My Funny Picture

Do you think that its "OK" to breed mutts just for the sake of taking pics of the breeding process for a book?

I remember seeing these pictures in a book called "The New Encyclopedia of The Dog by Bruce Fogle " years ago when I was a kid. I remember seeing the puppies and thinking they were "cute", but now I realize that they just bred mutt puppies just to take pictures of them. I wonder what happened to the puppies AFTER these pictures were taken and finished with??? Isn't it pretty sick to bring five mutt puppies into this world just for a book??? They could have asked a reputable breeder if they can take pictures of their dogs, "mating, whelping and so on. http://www.dkimages.com/discover/Home/Animals/Mammals/Carnivores/Reproduction-and-Development/Domestic-Dogs/Pregnancy-and-Birth/Index.html If you click "Mating" on the right hand corner, you'll see the puppies father. The next page of "Pregnancy and Birth" admits that the puppies are "Mongrels". It makes me think that they were treated like props, and were just thrown to the vet for euthanasia after, or maybe even gassed in one of those boxes that some shelters use. :(

Public Comments

1. Makes me wonder, also, what happened to the puppies after the project of writing the book was completed. That makes me sad. I hope they weren't just sent to a shelter and euthanized, I pray that they all found happy forever homes. The author should have just consulted with a breeder and used them to do the research and get photo's for his book.
2. i think you know the answer to this one...no its not ok i agree with you should have asked a breeder..or just went and found photos that were already taken
3. It depends what happened to the puppies after they were bred. but I think it would of made much more sense to just take pictures of other breeding dogs that were doing it for a reason.
4. I don't even know what to say. That is wrong in so many ways. The pic of the bitch on her back is upsetting when the two were tied. that could have caused her injury.
5. Absolutely Not,find a pair that is ready to deliver.
6. That is disturbing! No way should a reputable writer do something so irresponsible and heartless as to document a litter that has little chance of ever being owned by a loving family for life.
7. Sure, I don't see why not. Animals are used for testing labs all the time... so I'm gonna have to assume that it's a little more humane to breed some dogs than test products on them... but all in all... I'm not going to lose sleep over the dogs that were bred for informational purposes. We all have a right to knowledge and well...... they wrote an informational book....
8. I don't think there is enough information here to judge. Can you prove to me that these aren't performance or working dogs? The male is definately a herding-type dog the female has markings of one as well. They may be mongrels but it is entirely plausible that they are working dogs. And they may be GOOD working dogs and the owner(s) wanted to make more working dogs? Happened all the time where I used to live, someone would have an ace cow dog, and knew some one with a great sheepherding dog. They'd breed the to together, and would divide the litter up amongst themselves and give or sell the rest to other farmers in the area. ETA: Also - do you know how difficult it is to photograph an animal giving birth? I bet that dog had 24 hour supervision around the birthing time, they probably had the whelping/photo shooting area det up weeks in advance. I simply do not see many breeders out there volunteering for that type of intrusion.
9. IT is NEVER ok to breed mixed pups for any reason on purpose. At this time I don't think any dog or cat for that matter should be bred. Our animal shelters have too many pure breeds of both besides mixed breeds that will have to be put down as it is. Go take a look at your local shelter and it will break your heart to see them.
10. Omg they are dogs. I honestly don't care. It's not like they are children or babies. They are dogs. People eat dogs in other countries... circle of life.
11. No absolutely not ! I am against any and all types of animal cruelty. and personally if people would slow down the whole breeding process maybe we would have more homes for dogs rather that over populating with new puppies all the time. New York City animal shelter puts down on average of over 250 dogs per week, it makes me sick
12. It was irresponsible and lazy. I would like to think that the people who cared for them were enamored of the sweet puppies, and gave them a home.
13. I totally agree. :( If they had actually forced a female to mate just for the sake of pictures, and waited it out... well. *barf* There are more easier ways to get photos. Like you said, ask a breeder! Instead of letting these dogs mate, especially since they're mixed, they could have fixed them and done the world a favor. :(
14. Okay, Bruce Fogle did several books, and not just on dogs, he did horses, and African wildlife, he probably found this subject close to whelping and used her. I hope they did not breed just for book, that is not his style. he went all over doing photos a lot of years ago...... and his books were always informative...go to the library and check out his other books. I really don't think, he would breed mixed puppies to just sell a book.....he is a noted author and photographer...... even though it says are Mongrels, does not really say or mean they were bred just for a book...... but who knows.. people have done some pretty crazy things to make money off animals in the past..... And I like to think all these babies found great loving homes.