manager?  LOL!!

lol awsmom, I know the feeling well! I share your sentiments. Knowing he/she could be shipped out - how selfish to get a puppy. I respect the fact this person is following orders and doing the duty he/she signed up for, but the puppy certainly didn't sign up to be abandoned so soon. Doesn't this person have family or friends that could step up to the plate?

I can't tell you how many arguements I've had with my own brother over spaying and neutering. He is one of those irresponsible pet owners. I know he loves his animals, but he just doesn't THINK about what happens to all those unwanted babies.

Thanks to the Tehachapi News for publishing these ads lost animals!!!!!

Joty--take a sneak preview of weebles blog "What about you?"   I encouraged the next blogger to cut and past mine as I added 2 more questions--read the last one!  LOL

spam code DRROX

You know, I wonder if those backyard breeders need to have a business license or permit or something.  I know one (unfortunately) and I'm so disgusted by it I haven't talked to this person in a while even though they're family (unfortunately).  But I mean, if that income isn't even being reported to the IRS... that could mean some big trouble, right? 

I can't even come to terms with how disgusted I am with this person's usage of animals for breeding (and the way they talk about animals, like they're disposable, and the level of denial they're in about what will happen to the animals!!!!!).  My husband says to just ignore it and move on, to keep things peaceful, but I just can't get over it.  Oh man... there I go... I'm about to strangle my keyboard, I'm so mad..

Hey awsmom, maybe those should be the first two questions!!!!!

Everyone around here is "fixed" except my hubby. He says he may be called on to re-populate the earth someday, so he's staying "intact" - LMAO!!!!!

Why assume an intact male is being used for stud?  Perhaps the owner is aware of the increased cancer risk when male dogs are neutered and chooses to give his Boxer (a breed genetically predisposed for cancers by age 10 anyway) the healthiest life possible. 

That's a pretty sad argument for not neutering/spaying: because it increases risk for cancer.  So might microchipping, but I think it's fair to say that it's better to microchip than to lose your dog.  And your dog might live longer if you don't neuter them, but what about the lives of the animals they could potentially sire if they escape?  Very selfish, IMO.

Then let's use that same argument to decree that all dogs should be rendered  toothless so IF they ever become loose in the neighborhood they won't be able to bite anyone. 

I don't think an increased risk of cancer in an animal that is predisposed to cancer is a sad reason to not have a procedure carried out. If it was a human being, your child or husband, you would NEVER have them undergo a procedure that could reduce thier life expectency, and as most peoples pets are a part of the family, why would you stack the odds against someone in your own family?

I don;t think that not spaying/neutering your animal makes you irresponsible. I tend to lean more towards the people that don't maintain their fences etc and don;t ensure thier animal won;t get out are irresponsible. I used to have a 120pound pitbull/mastiff, he was not neutered, and he never got out on his own because we made sure he couldn't.  I don't think we were irresponsible for not having him neutered because we were responsible enough to make sure he never got out.

I guess I have never heard much about this problem from where I was raised. I had never even heard the term backyard breeder before coming to Tehachapi.....

We're talking about animals that will live 10-12 years (for many larger dogs) as it is.  So cancer around 10 years old isn't far off from the normal life span.  I knew a man who kept his (decrepit old) cat alive for years by taking him to the vet twice a week for a fluid IV.  The cat couldn't even move and the man still just couldn't let go of the poor animal.  I totally believe in letting the animal live out their life, and when they're old and in pain, put them to sleep.  None of this spending thousands of dollars on chemotherapy, injections, etc.  I love my dogs as much as anyone, but I'm still quite aware that they are dogs, not humans.  (By the way TK, you can train a dog not to bite- do you think you can train them not to "make babies"?)

The real problem, as Smokey was pointing out, is people not maintaining proper enclosures for their animals.  But as careful as you are to keep good fences, it's easy to slip up (leave a gate or door open, etc) and have your dog escape.  Sadly, there are many loose animals out there (of course, unaltered) and babies are made.  That's babies on the street to either grow up stray, die, or get turned in to the pound and get either adopted or put down.  And to think, a simple operation could have prevented more animals from needlessly dying.  I still think it's selfish.

I forgot to mention that there are also a lot of dogs that are difficult to contain- dogs that dig, dogs that jump, dogs that chew up fences, small dogs that can squeeze through fences, large dogs that can knock down fences/gates...

I understand both sides of this debate.  As someone who knows that hundreds of dogs and cats are killed everyday by shelters in CA simply because they don't know what else to do with these poor animals,  I am happy that adoption agencies spay/neuter all the pets they find/receive before adopting them out.  The necessary and horrific killing of so many dogs and cats is why Shelters that pick up stray dogs/cats charge the owners an extra (rather large) fee to get back their dog/cat when it was not spayed/neutered.  This says to the owner either be responsible or PAY A HEFTY PRICE for not spay/neutering your pet.  Now, this doesn't mean that TK doesn't have a very valid argument for not spaying his boxer, especially if TK IS responsible.  Thus, not all people who choose not to spay/neuter their pets are irresponsible, BUT, sadly MOST people are irresponsible.   Again, it's sad.   This is why animal shelters and humane societies spay/neuter all pets before they  adopte them out...because... Odds are, their new owners will be irresponsible,  which will only cause more killings of defenseless dogs/cats.

Then get an vasectomy on your dog if he is still intact---at least he will be shooting blanks!  And yes, they do vasectomies on dogs owners that want an alternative to castration.

And TK--it is an irresponsible dog owner if he does allow an intact dog tto get loose.  As smokey pointed out---they made sure their intact male didn't get out.  But at least get him a vasectomy!!!   NO!!! the dog--not your husband! LOL