There's nothing wrong with that GoDaddy Puppy Ad (that was pulled from Superbowl)

[apples and oranges]

I don't understand the faux outrage. The dog falling out of the pick up truck was unfortunate. However, the puppy's long journey back "home" was a testament to how well she was treated at the breeder's farm. And selling the puppy? That's what breeder's do, and that's how everyone carrying on with the false outrage got their dogs too. If someone didn't sell a dog to you, you wouldn't have one.

[LordGlenconner]

1. "If someone didn't sell a dog to you you wouldn't have one"

Interesting because both of ours came from public animal shelters. Nobody "sold" us anything. Might want to rethink that one.

The ad is, in my view, kind of dumb and maybe not worthy of the outrage, but I've never been one to tell people how they should feel.

[dilby]

19. So the animal shelter did not charge you for the Animal?

My roommate got a mixed puppy from a shelter and it was $300 which I thought was pretty high.

[LordGlenconner]

25. More likely the dog was purchased from a rescue group

These are different from public animal shelters. No public animal shelters charge people $300. In our case we paid for registration, about $25, because the dogs already had been vaccinated and fixed. Most public shelters charge a nominal fee (less than $50) for these which hardly constitutes a "sale".

I have investigated adopting a dog from a pure bed rescue group and yes, they generally charge more to cover their expenses which are not subsidized by a city or county govt. like a public shelter would be.

I would never in a million years purchase a dog from a breeder (as was portrayed in the dumb GoDaddy ad) under any circumstances. That's a personal choice. Individual results may vary.

[dilby]

34. It was the Oregon Humane Society

I just looked on their website and dogs appear to sell for $85-$300 depending on age, you pay more for the puppies. Puppies are $300, dogs under 5 are $150 and dogs over 10 are $85. And these dogs are just mixed animals, his is a beagle/Chihuahua/pug mix.

I personally want an English Bulldog so will have to go through a breeder, luckily there are several reputable breeders in Oregon and Washington. I looked at the rescue bulldogs but the dogs were all very old and still very expensive.

[LordGlenconner]

39. HUmane Societies are rescue groups

So yes, their fees will be higher. But I'm speaking mainly about public animal shelters run by city and county govts, otherwise known as kill shelters. Plenty of adoptable dogs and cats there for little to no money if people would bother to look.

[Arugula Latte]

86. Is it really worth it to you to get a particular breed at the price of not only not saving a life

but contributing to the dog/cat overpopulation problem in the first place?

I detest breeders.

[dilby]

139. Not all breeders are terrible.

There are some who care about the breeds and wish to see them continue on.

[Sunlei]

110. Oregon Humane Society is great, they are part of our National Humane Society. heres their 990.

IRS 990 shows spending for 2013, can see how many thousands of dogs they have adopted, treated. They even take in dogs from other kill shelters. Support Vet students.

11,000+ adoptions for 2013!!

http://www.oregonhumane.org/wp-content/uploads/OregonHumaneSociety2013990-forWeb.pdf

The Humane Society of the United States.
http://www.humanesociety.org/

[hollysmom]

66. I paid 150 for a 7 year old dog from the bide a wee shelter

The dog was considered unadoptable and vicious and it was a no kill shelter. You would think they would be happy.

[csziggy]

72. The local shleter charges a fee, but you get a certificate that is good for vet services

Including big discounts on spay/neuter and needed vaccinations. Not all local vets accpet the certificates, but many do. It's a good way for the shelter to give the new owners an incentive to spay or neuter if the animals aren't already and to start a vaccination program.

I'm not sure how much the fees are now - it's been 13 years since I adopted a pet from the shelter. But with the last one, the amount I paid in fees was more than offset by the discounts I got from the vet that neutered the kitten and gave him his first year of vaccinations.

[wyldwolf]

23. In my parts, you have to pay the shelter for shots, etc.

[LordGlenconner]

27. Yes, that is common and it's generally a nominal fee

And does not constitute a "sale" as one would have with a breeder.

[pnwmom]

60. $250 - 500 isn't a "nominal" fee. nt

[magical thyme]

101. it covers the costs of quarantine, vet care and, in the case of dogs rescued from out of state,

transportation.

I pulled my Luna from a high kill shelter down south for $30. Then 10 days quarantine plus shots, neutering, and transportation to my state brought his rescue to a grand total of $450, give or take. Transportation was the single biggest expense. Had somebody adopted him right in Georgia and not needed to board him at a quarantine facility, then he would have cost <$200, most going to shots and neutering.

