Canadian Purebreds and the Economy
127,604,218 Dollars annually.
Required vaccines ___________________________________________________________________________________________$10,087,800
Canadian Purebred dog owners spend nearly $1,008,780.00 annually in Rabies vaccines alone.
Veterinary care not including vaccines. _________________________________________________$28,554,836
According to the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association as of 2013 there are 12,547 veterinarians (2013). The breeder supports the veterinarian who supports his or her staff. The veterinarian has supported a university, which supports its educators, who support research, which in turn supports the scientists that find cures for all dogs, including shelter animals.
Guelph University is one of those universities and offers some of the finest veterinary programs in the country.
Dog food _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________$21,836,051
The breeder supports the dog food companies.Champion Pet Foods and Corey are two of the largest feed manufactures in Canada and has locations throughout our Canadian Provinces.Dog food companies work with pet shops, feed dealers and stores. Their product is normally shipped to distributors by trucking operations.
Dog Related Products ______________________________________________________________________________________$65,396,174
Canadian Purebred dog owners will spend an additional $65,396,174 on dog related products in 2012.
(i.e. dog bowls leashes, collars, crates, houses, beds and fencing).
Registration & Sanctioned dog events ________________________________________________________$5,689,357
The breeder who breeds and sells dogs from a recognized registry supports the registry through membership and registration as well as the CKC’s sanctioned dog shows, hunting trials and performance events.
The Canadian Kennel Club reports that 50,439 dogs were registered nationwide in 2012. Audited financial statements reveal that registration alone created $ 2,898,359 in revenue. The amount from Sanctioned
dog events was $ 1,430,777, while membership fees and product sales generated another $1,360,221 dollars.
A typical weekend show with 300 entries over 3 days ___________________________________$40,317
The Canadian Kennel Club reports the following: The total number of events in 2012 was
2,993 for a total of 204,500 entries. Of this total, 964 events were conformation shows (all
breed and specialty) representing 154,000 entries.Most shows are held in rural areas creating a boost in both tourism and sales for the surrounding Motels, camping sites, restaurants and retail stores, boosting our Canadian economy with each sanctioned match.
In the year 2012 this means over $5,689,357 was injected into our Canadian economy!
Exhibitors of purebred dogs help choose the future specimens of the breed. They support the local clubs that sponsors the dog shows. The local clubs sponsor educational programs including responsible breeding and obedience classes for all dogs including mixed breeds and shelter animals.
Keep in mind dog clubs aid and support shelters, shelters do not financially support dog clubs. It is not tax dollars that support Canadian dog law enforcement, or shelter aid. It is the dog owner who supports these programs through licensing and municipal fees.
When one purchases a purebred from a breeder he enables that breeder to continue to breed quality dogs. A new owner demonstrates support for the purebred breeds and responsible breeding practices. In purchasing a purebred they have the opportunity to learn about the dog and the few diseases that affect that specific breed. A mixed breed has an unknown mixture of problems with little historical genealogical information.
Purebred owners have learned about the unique health care protocols for each breed, including the sanitary practice of docking and cropping. Owners learn the importance of a particular grooming style and the beneficial need to remove dewclaws.When someone buys a purebred he buys a roadmap to his/her dog’s future.
Preserving and promoting the purebred dog encourages responsible breeding and is an important part of economic growth in Canada.
Cropping and Docking Facts:
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Most of our veterinary practices were built upon elective Surgeries.
Docking was taught in our Canadian Colleges of Veterinary medicine up until the early 1980’s. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association issued a recommendation that they remove these teachings from all Colleges; it was not long before all Veterinary Medical Associations removed the practice from their college curriculum.
"Dr. R. D. LaBounty 11966 Ventura Boulevard Studio City, California 91604 states, concerning cropping…
“There are few, if any, mammals out in nature whose ears hang down. All the wild dogs, dingoes, foxes, coyotes and cats have erect ears. The chances are, even your ears are erect. Mutations have occurred that produced “down ears”.
"Ear cropping was originally done to avoid ear problems such as getting torn in hunting.
The Egyptians were doing it about three thousand years ago with their hunting dogs for these very reasons. Additionally an ear that hangs down serves as a trap to hold in moisture to provide an ideal climate for ear infection. The ear is sometimes called a “mobile Petrie dish” because of the potential for infections."
"It should be pointed out that spaying and neutering are invasive techniques and more of a risk while ear cropping is not invasive and essentially a cosmetic procedure nowadays."
Many veterinarians do not like to do ear cropping as it is more of an art than a science and if the result is not good the vet can have an irate client for as many years as the dog lives.
For reasons of health and beauty ear cropping is a desirable procedure."
http://www.dpctz.com/DrLaBountyCropping.pdf”
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Chronic ear infection is one of the top five health issues that affect mainly, dropped eared dogs.
Dr. Al Stinson DVM, former director of the state of Michigan canine legislative affairs, co-founder of Michigan State University Purebred Dog Endowment fund and professor emeritus, "Fluid levels in the ear canals of a dog with erect ears are lower due to air flow. Lower levels of fluid not only prevent infection but create a better environment for hearing."
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Ear cropping causes very little temporary discomfort and no lasting side affects.
Dr. Powell Anderson DVM states…
“I have cropped over 40,000 pups with almost no negative feedback. People having their first trim done have usually heard stories about pain and have a logical concern. I tell
them that it usually is not a big issue, and suggest that if they think necessary that they can give a dose of one-half of a regular Tylenol twice a day. Then at the time of stitch removal I always ask ‘how much Tylenol did you give?’
