Are you upset that President Obama didn't pick a dog from a shelter?
Dr Jana Kohl, author of Rare Breed of Love, said: "This will fuel the breeding industry which will fuel the puppy mill industry, which will increase homeless dogs at shelters. People are tearfully turning in their pets to shelters because they can't afford them anymore. How can they be so out of touch?"
To appease the critics, the Obamas made a donation to the Humane Society, the biggest animal welfare group in the US. Wayne Pacelle, chief executive, diplomatically referred to Bo as a "quasi-rescue dog". He acknowledged that the Obamas never flat-out promised to get a dog from a pound or rescue group, though they expressed a strong preference for doing so. "He's in a grey area," Mr Pacelle said of Bo. "But I will say that many animal advocates are disappointed that he [Obama] didn't go to a shelter or breed rescue group, partly because he set that expectation."
My question to you: Does it upset you that Obama did not adopt his dog from a rescue shelter or are animal activists making a big deal out of nothing?
full telegraph article.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by callamity on -
I thought that they only got the "quasi-rescue dog" because all the shelter dogs triggered one of his daughter's allergies.
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Permalink Reply by Kara on
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ALL of the shelter dogs? There are plenty of breeds that are non-allergenic... I'm sure that they could find at least ONE in the country.
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Permalink Reply by Duc on -
It's not upsetting. I've read that it's rare to find a Portuguese Water Dog at a shelter and it's breed they wanted because of Malia's allergies.
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Permalink Reply by Kristine Allen on -
Although yes he could have picked a dog from a shelter I believe that as long as you don't contribute to the large amounts of dogs in the shelters then its not a bad thing. As long as you love your dog it doesn't matter where they comes from.
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Permalink Reply by Derek on -
Would've put a smile on my face if he did get one from a shelter/pound, but he didn't. It's okay. At least the dog has a home.
It doesn't upset me personally, no. But, of course, something always upsets somebody.
This dog was a gift. What was Obama supposed to do? Say "No, I'm not taking this dog because it's not from a pound/shelter" ?
Activists would've had a field day with that one too.
That's what activists live for. It's NEVER 'good enough'
(although I do agree with a lot of the activists perspectives, there are some that they take to unnecessary extremes.)
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Permalink Reply by vixengoddess on -
hi there luv , personally yes there are so many homeless helpless pups. I am a huge dog lover and i have two now both that were saved from the pound. However, you have to look at the situation, as president could and would he been the but of unaccountable jokes if they would have gotten a mutt from the pound. Probably ! Better to stick to a pure-breed or at least something with papers!
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Permalink Reply by Morgan Kanae on -
I really was upset our President did not choose a dog from one of the thousands of animal sheters in America.
Thousands of people are struggling to keep their animal shelters open. It seems to me that the president is out of touch with this huge issue. This is an important struggle that so many people are involved in. I myself have three rescued dogs, and a very cranky rescue cat. I live in an area of california that has the highest kill rate in the United States. It's very upsetting that the president, who I like a lot, Why doesn't he get another dog from a shelter. Non allergic dogs are actually really easy to find. I hope the president opens his eyes to this issue.
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