He was healthy, so had the absolute minimum vet expenses. No kill shelters spreaad their costs across all the dogs so that those that require more expensive care and treatment due to prior neglect and abuse will not be so expensive as to prevent their being adopted.

Your paying for the facility, a few paid low-paid workers, food and vet care for the dogs, in order to keep the shelter running.

[pnwmom]

116. I understand the cost. But that is one reason there aren't enough adopters, in places where

that's true. And many people would prefer to adopt a local dog or puppy they can get to know, instead of paying hundreds of dollars to transport a dog sight-unseen.

[magical thyme]

118. there are numerous rescue organizations, often associated with specific breeds, that bring the dogs

in and foster them so you can meet them in state. Their requirements are more stringent than public shelters, but they want to ensure that the dog ends up in a furever home (barring unforeseen circumstances, of course) with somebody who can and will take good care of them in sickness and in health.

Here in Maine, even our normal shelters bring in dogs from out of state. Jake came as a puppy when 26 dogs in Arkansas -- mostly puppies and their moms, plus a couple individual dogs -- were going to be killed due to lack of space. Somebody from the Coastal Humane Society in Maine drove a van cross-country, loaded up all 26 dogs and brought them all back. So I got to meet Jake and his littermates. And the shelter to my north periodically brings in dogs from other parts of the country.

Otherwise, it definitely is a risk to rescue sight unseen. Luna was supposed to be a female lab cross -- the picture below his at the shelter. That dog probably had been snapped up. So it was a real surprise to see Luna -- a male rhodesian ridgeback cross -- come out of the van. But I had nearly adopted him based on his picture, and he met my #1 criteria; he gets along great with Jake.

The bottom line is that if you can't afford the rescue price, than you can't afford a dog. Even if the up front cost may be higher from a private shelter than the ongoing cost of caring from them, if you aren't willing to save the money to pay thoses costs, than you don't really want a dog.

[pnwmom]

119. It isn't nearly as easy to get a particular kind of dog in my area as you think, because

of the success of the spay neuter campaign here. We need a poodle or poodle-mix because they work with my allergies. (Dog allergies vary with the breed; cat allergies are more likely to be in general.) And we want to adopt puppies so we can be involved in all their socialization and training.

Recently when I checked there were only 13 dogs in the Seattle shelter, and half of them were pit bulls (another three were chihuahuas). On pet finder there were listed a dozen up-to-2 year old poodle mixes within a hundred miles, and all of them were toy size -- not a fit for us. I know all about the breed specific rescues in my area. But there are very few poodles or poodle-mixes ever available, especially ones that are puppies and not toy or mini size. Why? Because responsible breeders take their own dogs back if there is a need. They obligate purchasers to do so in their contracts. So their dogs don't end up in shelters or rescues.

Kudos to people who are willing to adopt many types of dogs, and dogs of any ages or with health problems. But when we've wanted a healthy puppy, with careful health testing, we've found them at breeders.

[magical thyme]

120. sometimes it's a matter of being willing to wait and watch.

Maine is similar to seattle, in that our spay/neuter programs have been very successful. That's why some of the shelters near me take in dogs from out of state, high-kill areas.

We get a lot of pits and pit-crosses here, but also get a ton of lab-crosses, occasional goldens, terrier mixes, shelties, hounds, you name it.

I just did a petfinder search for poodles in/near seattle. there are 106 available. Most of the first 30 are small, but there were also a few mediums mixed in. I *wish* we had that selection here...they are adorable.

[pnwmom]

121. You didn't search for young poodles within 100 miles. We want a puppy we can train. But even

expanding the search from "puppy" to "young," and allowing for either gender, this is what's available within 100 miles:

"10 POODLE DOGS WITHIN 100 MILES"

And they're all small.

[magical thyme]

123. first you claim that $250-300 isn't "nominal"; then that you "understand the costs"

then you change the subject to how you can't adopt precisely what *you* want with return guarantees within 100 miles of your location.

The bottom line is that, all costs considered, you paid considerably more for a pedigreed poodle puppy from a local breeder than the $250-300 to adopt a mixed breed or even a purebred from a pound.

Because adoption is just that: adoption. It's not "buying" a dog. It's adopting a homeless dog in need.

[pnwmom]

124. The bottom line is that there are very few young poodles within a reasonable viewing distance,

and they are usually small -- not the size we want. And the reason there are so few poodles or poodle mixes is that responsible breeders sell their dogs neutered and make their buyers sign contracts agreeing to give their dog back, if necessary. They don't end up in shelters.

