Hoots 1

Adryan Hoots

Professor Ballard

RC 1000 - 150

16 November 2023

What are the Effects of Neglectful Breeders on the Pet Trade?

The pet trade is a flourishing industry that caters to the diverse desires for animal

companionship and has garnered both admiration and scrutiny. Amidst the large numbers

involved in this market, the practices of breeders hold a pivotal role in determining the quality of

life for the animals involved, as well as shaping the industry's overall health. However, the

presence of neglectful breeders has cast a shadow over the positive aspects of the pet trade,

giving rise to a multitude of concerns that extend beyond one’s thoughts.

Of course, there are positives and negatives to the pet industry, and most people will

choose to be close-minded to the negative aspects. It makes sense though, humans would be

insufferable without pets, specifically man’s best friend. Many of us don’t know a world without

an animal by our sides. Pets provide companionship and emotional support to their owners.

Animals, specifically dogs and cats, are known for their loyalty and unconditional love. These

aspects have huge positive effects on human mental health and well-being. The bond between a

human and an animal has been shown to have positive effects on the physical health of humans

as well. Pets have been known to be a buffer against stress, maintain allergies, and lower blood

pressure and cholesterol (Kaiser). The American Heart Association states that “having a pet may

even lower your chances of developing heart disease.” Along with positively impacting humans

mentally and physically, pets also add an economic impact. The pet trade is a significant

contributor to the global economy. It generates employment opportunities in various ways,

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including pet breeding, pet care services, veterinary care, pet supplies, and even more. The

economy surrounding the pet industry may have some positive effects, but it is the leading cause

of neglectful breeding.

The problem with poor breeding tactics stems from greed and economic riches. Bad

breeders look at the pet trade as a way to make a quick buck. These breeders have no desire to

benefit the animal or the consumer, their mission is to make the most money as easily as

possible. When thinking of the pet trade, it is common to think of dogs and cats, but the impact

on these species is surpassed by the illegal pet trade of exotic animals. The buying and trading of

exotic pets is where the money is at. Consider it as supply and demand. The rarer the

merchandise, or pet in this case, the more valuable it will be (Beckham). That being said, rare

species are precious to wealthy collectors who can afford to pay outrageous prices to

black-market distributors for specific species (Beckham).

These exotic pets are protected by international treaties and laws, but dealers will

continue to find ways around this. Because of this, illegal pets must be smuggled into the market.

Smuggling almost always results in the physical abuse of these exotic animals. Physical abuse

may be in the form of overcrowding, lack of oxygen, exposure to extreme heat, and restrictions

(Beckham). During these transits mortality rates often approach 80-90 percent (Beckham).

Therefore smugglers must overcompensate by smuggling extra animals to ensure they are

arriving with a sufficient amount of specimens that will result in adequate profit. Two species

that especially fall victim to these tactics are monkeys and parrots, as the rarity and demand for

these animals bring high prices (Beckham). Monkeys and parrots are not the only animals

susceptible to these problems. The problem extends beyond the black market trade, as it trickles

into the legal pet trade.

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Exotic reptiles have also fallen victim to the malicious pet industry. Reptiles such as

snakes and lizards specifically are another target group within the trade (Beckham). Legitimate

pet dealers unknowingly purchase these animals whilst unaware that these pets have been

illegally taken or smuggled (Beckham). These poor capture techniques and bad shipping

methods kill many reptiles before they even get the opportunity to be placed with a responsible

owner. It is estimated that “90% of wild-caught reptiles will die in their first year of captivity”

due to the physical trauma received before their purchase (Green). The trade of wild-caught

reptiles is less mandated than the exotic pet trade, causing the problem to continue to grow.

Reptiles are taken advantage of more often than any other animal involved in the pet industry.

Reptiles are seen as being inexpensive and readily available. Due to this, individuals such as

dealers, captive breeders, and retailers anticipate a significant number of deaths among the

animals they are handling (Green). Consequently, they incorporate the costs associated with a

high mortality rate into their business expenses, considering the animals as easily replaceable

commodities. This effect of the reptile trade highlights a concerning aspect of the pet industry

where the well-being of the animals is compromised due to factors such as cost considerations

and a focus on profit (Green).

The legal reptile trade is not the only part of the industry that falls victim to the focus on

profit rather than the welfare of the creatures involved. The dog trade is another fragment of the

pet industry that tends to fall short of the prosperity of the animal being traded. The business of

the dog trade is susceptible and infamous for being neglectful in practice to result in quick

revenue. The dog trade consists of puppy mills, pet shops, and breeders (Pet Trade). All three of

these contribute to an overpopulation of unwanted pets but the pet trade will continue to supply
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these animals without any care of what their fate might end with. The dog industry as well as the

pet industry as a whole will continue to mass produce these pets for their profit.

