Alexis Vasquez-Morgan

April 18, 2016

Persuasive Speech Outline
Adopt, Dont Shop: Why We Should Adopt Shelter Dogs and Avoid Buying Purebred Animals
Before I begin my speech today, I would like to reiterate that my speech covers a related,
but still separate topic from the one we watched as a class on Tuesday. That presenter explained
the horrors of puppy mills, which tie into the subject of breeding, but today I will deliver
information regarding private breeders, or licensed organizations, and the many issues associated
with professional breeding. Dr. Edwards did comment that he has adopted two dogs from a
shelter that ended up having a sickness from before the adoption. I counter that statement with
this: Many of the reject dogs from breeders will have papers, but will not be purchased and
will end up in the shelter systems. Some buyers even return the dogs, which will end up in
shelters if they cannot be rehomed. When I ask you to take action in the speech, however, I am
taking into account that not every shelter is an animal haven. It is important to find a trusted
location to adopt a dog from. Thank you, now I will begin.
INTRODUCTION: The topic of dog breeding has a harmless first impression, and can even
conjure up pictures of a cute puppy ready to grow into a beautiful dog, but the actions leading up
to the creation of this adorable creature and the results lend themselves to a much sadder reality.
One litter of bred puppies might not seem like it has a very large impact, nor do the American
Kennel Club dog shows, but behind the scenes, systematic dog breeding proves itself to do more
harm than good. Today I will discuss three reasons why dog breeding is a dangerous and
unnecessary practice for both existing and new litters of puppies.
I.

There are far too many animals in the shelters as it is, and it isnt cheap for taxpayers.
A. As reported by the American Humane Association, in 1997, over 2.7 million of
the animals that entered the surveyed shelters were euthanized due to
overcrowding. In 2008, the number was 3.7 million. The jump may not seem large
for 11 years, but the fact that such a high number of potential pets are terminated
each year should be devastating in its own right. I cross-checked these statistics
with information from the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(ASPCA). Their website states that 2.7 million animals are euthanized each year,
1.2 million of which are dogs. That is a staggering amount. These are not natural
deaths. Along with that, up to 2 billion taxpayer dollars are spent to kill these
animals each year. It is an unfortunately necessary evil, due to the chronic
overcrowding within shelters.
B. Breeding exacerbates the issue by creating more dogs to be put into the system.
Besides the fact that purebred animals take homes away from shelter pets, there
are a few other causes. A standard situation is that a breeder can only sell a certain
amount of puppies, and the rest are put into shelters if not adequate for producing
another potential litter. Even if all the puppies get purchased, at least one owner
will mostly likely return the animal due to several possible reasons including

Alexis Vasquez-Morgan
April 18, 2016

II.

behavioral issues, health issues, or environmental issues. Where does this returned
dog go? If the breeder cannot re-home him or her, they are dumped in a shelter.
C. Along the same lines, if a breeder gets lazy during the time-consuming process of
breeding, or runs out of funds due to registration and veterinarian bills, the
puppies may end up in irresponsible hands, or be left with a breeder at her wits
end. Both cases usually end with innocent puppies in a shelter system, some of
which may be rejects, sick from in-breeding. When Dr. Edwards commented
about the sad fate of his two dogs, I was sad and concerned, hoping that he did
not encountered a situation such as this.
D. Many new breeders make the claim that they wish their children to see the miracle
of birth. This is a common view that has little to no support in terms of real-life
breeding. New breeders fail to take into account the expenses, and potentially
tragedies, of breeding their female. On her website, dogstuff.info, Sierra Milton
explains her point of view on this mindset with this quote, While planning for
the children to witness the miracle of birth, be sure to take them to the local
shelter on euthanasia day so that they can witness the reality of death for the
scores of dogs who have no homes. This mindset, along with the anti-neuter
belief, contributes thousands of puppies and dogs to the shelter system each year.
TRANSITION: While this is one of the most significant issues that comes with
breeding, it is definitely not the only one. My next point outlines the harder-todetect issues with professional breeding.
Breeding practices are dangerous and inhumane.
A. Several websites insinuate that breeding is a business of experimentation, under
the guise of breed betterment. On Cindy Moores website k9web.com, she
makes a statement claiming that inbreeding, or the mating of a father dog to a
daughter and likewise, is a powerful tool in weeding out recessive, and typically
harmful, genes. Moores entire explanation of these breeding styles is very
clinical, and she addresses the possibility of putting down any defective animals
with a disturbingly casual tone.
B. This kind of close breeding continuously produces animals with more and more
similar DNA. A study from the Imperial College in London analyzed the DNA of
ten Kennel Club breeds. Nine of the ten showed evidence of severe inbreeding,
with a group of 20,000 boxers having the genetic diversity of only 70. This means
many of the boxers were inbred. Aside from the unethical behavior of breeding
related dogs, the practice increases the chance for any given litter to be rampant
with life-threatening diseases or deformities. The entire process of betterment
breeding is very experimental, and the end goal is always an aestheticallypleasing, show-worthy dog, even at the expense of puppies lives. I will qualify
my statement by saying that many breeders do seek a healthy show dog, but the
result may only present itself after many failed generations.