Yes, you are right, adoption is adopting a homeless dog in need. But we don't expect all people who want children to adopt homeless children in need, and we shouldn't expect that of all people who want a dog, either. Despite what PETA says, my buying a dog from a breeder doesn't "cause" another animal to be killed in a shelter. I'm not going to be adopting that pit bull or chihuahua or cat no matter what.

P.S. You are right that the "fee" isn't what keeps me from adopting. But it is a barrier for some people who might otherwise try to adopt.

[magical thyme]

125. the point is the adoption fee is no higher than what the ordinary expenses would be of

getting annual shots and neutered. And if people can't afford those things, then they can't afford to have a dog because those are standard expenses. The barrier to their adopting is that they can't afford basic dog care, not that shelters charge unreasonable adoption fees.

Nobody criticized you for buying instead of adopting. You brought up your purchase yourself.

Responsible breeders do as you stated, and more. Out of curiousity I looked into a couple unique breeds recently. Some breeders won't even breed until they have a list of pre-approved buyers waiting sometimes years for a litter.

Irresponsible breeders are the problem.

[pnwmom]

126. We agree -- irresponsible breeders and puppy mills are the problem.

Also, some people who acquire dogs but don't understand what a commitment is required, or how much work is involved.

[Sunlei]

104. price your Vet the costs just to neuter & vaccines a dog. you'll see, '$250ish' fee is a bargain

Last dog I 'rescued' from a dog pound outside of Macon, Ga. cost $30 cash (the pound wanted cash only). He went straight to a Vet in Atlanta, Ga. because he was very sick and had injuries. 2 weeks and almost 1k later he was ok by Vet health certificate, to fly to Houston. another about $600 to fly him to Houston.

He arrived still sick, my Vet here treated him, the pneumonia?(we worried it was distemper), and he had facial bone breaks/eye injuries. a month later he was healthy enough to neuter and get his regular vaccines.

All in all, 'Jimmy' cost about 3k to rescue, I knew he would have costs first time I saw his 'dog pound picture'. He was a 'last day to live dog' in a crappy dog pound. I couldn't leave that sad/sick dog to die alone in a gas-box dog pound. He's right here now, sleeping by my side as I type this post. Worth every penny

Most people will find a fee from a rescue, even 200-500, for a healthy animal all neutered and vaccinated is a bargain.

[Chemisse]

105. I don't think THEY consider it a sale, since it's to cover all their costs

But it's quite a bit of money to adopt a pet from an animal shelter where I live.

[d_r]

55. we got ours on a valentines day special

Where everything was free. We donated anyway though.

[hfojvt]

98. that doesn't mean you paid for the dog though

you are paying for the shots.

I have gotten, myself now, four dogs free from farms, and I have given away 12 of my 14 grandpuppies. Still, having gotten a free dog, I, and these other owners, are then usually obliged to take them to the vet for shots. Which probably costs more than the shelter is charging for those shots.

A co worker told me that a person can also buy the vaccines and administer the shots one their own, but I have not attempted that.

[wyldwolf]

99. Sure it does

We know a breeder who could do the shots for us at a fraction of the cost - which means there is a mark up on the shot and the procedures at the shelter to cover the shelter overhead. It's the same reason you pay more for anything anywhere.

'I don't buy my vegetables, but I do pay the grocery store a fee for all the watering and climate control they used to make sure the vegetables are fresh and for the labor it took to do it.'

[hfojvt]

122. amd I usually goto the vet and pay much more

you act like you are paying for tomatoes because somebody gave you a bag of tomatoes and you bought some cucumbers and lettuce to help make a salad.

Now if it is some sort of scam where you get a $2 bag of tomatoes for "free" and then pay $2 more for cucumbers, but the price of these things is not really set.

From my perspective it still looks like a free dog and probably a discount on the shots from what I pay.

[wyldwolf]

131. Unless you walk out of shelter with the same amount of money you walked in with...

... you paid for the dog.

[cherokeeprogressive]

26. All the animals I've ever taken home from the pound have cost $.

[LordGlenconner]

28. Ever bought a dog from a breeder?

Shelter fees are nominal. They are not $300 to $3,000 as it would be with a breeder. Big difference.

[cherokeeprogressive]

33. Big $, little $, medium $... it's still $.

Go back and read reply #1.

Yes, I have purchased a dog from a breeder but not one that could be considered by any stretch of the imagination a "puppy mill".