Breeding animals for revenue is a deep-rooted problem seen in many different forms.

One specific issue within the pet trade is backyard breeding. Backyard breeding is a form of

breeding pets that is usually done in the home, therefore it often goes undetected. Backyard

breeders produce newborn pets, usually puppies, and market them as being ”pedigree” to

unknown buyers. These “pedigree” pets are oftentimes the complete opposite, as these breeders

have no care about the pets’ health, but only about making a quick buck (Pet Trade). Many of

these breeders endanger the health of these pets by breeding animals that are related to each

other. This can cause life-threatening genetic defects, for example, long spinal columns which

can cause disc disease and other back problems in the animal (Pet Trade). However, backyard

breeders are not the only issue in the companion trade.

Another infamous issue within the dog trade is puppy mills. Puppy mills are the main

supplier to the companion industry. They are commercial breeding facilities that prioritize profit

over the well-being of the animals they breed. The primary focus of puppy mills is to maximize

output and minimize costs (Schamel). Dogs in puppy mills are kept in unfit living conditions

where they are forced to produce litter after litter, with no physical care. The majority of these

dogs have never seen a veterinarian, been socialized, or even stretched their legs. They are

crammed into small areas so that the animal takes up the least amount of space, allowing the

breeder to fit the maximum number of animals (Puppy Mills). These dogs are guaranteed to have

lifelong issues. These harmful environments create dogs that are unhealthy and difficult to

socialize. The issue of puppy mills is not widely talked about or reported on but the problem is

abundant. There are approximately 10,000 puppy mills in the United States (Puppy Mills). The
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midwest, Missouri specifically contains the most amount of puppy mills. Missouri alone makes

up 30 percent of all puppy mills (Schamel). Missouri sees the worst of this issue because it is the

easiest state to become a breeder and has the lightest punishment for these crimes (Schamel).

Unfortunately, this does not mean Missuouri’s puppy mill problem will be put to a stop with the

change of regulations. The only way to stop Missouri’s problem, as well as the rest of the

country’s, is by cutting down on their demand (Stephens).

This cure for puppy mills is the same tactic that needs to be used in every aspect of the

pet trade. Unfortunately, the problem is not just caused by unknowing families who just want a

companion. Pet stores are also a huge problem in contributing to the horrendous ways of the pet

industry. Pet shops are puppy and cat mill’s best customers. These babies are taken away from

their mothers whilst far too young, shipped off to dealers, and then sold to pet shops (Pet Trade).

During this process, these animals are rarely seeing an adequate environment, oftentimes without

water, food, or proper ventilation (Pet Trade). Along with this, pet shops are also selling animals

to anyone willing to pay. They rarely require any background check, resulting in many pets being

sent to unfit, unprepared, or even abusive guardians (Pet Trade). Along with this, these pets often

come with social and behavioral issues as a result of never being given proper human care and

attention. The added consequences of unfit owners on top of problematic pets, frequently result

in the pet being relinquished to an animal shelter or abandoned elsewhere.

Not only do pet stores result in the overpopulation of animal shelters and animal

abandonment, but the pet industry as a whole has contributed to this issue. Poor breeding tactics

are the number one cause of pet overpopulation (Perdomo). Neglectful breeders are going to do

whatever they can to get more bang for their buck. Bad breeders do not care who they are selling

to, as long as they are making a profit. Because of this, pets that are being sold may end up with
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unfit owners who are unwilling or unable to care for them. Commonly when this occurs, the

consumers will place the unwanted pet into a shelter.

Poor breeding tactics along with neglectful owners contribute to a much larger issue

besides the abuse of these animals. The pet trade contributes to the worldwide issue of

overpopulation of pets, such as dogs, cats, and even exotic animals. Pets that are not given the

care they deserve are forced into shelters or to fend for themselves on roadsides. The pets that are

left abandoned will continue to reproduce causing a surplus of pets without homes. The animals

that are sent to shelters struggle to find homes and often grow old without ever being given a

loving family. The constant overflow from shelters adds to the relentless cycle of overpopulation.

Many people see pets as a “status symbol” and look into the pet trade to find pedigree dogs and

cats instead of adopting from shelters (Mitchell). This adds even more pressure to the shelter

system as they struggle to rehome these pets that continue to flood in from off the streets or from

unfit owners. Approximately 27 million cats and dogs are born in the United States alone every

year and 1.5 million animals are euthanized because the shelter system cannot sustain the

overflow (Mitchell). The problem doesn’t stop with household pets, as the overflow of animals

from the pet trade also extends to the overpopulation of exotic animals.

Exotic pets such as snakes and birds are becoming a widespread issue in America as well.