Alexis Vasquez-Morgan
April 18, 2016

III.

C. Some of the diseases and physical mutations of these popular breeds have become
so commonplace that they are seen as a natural occurrence instead of inbred
diseases that have been passed through generations.
D. Overbred German Shepherds experience extremely sloping backs that lead to joint
problems like hip dysplasia, and ataxia, which is an eventual loss of limb control.
This trait is preferred among many breeders, because of how it looks, but not how
it affects the dog.
E. Many dogs bred for wrinkly skin experience a severe skin rash called dermatitis.
An article from ScientificAmerican.com explains that the appearance of a
Dalmatians spots is directly related to increased levels of uric acid in their urine,
leading to blockages known as kidney stones. As people bred this dog for its
characteristic spots, they were also breeding a trait for painful urination.
F. Basset Hounds and Doberman Pinschers are victims of a disease that makes it
difficult for blood to clot, similar to hemophilia in humans. This can cause
hemorrhaging and eventual death.
G. Breeds like the Rough Collie and King Cavalier Spaniel are bred to have a smaller
and smaller skull to keep with show standards. This disorder is called canine
syringomyelia, according to ScientificAmerican.com.
H. Dogs like pugs, English Bulldogs, Bloodhounds, Basset Hounds, and other breeds
bred for droopy skin and buggy-eyes can potentially live their lives with chronic
eye infections, entropion, ectropion, and many more.
I. Poodles and Cocker Spaniels are prone to high blood pressure; GSD, Great
Danes, and Dobermans have been show to die suddenly from cardiac disease; and
bone cancer is prevalent in Great Dane, Rottweiler, Labrador and Golden
Retriever, Greyhound, and Saint Bernard breeds. Great Danes, Mastiffs, and other
giant dogs have joint issues, are more likely to form leg tumors, and can struggle
to keep their bodies cool. Tiny toy breeds, on the other hand, have issues staying
warm, as well as suffer from patellar luxation, which causes frequent dislocation
of the kneecaps. All of this information was gathered from a pbs.com article from
2010, and Caen Elegans website dogbehaviorscience.wordpress.org.
J. Most of these diseases or deformities exist as recessive traits within these breeds,
and are only expressed when two dogs with similar DNA are bred. These issues
make it difficult for a dog to live its life to its fullest potential, and many purebred
dogs experience these mutations and physical deformities as a result of the
experimental breeding carried out by breeders. Some traits are even desired for
appearance by American Kennel Club standards, despite the obvious health
problems associated.
TRANSITION: This brings me into my next point, that much of animal breeding
is done for a beautiful dog versus a healthy one.
Breeding standards are harmful. AKC encourages certain physical traits that lead to
medical problems.

Alexis Vasquez-Morgan
April 18, 2016
A. Tail docking and ear cropping are popular and inhumane. Despite what the AKC
may tell its followers, Australia's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (RSPCA) explains that even young puppies experience the extreme pain
that comes from removing part of their living body. The procedure is done
without anesthesia on 2 to 10 day-old puppies with a surgical instrument or with a
tourniquet that cuts off blood supply and allows the dead tail to fall off. Both
methods are flagrantly inhumane, as they cause severe pain for cosmetic
purposes, and because tails are primary tools of canine communication.
B. Celebrities indirectly endorse the breeding of animals for looks. Many people
regard their purebreds as accessories versus companions. This leads a lot of new
dog owners to purchase a breed because it is just, So cute! and fail to realize the
effort required to take care of a pet. This brings me back to animals being returned
because of their behavior issues, when all that the pet probably needed was
some training. Another issue with celebrity endorsement brings people to seek
tiny dogs like Paris Hiltons 10,000 dollar tiny pet. According to thedodo.com,
Paris Hiltons Chihuahua Tinkerbell led many of her fans to adopt their own
Chihuahua accessory, only to abandon it and put Chihuahuas above Pit Bulls as
the most abandoned breed.
Dr. Dunbar from scientificamerican.com says the issue of close genetics can be fixed, but the
issue is more significant than simply the health of the dogs. Naturally, we want all of our animals
to be healthy and functioning, and we can find those pets at shelters. Trusted shelters spay and
neuter animals, health screen them, and ensure they are prepared to live in a new home. With
over 8 million animals entering the shelter system each year, why continue to breed more dogs?
Especially for such a shallow reason as appearance? Id like to remind all of my listeners today
that many of the sought-after physical traits present issues inside the animal. Body shapes lead to
physical deformities, and close genetic codes show themselves when recessive diseases threaten
a dogs well-being, and eventually, their life.
CONCLUSION: Today, my goal was to convince you guys, at the very least, to come over to my
side and support me in my views, but my true dream is to persuade you all to adopt a pet from a
shelter instead of a breeder. I hope you to think of your own beloved and amazing pets, and
encourage you to speak out against breeding, if not for the gross overcrowding our shelters
experience, but at least for the inhumanity of the experimental breeding practices carried out for
profit.

Alexis Vasquez-Morgan
April 18, 2016