SNYP! (Spay or Neuter Your Pet)

SNYP! That is my acronym for Spay or Neuter Your Pet!

In this holiday season, there will be many inappropriate gifts of a new puppy, particularly beagles. Rescues and shelters dread this time of year, knowing they'll be inundated in the coming weeks with unwanted dogs that just didn't work out - too hyper, too much work, too noisy, we're not home enough, someone is allergic, this is the wrong breed for us, etc. etc. All of which could have been avoided with a little research and thought prior to purchase.

All owners should spay and neuter their dogs. All reputable rescues spay and neuter prior to adoption. The beagles that have come into shelter/rescue care are, in large part, the direct result of overpopulation and casual breeding. A quick visit your local shelter will confirm the overwhelming need for rescue, fostering and adoption. Far too many dogs are needlessly euthanized because of the irresponsibility of casual breeders. Breeding should be done directly by knowledgeable experts who show their beagles, are breeding to improve the standard of the breed, or are scrupulous in selling to the public. Please consider this before breeding your dog. Especially unfortunate for beagles it that they are the breed most often used in research due to their manageable size and temperament and ready availability of "stock."

We all can do our part to reduce beagle (and all pet) overpopulation by not breeding them and adopting pets that are spayed or neutered to save a life. I found this wonderful quote on a beagle rescue site and have altered it just a bit:

"If you rescue one beagle, you will not change the world, but the world will surely change for that one beagle."

Joyce