[LordGlenconner]

42. I disagree with your contention that these are sales

Adopting a dog from a city or county govt. shelter is not a "sale". There is no profit incentive for those organizations. They are usually govt. run entities and cover basic expenses of vaccinations, spays and neuters etc. You can call it whatever you want, but it's no more of a sale than the fee you pay to your state to get your drivers license renewed.

The OPs contention that the only way one can own a dog is to purchase one is just dumb.

[cherokeeprogressive]

48. Here's what a sale is to me...

When I travel to a location with nothing in my hands, take out my wallet and give the proprietor of the entity money, and leave with something in my hands.

[jberryhill]

58. No one is objecting to the sale of dogs

Online sales of dogs are a different matter.

The ASPCA is not some radical outlier here:

https://www.aspca.org/fight-cruelty/puppy-mills/why-you-should-never-buy-puppy-online

“Why You Should Never Buy A Puppy Online”

[Raine1967]

68. Smartest and most responsible answer I have seen so far in this thread.

Thank you.

[cherokeeprogressive]

82. I bought my Bella online from a breeder. This one:

http://www.englishwhitegoldenretrieverpuppiesforsale.com/

I can't imagine a better companion. A guard dog she's not... I think I've heard her bark maybe 10 times. Not ten episodes of barking; ten individual barks. I do have to admit though, to being as totally in love with Luna, a Chihuahua we got from a shelter as I am with Bella.

The day after I saw her picture my Wife and I drove 10+ hours round-trip to San Louis Obispo to pick her up.

It makes me incredibly sad to think She's already eight years old... I'm told the larger the dog the shorter the lifespan.

Not all breeders are evil.

[jberryhill]

88. Did you notice something

Yes, you DROVE THERE and MET the breeder and BROUGHT the dog home. You did not order it online and have it shipped to you

Thank you for proving the point.

[Sunlei]

114. nothing wrong with pure online order if you hire a Vet to do a pre-purchase exam.

and have a written guarantee and contract.

There are many different 'quality' levels of online 'dog breeders'. It's very easy to be scammed.

[Sunlei]

107. its good that breeder does the hip/eye/elbow clearances. But that is all they do, except breed dogs.

Very nice conformation pedigrees on the breeding stock they purchased from the even more reputable foreign breeders.

Don't expect a golden to be a guard dog, they typically aren't a very noisy breed. The conformation bloodlines usually aren't even very active, although the field trial bloodlines usually are more active.

you probably can get another puppy from those same breeders, they're still online selling puppies from their 26 acres in California. still just one 'stud dog' named Charlie but he has those 3 minimum clearances, plus a heart clearance-an additional very important clearance for golden breeding stock.

Or you could go to 'Charlie's' breeder and get a puppy from them. Unless Charlie is one of theirs too, the pedigree is a bit confusing. http://www.englishwhitegoldenretrieverpuppiesforsale.com/#!charlie/ck2s

[Drahthaardogs]

92. i have shipped dogs in from Europe if I want one from a specific breeding or kennel

Just a little hint. The problem in the U S of A is NOT the individual breeders, it is the breed clubs (American Kennel Club being the worst offender). The breed clubs promote shitty dogs, with shitty health, and shitty temperaments.

If you have real breed clubs like the FCI, you could order a puppy from ANY breeder and get a healthy dog that is capable of doing what it was bred to do.

[Beaverhausen]

73. Shelters don't breed dogs for profit

that is the difference

[magical thyme]

102. you're paying for housing, food and care until they are adopted.

The pound or shelter is not making a profit; they are keeping their doors open. They are caring for them and actively seeking homes for them, so they can take in more that need care and homes.

[pnwmom]

59. Oh, yeah, right. They just were born at the shelter -- are you kidding?

Every shelter dog came from somewhere (including any pregnant ones). Most of them came from mills, originally, but some were strays -- who came from mills. The rest came from various breeders.

[benz380]

2. If people didn't buy puppies from puppy mills, a lot of animal abuse would be gone. n/t

[whathehell]

11. Exactly...I'm glad the ad was pulled.

It's cruel, IMO. FYI, GoDaddy is a RW company, which might explain

the insensitivity.

[onecaliberal]

3. I rescued my dogs, and paid nothing for them.

[benz380]

6. Us too. We have 3 rescue dogs. n/t

[whathehell]

7. Me too...I don't "buy" animals, I adopt them from shelters. n/t

[onecaliberal]

75. We do too. I'd never pay for a pet, there are far too many great ones waiting for a forever home.

[ProfessorGAC]

18. Really?

Around here you have to pay the shelter for a rescue dog. That's how they make the money to operate. Cheaper than breeders, i'm sure, but still not zero.