Exotic birds and snakes are brought to the United States through the pet trade and often put into

the hands of unfit owners. Once these pets get into the wrong hands and are unwanted they are

released and continue to populated areas they are not native to. For example, the Monk Parakeet

was introduced to the United States in the 50s and 60s from South America through the exotic

pet trade (Elmer). 19 of these birds were intentionally released in the 80s then owners of these

birds continued to release them into the Austin area which created a problem that continues
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today (Elmer). These birds have continued to reproduce and can now be found in New Orleans,

Portland, Miami, and Chicago (Elmer). The Monk Parakeet is not the only animal that has

invaded an area it is not native to. The Burmese python is another example of the pet trade

introducing an invasive species. Pythons were brought to Miami, Florida in the 80s when the

exotic pet trade was booming (Janos). Due to their large unmanageable sizes owners of these

pets began to release them into the wild (Janos). Once Hurricane Andrew hit in 1992 a python

breeding facility was demolished releasing even more of these animals into the fragile ecosystem

(Janos). These snakes have continued to breed and destroy the Florida Everglades as they have

no primary predators and prey on mammals that are native to the area (Janos). The invasive

nature of the Monk Parakeet and Burmese Python proves a real problem contributed by the pet

trade that goes unnoticed by many.

The pet trade continues to prove it has detrimental effects that go widely unknown. The

pet industry contributes to the abuse and neglect of many species, as well as adding invasive

species into unfit ecosystems. The pet trade will continue to do so as long as people buy into it

and solutions are not put into place. Pet owners must act responsibly by spaying and neutering

their pets and stop intentional breeding. People who are seeking to own exotic and household

pets should do their research and only buy from responsible breeders. The most important thing

to do to combat neglectful breeders and the pet trade is to educate yourself and others. Once the

effects of the pet trade and neglectful breeders are known the issue of unknowing buyers will be

put to a stop as well. The effects of neglectful breeders on the pet industry is a topic that is not

spoken about often enough and to stop this issue the public must be educated on the matter.
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Works Cited

“The Pet Trade.” PETA, 30 Nov. 2022,

www.peta.org/issues/animal-companion-issues/pet-trade/.

“Puppy Mills: Dogs Abused for the Pet Trade.” PETA, 8 June 2020,

www.peta.org/issues/animal-companion-issues/animal-companion-factsheets/pup

py-mills-dogs-abused-pet-trade/.

“Kaiser Permanente.” Kaiser Permanente, 12 Apr. 2023,

healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health-wellness/healtharticle.5-ways-pets-can-impro

ve-your-health.

Beckham, Eugene. “Environmental Encyclopedia.” Encyclopedia.Com. 15 Nov. 2023 .”

Encyclopedia.Com, Encyclopedia.com, 4 Dec. 2023,

www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-ma

ps/pet-trade.

Green, James. “Trade in Wild-Caught Reptiles.” Animal Law Legal Center,

www.animallaw.info/intro/trade-wild-caught-reptiles. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.

Stephens, Grant. “Humane Society Again Ranks Missouri as Worst State for Neglectful

Puppy Mills.” KSHB 41 Kansas City News, KSHB 41 Kansas City News, 19 May

2023,

www.kshb.com/news/local-news/humane-society-again-ranks-missouri-as-worst-s

tate-for-neglectful-puppy-mills.

Mitchell, Cody. “Animal Overpopulation - a Rising Crisis That the World Can’t Ignore!”
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WAF, 26 Oct. 2023,

worldanimalfoundation.org/advocate/companion-animals/params/post/1275970/a

nimal-overpopulation-crisis.

Janos, Adam. “How Burmese Pythons Took over the Florida Everglades.” History.Com,

A&E Television Networks,

www.history.com/news/burmese-python-invasion-florida-everglades. Accessed 3

Dec. 2023.

Elmer, Nicole L, and About the author

Nicole L Elmer. “Pets as Invasive Species: Birds, Feathered Friend or Foe?”

Biodiversity Center, 30 May 2023,

biodiversity.utexas.edu/news/entry/pets-as-invasive-species-birds.

Schamel, Bailey M. “Made in the Midwest: Missouri’s Puppy Mill Problem and How It

Should Be Fixed.” Missouri Law Review, vol. 84, no. 1, Winter 2019, pp. 279–96.

EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=138384268&site=ed

s-live&scope=site.

Bernete Perdomo, Eva, et al. “Amelioration of Pet Overpopulation and Abandonment

Using Control of Breeding and Sale, and Compulsory Owner Liability Insurance.”

Animals (2076-2615), vol. 11, no. 2, Feb. 2021, p. 524. EBSCOhost,

https://doi-org.proxy006.nclive.org/10.3390/ani11020524.