Christine Galea, Guardamangia
Mongrels are not 'substandard' (2)
I found it very offensive that Sandra Cassar referred to our mongrel dogs as substandard. I can assure her that my dogs, even though they are not pure breed, are priceless to me. I have been through more heartache than she will ever go through as I rescued my pets from a skip and nursed them back to health practically from the point of death. I think the only point Franco Farrugia was trying to make was that with so many dogs in sanctuaries desperately needing a home, why is all this breeding being allowed?
She is correct in stating that neutering is a must to reduce the stray population, but there is no such thing as a stray animal: these are dumped and abandoned animals by heartless people. But please, they must not be looked upon as anything less than precious just because they are not pure breed. The love they give us is unconditional.
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dbugeja
Sep 3rd 2008, 15:23
What Franco Farrugia tried to tell that it would make more sense if people wanting a pet would adopt from a sanctuary rather than buy a pure breed dog thus it will be reduced the number of dogs from a sheltering.One would be doing a very good deed.
daniela grech
Sep 3rd 2008, 11:28
I have adopted a, so called, 'mongrel' from a sanctuary and saved my 2 cats from the street and foster 2 dogs in a sanctuary..I do not discriminate between pure breeds and non, they are living beings, just like us, and give lots of love to all of us. Calling them 'substandard' is pure ignorance..I do not think Sandra Cassar's parents were cousins? or where they so? so Ms Cassar are you substandard too if this is not the case?? ye sounds silly, but the argument is just as valid.
Also 'breeding' dogs and cats, is just a money making business that some greedy people engage in, it is going against nature and is just for the benefit of the owners and their pockets, since these 'pure' breeds are the weakest due to genetics, thus is cruel on these poor animals themselves. If left to mate naturally they would chose their mate according to the best genes, it is a natural instinct that animals have, we, human beings also have it, though to a lesser degree because of social influences.
Joseph Galea
Sep 3rd 2008, 10:51
I have not seen Sandra Cassar's original letter but referring to non-pedigreed animals as 'sub-standard' in a derogatory way is unfair. They might not be up to the 'artificial standards' established for pedigreed animals, but in terms of most other aspects they are far better equipped - e.g. disease resistance, etc. The cases of serious problems with interbreeding dogs by unscrupulous breeders and puppy farms, supposedly to preserve 'standards' but in reality to make money, are legion. Unless the dog/cat we want is primarily for 'show' purposes, 'standards' do not matter at all.
After all if there was a 'standard' for a Maltese person would we match up to it?