We "bought" our dog. Farmers, who do breed horses, had a yellow male and black female Lab that just happened to have puppies. They don't breed the dogs. In fact, the had a doggie vasectomy done on the male before the puppies were even born so it wouldn't happen again.

We paid, but basically they were just recovering vet costs for the mama and babies. We got them with alll their shots and double worming. So, these folks really didn't make anything on the dogs.
GAC

[pnwmom]

61. But they were most likely born at a puppy mill. The alternative

is that they were born at a breeder's. Even if they were strays.

All dogs, ultimately, were born somewhere. They didn't sprout up at the shelter or rescue.

[MH1]

113. There are still pet owners who don't spay/neuter.

Don't know if it's as big a problem with dogs, but it is rampant with cats.

Which is why any respectable rescue organization requires that its adoptees be spayed/neutered, and usually the adopter pays that vet cost.

[pnwmom]

115. It depends on the region. Some are much more successful than others, so their rescues

end up importing dogs from other places to fill their spots.

In our city there are many more adoptable cats out there than dogs -- but most people who want a dog aren't willing to substitute a rescue cat instead.

[TeeYiYi]

4. It's depressing...

...because the puppy was fooled into believing he was a beloved member of the family and not just a piece of chattel with a price tag.

He worked so hard to get home to his "loved ones" only to find out that they never loved him at all.

TYY

[apples and oranges]

8. He or she is going to a new family that will love it

like a family member.

[snooper2]

10. It's making fun of this huge cliche of a fucking beer ad LOL

[pnwmom]

129. Exactly. Have people entirely lost their sense of humor?

No actual puppy was harmed in this parody.

[whathehell]

12. Agreed. GoDaddy IS a RW company, by the way.

As I said, that might help explain the cluelessness and insensitivity.

[apples and oranges]

14. I didn't know that

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

31. The owner is about as far right as you can get.

Iirc, he also was involved in a 'canned' elephant hunt at one point, as well as donating tons to Repub candidates.

I have to admit, I used GoDaddy for a few years before finding out that I was helping subsidize Republican control of Congress and switched.

[apples and oranges]

40. Who are you with now? I have 24 domains with them

but I'm open to switching to a reliable and cheaper alternative.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

44. Mine are handled through 'brainwrap.com'

a small company run by Charles Gaba, a long time Daily Kos member.

I don't recall exactly what I've been paying, which probably means it's been long enough another bill will be coming soon, but I know it's less than places like register.com want to charge me.

[TM99]

89. Check out Namecheap.com.

They offered specials in the past for domain transfers especially from GoDaddy after that canned elephant slaughtering....I mean hunting incident a few years back.

I have around 15 domains with them and use their hosting services as well. I am quite pleased with their service, their price, and their politics.

[Egnever]

90. They were also for SOPA

In the last few years, GoDaddy has come under fire plenty of times – and for plenty of reasons. Not only has the company used sexual advertising several times to promote its services, which has led to backlash several times, but in early 2011 then-CEO Bob Parsons killed a wild elephant in Zimbabwe, which many believed was just another sign that the company was willing to engage in unethical practices. (This includes buying domain names users search for and then inflating the value of these domains when users return to purchase them so GoDaddy makes a larger profit on the transaction.) In late 2011, GoDaddy also initially supported SOPA, which also indicated the company was not willing to support its customers freedom of speech and activity on the internet. (GoDaddy reversed their opinion shortly after a call to boycott the company because of this.)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2012/09/10/5-reasons-you-should-leave-godaddy-and-how/

Godaddy has plenty of reasons to despise them.

[whathehell]

56. Yeah, I read it awhile ago, don't remember where, but I re-checked and got these..

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2014/08/05/godaddy-bob-parsons-bankrolling-hits-doug-ducey/13624443/

and here's another from DailyKos.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/06/20/123392/-Does-your-Web-Host-condone-torture-GoDaddy-com-does

If you google "GoDaddy Right wing" you'll find lots of stuff.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

134. SHOCKED!

not

[billh58]

5. Our dogs are rescued

strays, and their offspring. They are family and are treated as such.

[Rhinodawg]

9. Its a disgusting ad.

[MrScorpio]

15. Some people don't get them from mills...

I know that I wouldn't if I ever got a dog.

[apples and oranges]

16. I thought it was just a farm

If others are viewing it and seeing a puppy mill then that explains the different reactions.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

22. The ad is about setting up a puppy mill website

through GoDaddy.

