Most of us here at PETA adore sweets, but we've got zero tolerance for sugarcoating—the truth, that is. That's why we're planning to run this public service announcement in Mackinac Island, Michigan, the hometown of Sadie, who was crowned "top dog" (after a slight interruption) at Westminster on Tuesday night.

We want residents of Mackinac Island and beyond to wise up: A "win" at Westminster is no cause for celebration. In fact, a mass funeral might be more fitting.

Bottom line: Every person who purchases a puppy or kitten from a pimp breeder or pet shop (or obtains one from the "free" ads) is signing a death certificate for an animal in an open-admission shelter. I think PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk said it best: "[P]eople don't see themselves as signing some animal's death warrant when they sign their credit card receipt, but that's what they are doing." That's not a half-baked notion cooked up by animal protectionists—it's simple math. There aren't enough homes. And dog shows such as Westminster feed the myth that a French bulldog puppy is somehow "superior" to a lop-eared, one-of-a-kind mutt.

Au contraire!

Remember Uno, the beagle who bayed his way into first place at Westminster two years ago? Just months after Uno's win, I was searching for a new friend in animal shelters in New York City, and I was struck by the number of barely housetrained beagle babies who were pawing at the cage walls. Apparently, a lot of fickle viewers who watched Uno at Westminster scrambled to buy their own beagles—and then realized that they didn't want to deal with the ear-piercing baying, crack-of-dawn walks, or chewed-up Manolo's. (BTW—I, too, am a sucker for big, brown eyes. It's why a lumpy old furry gal named Lucy, who spent her first seven or so years sleeping on the streets, now snores beside me every night.)

True love can come in all shapes and sizes—with floppy ears, crooked teeth, and mismatched eyes. And true love can be easy to find at the local animal shelter. PETA is determined to save lives by sending this message to all would-be animal parents: Always adopt from animal shelters, never buy from pet stores or breeders, and always spay or neuter your four-legged friends. Will you help?

Written by Karin Bennett

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that selectively breeding dogs for certain “aesthetic” traits like a shiny nose, or perky ears—or whatever the hell it is that breeders are looking for in the animals they use for self-gratification and profit—isn’t good for the animals, and in fact can cause extreme health problems. All of the animals who won awards at the AKC-sponsored Westminster Dog Show this week have something in common beyond having been deliberately bred into a world where millions of animals are dying on the streets for lack of a good home: They’re all genetically predisposed to be highly susceptible to a laundry list of debilitating diseases.

In first place, we have Uno, the first beagle ever to take home the “Best in Show” honors at Westminster. As a beagle, Uno has a significantly higher risk of hypothyroidism, demodectic mange (a condition that occurs when a dog’s immune system can’t regulate the number of mites living in the skin), umbilical hernia, epilepsy, eye and eyelid problems, cryptorchidism, hip dysplasia, intervertebral disk disease, and luxating patella. But I’m sure his Westminster crown will console him when one or more of these ailments set in.

The two poodle contestants, Vikki and Remy, who were just edged out by Uno in the competition, probably won’t live as long as he does either: Poodles are prone to cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, allergies, severe skin disease, hip dysplasia, runny eyes, ear infections, Von Willebrand disease, bloat, and Addison's disease—an adrenal gland deficiency which requires lifelong medication and monitoring.

Uno also defeated a Weimaraner named Marge (elbow dysplasia, bloat) a Sealyham terrier named Charmin (bronchitis, early tooth decay, poor digestion, severe spine problems), and an Australian shepherd named Deuce (hip dysplasia, blood disorders, digestive problems, epilepsy, chronic eczema, gastric disorders, spinal paralysis).

So everyone’s a loser. Thanks, breeders, for contributing to the problem. Can’t wait to see you guys next year.