“Master Race? Wrong for People. Wrong for Dogs. Boycott Breeders”—that’s PETA’s message to Westminster Dog Show organizers and the American Kennel Club, which continue to encourage breeding of unhealthy purebred dogs while homeless animals die by the millions every year because of the companion-animal overpopulation crisis.
To remind people that a fetish for “pure bloodlines” and a disdain for “mixed breeds” are despicable, regardless of species, PETA members are standing outside Madison Square Garden today holding “Master Race” posters.
© Emily McCoy
Singer Nellie McKay and young activist Rose McCoy
© Emily McCoy
Dog pageants promote dog breeding and drive interest in “purebreds” while animal shelters are overflowing with both mutts and purebred dogs whose lives literally depend on getting a second chance for a home. Breeding for appearances also wreaks havoc on animals’ health, as inbreeding causes painful and life-threatening genetic defects in “purebred” dogs.
What You Can Do
Breeders kill shelter dogs’ chances of finding a loving home. If you have the time, patience, and resources needed to make a lifetime commitment to a dog (or a cat), adopt, don’t buy. There’s no excuse for buying from a breeder or a pet store when every year, millions of animals in shelters are literally dying for lack of a good home.