[apples and oranges]

29. Are all breeders puppy mills?

How do you feel about stores in the mall that sell pets?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

32. I think most of them get their 'stock' from puppy mills.

And that dogs that don't sell in timely fashion get dumped on shelters - if they're lucky.

[pnwmom]

128. Where is your evidence for this? Most dog breeders I have known get their stock from other

responsible breeders, who keep a few dogs and sell the puppies neutered; and their contracts require the buyer to return the dog to the breeder, if necessary, and not to dump them in a shelter.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

133. Did you reply to the wrong comment?

My statement was about where pet stores get stock, not where dog breeders get their stock.

Edit: Here, btw is the text of the comment to which my comment was a response.

How do you feel about stores in the mall that sell pets?

[pnwmom]

136. You responded to the question: "Are all breeders puppy mills?"

It appeared to me that you were saying yes.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

137. Hmm.

Well, no, I responded to the question in the text body, not the header.

The commenter asked two separate questions, and I only answered one, the one in the body of the comment, whereas you assumed I answered the one in the header and ignored the body.

But now that I've looked back at the prior comment, I can see how you could get confused, since I didn't specify the antecedents and note which of the two questions I was answering.

[pnwmom]

138. Right, I misunderstood you. Thanks for clarifying.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

38. I would never buy an animal from such a store.

All our cats have been rescues.

[smokey nj]

81. The dogs in mall pet stores come from puppy mills.

[pnwmom]

127. Not every breeder with a website is a puppy mill.

Most people in most small businesses have websites these days, including small, conscientious breeders.

[jberryhill]

30. Responsible breeders don't sell puppies to unknown persons on the internet

[apples and oranges]

37. Is that a widespread opinion in the animal lover community?

[aquart]

49. YES.

[apples and oranges]

53. Got it!

[jberryhill]

57. Humane Society and ASPCA

The ASPCA is not some radical organization or moral scold. Perhaps you might learn something from their publication, “Why You Should Never Buy A Puppy Online”

http://www.aspca.org/fight-cruelty/puppy-mills/why-you-should-never-buy-puppy-online

Likewise, the Humane Society cites internet sales “to unknown buyers over the Internet” as a hallmark of puppy mills in their publication on how to identify a responsible breeder.

http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/pets/puppy_mills/find_responsible_dog_breeder.pdf

[MH1]

112. Thank you for posting this.

I just posted that I couldn't tell from the bit I saw, whether it was really a puppy mill. But, duh! Now I feel stupid. (and that's a good thing in this case)

ETA: just to add, as I said in my other post, I think it's a mean ad regardless, and would not be written/approved by anyone who cares about animals.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

135. Thanks for that.

[GeorgeGist]

17. Your faux is noted.

[LanternWaste]

20. I used to refer to things I couldn't comprehend as "faux" also...

I used to refer to things I couldn't comprehend as "faux" also-- it was an efficient way of ignoring my own lack of knowledge.

I also pretended that if a thing didn't offend me, it shouldn't offend anyone else either. Sheesh, I was quite the idiot in my youth...

[apples and oranges]

35. I'm open to enlightenment.

I understand the outrage now: It's because people are viewing the farm as a puppy mill, despite no evidence of that in the clip. So my question now is, are breeders automatically considered puppy mills? Is it wrong to purchase a dog from a breeder or a large store as opposed to adopting a rescued pet? These aren't rhetorical questions. As a non pet owner, I'm genuinely curious.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

41. "no evidence of that in the clip"

What do you think the business was that they were setting up online through GoDaddy? It is called "Gabby's Goldens." What business do you think that is, from your careful viewing of the ad?

[apples and oranges]

50. "A puppy mill is a large-scale commercial dog breeding operation

that places profit over the well-being of its dogs—who are often severely neglected—and acts without regard to responsible breeding practices."

It looked like a small time breeder who just set up a website for her business. I only counted 3 dogs. But again, I get it now. Any type of dog breeding or selling is frowned upon. I didn't know about that sentiment until this thread.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

52. Good for you for being open-minded and teachable.

In that regard you are an example for me.

[pnwmom]

63. apples and oranges, you asked the right question in the beginning.

It does appear that some people -- a tiny fraction in general, but significant on DU, think that no one should be able to breed pets, even small-scale, responsible breeders.

These people think that owning a dog or cat is wrong and that ultimately all pet breeding should end.

[Beaverhausen]

74. Every dog bred by a breeder, big or small, means a dog is euthanized by a shelter

There are too many dogs now as it is. And lets not even bring up what breeding dogs has done to the breeds, healthwise.