They seem surprised and respond ‘The pup seemed so happy and playful I never thought about it!’
When this happens hundreds and hundreds of times, it means something.”
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“Ear cropping has medical therapeutic and preventative benefits”, according to
Dr Al Stinson DVM
There are many elective surgeries that are unnecessary and are in medical terms “invasive” Many can cause serious and permanent side effects.
Dr. Al Stinson DVM points out…
“What other procedures are performed for non-therapeutic reasons: the removal of the ovary and uterus is an operation widely supported by the veterinary profession. Is it okay to perform an ovariohysterectomy to remove normal, non pathologic organs? Who decides whether it is beneficial for the patient?”
Dr John Godbold DVM says:
“I strongly feel that cropping / docking is a decision for the owner to make, facilitated by knowledgeable information from a veterinarian. Legislation about such a personal matter is intrusive.”
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With early docking the pups nerves are not myelinated so the pupfeels nothing but a momentary discomfort.
Retired DVM Bob Bastian sums up docking as a “benefit to any dog.”
He outlines his argument with four points…
1. Tradition to preserve breed conformation
2. Sporting dogs injure tails on briars and brambles – Active dogs injure tails hitting them against walls and others get caught in doors. “It’s hard to treat a wagging tail”.
3. Dogs with long hairy tails, as with sheep, become soiled and are difficult to keep clean, making for unsanitary conditions.
4. Tumors, as often seen in practice today. “No tail, no tumors”. From a wheelchair to a car door, dogs without tails are protected from the clinical, medical and documented pain and trauma caused to them by these injuries.
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Elective surgeries, people have been having them done for Centuries
We circumcise our baby boys for the same reason one crops a puppy. We remove growths from our children’s bodies and spend years straightening their teeth with wires, all for appearance sake. Should not we want the best for our beloved pets?
- Dr. Powell Anderson DVM:
“I think we would have a better understanding of the situation. After all, this is the 21st century –
not the dark ages – and medical schools teach physicians cosmetic surgery as a viable procedure. Veterinary schools need to do the same!”
- Dr. William Hope DVM
“Why not use human knowledge for the betterment of our animals? After all, all advanced canine research is done on the apron strings of humans.”
Conclusion:
Canadian Purebred dogs are a part of our Historical Heritage and of great value to our Canadian economy; they should be preserved and protected as such. Docking, cropping and dewclaw removal is an acceptable and safe animal husbandry practice, when performed by a professional and must be continued, and safeguarded.
A good breeder is a curator for a living museum. The breeder preserves and protects the breed as its original architect designed it to be. The breeder breeds the best specimens who meet the standard of perfection in order to pass along its purpose and history for future generations to enjoy.
In countries where beneficial procedures such as cropping and docking have been abolished, the working breeds as we had known them are all but disappearing. We must understand that today, every cropped or docked breed is a representation of its glorious history. It is an ambassador for the breed and its fight to stay alive.
* Legislators should consider the importance of the purebred dog and its breeders.
* There is no need to create new laws that penalize law abiding citizens and curtail breeding of purebred dogs.
* Keep legal the right for veterinarians to perform elective surgeries that are beneficial to the preservation of our breeds.
* Do not become a tool of the radicals who seek to end all breeding through their financially driven, legislative efforts. Usually the local government employees responsible for introducing these legislation changes are extraordinarily biased and guilty of promoting an extremist animal rights
agenda.
* We hope that through this presentation we have demonstrated that:“The purebred dog community is not the problem, but the solution”.
Recommendations:
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EDUCATE THE PUBLIC – Instead of spending our licensing revenues on more prohibitive laws,
more dog law officers, equipment and training; work together with responsible law abiding breeders.
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CHANGE things so that the Veterinarian and future Veterinarians have the right to be trained/continue to practice these beneficial elective surgeries.
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ALLOW theconsumer and Breeder the right to work in consultation with their Veterinarian, while encouraging economic growth in Canada.
Sources:
Dr. A.W. Stinson DVM
Professor Emeritus, College of Veterinary Medicine
Michigan State University
Director of Legislative Affairs
Michigan Association for Pure Bred Dogs
Michigan Hunting Dog Federation
1915 Eply Road
Williamston, Michigan 48895-9488
DVM Bob Bastian Retired
Pennsylvania State Representative
347 Blackburn Road
Friedens, PA 15541
Dr. William Hope DVM
114 Mount Pleasant Road
West Newton, PA 15089-1814
John C.Godbold DVM
Stonehaven Veterinary Hospital - Laser Surgery Center
19 Stonecreek Circle
Jackson, Tennessee 38305-2074
Dr.Powell Anderson
1451Dixie Hill Road
Dillwyn, VA 23936
Dr. R.D. LaBounty
11966 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604
Canadian Provincial Listing of Veterinarians
http://www.canadianveterinarians.net/
Canada Stats 2012 Pet statistics
http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/pick-choisir?lang=eng&p2=33&id=2030021
Council of Docked Breeds
United Kingdom http://www.cdb.org
Canadian Kennel Club
Lance Novak, CEO http://www.ckc.ca
CKC Financial Audit 2012
THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF PUREBRED DOGS
© 2 014 Association for the Preservation of Purebred Dogs
