Obama skirts first-dog adoption issue

The blogosphere is ablaze with news of Obama family's much-anticipated new pooch Bo, a six-month-old Portuguese water dog.

Bo is reported to be a gift from Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts. He is the litter mate of the Kennedy family's newest dog Cappy. Apparently, Bo had a previous owner, but didn't get along well with the other dogs in that home, so was quickly returned to the breeder.

Meet Bo, our country's new First Dog.

The White House had a national press event planned to unveil the long-awaited gift for the Obama daughters. But the dog was let out of the bag when the news was leaked by the little-known site Firstdogcharlie.com, which included an exclusive doggie Q-and-A.

While this new, cute (and hypoallergenic) First Bundle of Canine Joy prepares to move into his new home at the White House this Tuesday, some shelters and rescue organizations across the country including Adopt-a-Pet.com are expressing disappointment at the Obamas' choice to acquire a dog from a breeder — a decision that is in sharp contrast to the President's earlier pledge to adopt from a shelter.

"This is a missed opportunity to set a pet-adoption trend among Americans," says Abbie Moore, executive director of Adopt-a-Pet.com. "With pet relinquishment up 20 to 30 percent due to the poor economy, pets in shelters can use all the help they can get."

And judging from the many comments left on this blog alone, it's clear that Moore's sentiment is shared. "We are hearing from people all over the country that they feel let down by the President's change of heart," she says.

The Chicago Sun Times reports that since the Obama family didn't adopt from a shelter, they plan to make a donation to a Humane Society instead. So perhaps it's not surprising that the HSUS issued a statement today that simultaneously thanks the Obama's for taking in a "second-chance" dog and warns of disreputable breeders who may take advantage of the public's increased interest in Portuguese water dogs.

"There are reputable breeders of these dogs," says Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the HSUS. "Yet sadly, we expect disreputable puppy mill operators to start producing them as well, intent on cashing in on the heightened awareness of this breed. President Obama can do even more for animal protection, helping us enforce existing animal welfare laws and cracking down on the national shame of rampant puppy mills in America."

More than three million healthy dogs and cats are euthanized every year in shelters across America. At the same time, there are more than 10,000 puppy mills churning out dogs for the pet trade to be sold to unsuspecting buyers. If you are interested in a particular breed, keep in mind that about a quarter of all dogs in shelters are purebreds. For more information on how to find a reputable dog breeder and avoid puppy mills, check out these tips from the HSUS.

To help further encourage shelter pet adoption, the HSUS has joined with pet rescue foundation Maddie's Fund and the Ad Council to create the "Shelter Pet Project" campaign, which will launch nationwide this summer. A sneak peek at the campaign is available here.

Do you feel let down by the President's choice? Do you believe he should have adopted a shelter dog, or are you okay with his decision to buy a "returned" pup from a breeder?

Posted By: Amelia Glynn (Email) | April 12 2009 at 03:56 PM