[pnwmom]

79. That isn't true. In my area the spay and neuter campaigns mean we have very few unwanted dogs

and the ones who are euthanized are deemed unadoptable due to advanced age or behavioral or health conditions. So we import some dogs from other states and even countries and we still have few in the shelters -- and they are usually older dogs and tend to include lots of pit bulls and chihuahuas.

I agree with you about inbreeding. Unfortunately the spay and neuter campaigns don't help with that problem, because few of the people involved with breeding dogs choose to breed mutts.

Here is what's available at the Seattle Animal shelter today -- 13 dogs, including 6 identified as pit bull terriers, one as a Staffordshire, and 2 Chow-Chows. All but one dog, a "young" Chihuahua mix, are adult dogs.

http://www.seattle.gov/animal-shelter/adopt

[Beaverhausen]

80. 2.7 million dogs euthanized each year

And I just googled and there are lots of rescue groups in Seattle. Please don't tell me you have to go to a breeder there to get a dog.

[LisaL]

83. If she wants a dog from a breeder why shouldn't she get one?

It's a free country after all.

[Beaverhausen]

87. Did I say that?

[pnwmom]

85. Going to a breeder isn't the only option. But if you want a puppy of a certain breed or type,

and one that has been tested for common genetic conditions, it may be the best choice. It has been for us.

The Seattle area isn't the only city that's succeeded in vastly reducing the numbers of unwanted dogs. San Francisco and other cities have, too.

http://www.sfgate.com/pets/yourwholepet/article/Is-pet-overpopulation-a-myth-Inside-Nathan-2520132.php

And where are some of the dogs in shelters coming from? We're importing them from other countries -- so there will always be an oversupply unless those countries start spay and neuter campaigns.

http://globalhealthvet.com/2014/10/31/dog-imports-into-the-united-states/

[Sunlei]

108. yes, about 2 million euthanized each year and 'USDA approved puppymills' produce about the same.

America will never get rid of the throw away dog problem until the root of the issue, the puppymills millions of pups each year are outlawed.

[pnwmom]

62. I haven't seen the ad, but plenty of individual breeders who have a few dogs

that they keep in their own homes have online sites.

[jberryhill]

69. And they sell to people they haven't met?

https://www.aspca.org/fight-cruelty/puppy-mills/why-you-should-never-buy-puppy-online

“Why You Should Never Buy A Puppy Online”

[pnwmom]

70. Not the ones I've dealt with. I met the breeder in their homes,

as well as their children and their dogs.

But they DO have websites. That's how I found one of them, right in my own city. The other was word-of-mouth but turned out to also have a website. Almost everybody doing anything these days, under a certain age, has a website.

By the way, I agree with the advice in your link:

The best way to avoid being scammed is to simply never buy a dog you haven't met in person. While the Internet can be a valuable tool for finding a responsible breeder or breed rescue group, please make sure to follow these tips when using the Internet to find a pup:

Always visit. Responsible breeders and rescue groups will be more than happy to offer you a tour.
Always pick your puppy up at the kennel. Do not have the puppy shipped or meet at a random location.
Always check references, including others who have purchased pets from this breeder and the veterinarian the breeder works with.
Be sure to deal directly with a breeder, not a broker.
Never send Western Union or money order payments.
If you are told that there will be no refunds for a sick puppy, you are most probably dealing with a puppy mill. A reputable breeder or rescue group will always take the puppy back, regardless of the reason.

[LisaL]

84. I got my cat online from somebody i never met.

He is still here alive and kicking after many years.

[Inkfreak]

95. Wouldn't expect an answer from that poster. Snide remarks are more their style. (nt)

[Logical]

76. LOL, ok. Educate us master! nt

[Ykcutnek]

21. It has gotten more attention than it previously would have.

So the joke is, once again, on the perpetually outraged.

Marketing - 1, Zeroes - 0

And before anyone starts: I wouldn't have any pet, but a rescue pet. Fuck puppy mills.

[Logical]

78. +1000 nt

[ChosenUnWisely]

24. The ad was ironic and funny, I liked it but I also get how some do not

I am against dog/cat breeding, plenty of homeless ones to adopt from the shelters instead.

I still liked the ad, but I also don't watch football so maybe the ad was hitting the correct demographic. IDK.


Seems like every year some group get pissed off at a tv commercial.

America's priorities are really messed up.

[pnwmom]

64. The homeless ones in the shelters came originally from mills and breeders.

Where did you think they came from? Did you think they sprouted up at the shelter?

