Media coverage of breeder's dog

[Guest guest]

I know we are all getting cramped hands from letter writing but a situation this week presents a perfect opportunity to speak out against back yard breeders. Shawn Snider of Denton, whose dog was mistakenly euthanized at the Denton shelter, has pursued media coverage from several outlets. He had told animal shelter personnel that he would retrieve his dog on May 16 and it was euthanized on May 15. Reportedly, the dog frequently escaped its fence and had been picked up one week prior to that time - on May 8, by Denton Animal Control.

 

Anyone who works in rescue knows that shelter personnel killing animals that have already been spoken for by owners or rescuers is not an uncommon occurrence and it is reprehensible.

 

Here is the deal - Snider and his wife are asking for the $206,000 for loss of their dog, emotional pain and FUTURE BREEDING OPPORTUNITIES. The dog, Amicus, was a 3-year-old, black Lab MIX. At age 3, he had already fathered three litters of puppies which the couple sold to supplement their income. That is three litters of puppies born into the North Texas area where more than two hundred thousand animals are killed each year because of the obscene animal overpopulation. These litters were not facilitated by this couple because of their love of a breed but to "supplement their income." It would be interesting to know if they were paying taxes on the puppies they sold.

 

If you can write a letter - great. If you have time to go to the websites for the television channels, you can send an e-mail. Channel 4 has "Viewer's Voice" and you leave an e-mail with them. There is also a phone line for the "Viewer's Voice" where you can leave a message. Mr. Snider and his wife are loudly portraying themselves as victims and the public will sympathize with that. The true victims are this dog and hundreds of his offspring.

 

Beverly Fyfe