And in Seattle, there are very very few dogs at the shelters because of the success of our neuter campaigns. So few that we import them from California, which imports some from Mexico.

[outside]

36. It's a great ad.

The people who made it should get a huge bonus.

The ad is being shown on every morning TV show in the world for free. I even saw it on the BBC. Every radio talk show in LA is talking about it and have a link to it on their web site at no cost to Go Daddy. Everybody in my office has seen it and are talking about it. Hundreds of millions of people will see this ad a week before the super bowl is played.

[sabrina 1]

45. Good, the more people who see it and learn about puppy mills, regardless of whether this puppy

was from a puppy mill, the better.

[Chemisse]

106. Seeing the uproar over Palin's child standing on the dog,

Could GoDaddy have made this ad offensive on purpose?

Just to get us all talking about it like this?

Mission accomplished!

[Bluenorthwest]

65. It gives me a very bad an creepy impression of Go Daddy. I'd avoid them at all costs.

They are the Michael Vick of website services.....

[Renew Deal]

43. It's a bit crass

Poor choice for a big Super Bowl ad. It's not funny and too depressing for a big event like that.

[aquart]

46. It was a nasty, disgusting, unspeakably tone deaf ad.

[kcr]

47. No one sold a dog to me, and yet somehow I have one.

I'm glad the ad got pulled. Though I wish the same level of outrage would have been leveled at other ads by this company yielding the same results.

[MH1]

111. Yeah, that was a really dumb statement in the OP.

Of course people get dogs without going to a puppy mill, or even to a breeder.

Even though many dogs that come through rescues originated at a breeder (unfortunately), not all do. Just as with cats, some people don't spay/neuter their pets, and thus eventually end up with more pets than they want to care for.

And even so ... I only saw the part shown on a news show that discussed it, maybe the ad was cropped ... but the story line just seemed mean. I don't think any animal lover would have written, produced, or approved that ad, even if the puppy wasn't really mistreated. It's just a stupid ad and indicates the company is run by people who don't care for animals.


(that said, I should mention that not all breeders are puppy mills, and not all breeders are evil. It wasn't clear from what I saw of the ad whether it was really a puppy mill. But whatever. Still an ugly ad.)

[JanMichael]

117. Yep, our dog was found on the highway in NC

And someone just handed her to us- 11 years ago. The cat was "dumped" on my wife by one of her shallow roommates before we were married- 15 years ago.

[Brickbat]

51. That's OK -- as long as you talk about it and post it, they're happy.

[Inkfreak]

54. It wouldn't be a Super Bowl if someone didn't complain about an ad.

Funny how drawing attention to this ad brings more attention to the ad. We are very predictable at times.

[RiffRandell]

94. Don't forget the halftime show with Katy Perry.

Responses could be hot or cold. Sorry, that was so lame.










Quite patriotic:

[Inkfreak]

96. LOL! (nt)

[Warren DeMontague]

97. I liked her "Elmo" phase.

[Bluenorthwest]

67. My kitty was a rescue, the adoption fee was $30. She came with shots, spayed, tattooed to indicate

she'd been spayed, her own carrier, 5 pounds of quality kitten food, a free vet visit and 3 months of pre paid pet insurance.

[mnhtnbb]

71. Ad no longer plays.

[Logical]

77. And got more publicly because of the animal rights groups throwing a fit. nt

[tabasco]

91. Says you

and I don't care what you think.

[Beringia]

93. It is encouraging to see so many people speak against puppy mills

The word must be getting out and people care.

[magical thyme]

100. "The dog falling out of the pick up truck was unfortunate."

No, the dog falling out of the pick up truck was made up.
.
However, it's clear in the final splice of that supposed humor that the puppy was dropped from several feet, which was cruel and could potentially have caused serious injury.

The rest of ad was stupid, mean, and not funny.

[Sunlei]

103. video was removed as "commercially deceptive content" just like godaddys puppymill ad

[Chemisse]

109. I agree with you.

If this ad had been shown at a super bowl 20 or 30 years ago, it would have been embraced as adorable.

Attitudes toward our pets have changed dramatically over the decades. Remember Lassie? I recall in one episode she became blind, and Timmy's parents somberly told him that if she couldn't earn her keep on the farm she would have to be put down.

And now it's a source of outrage that anyone would EVER breed their dog and sell the pups?

I think that's a little extreme.

[pnwmom]

130. I agree. It was a parody, pure and simple, and no actual puppy was harmed

in the making.

[cwydro]

132. Never paid for a dog in my life.

They seem to find me.