Although everyone in the world seems to be on bated breath waiting for President-Elect Barack Obama to select a dog for his daughters, Vice President-elect Joe Biden recently chose a new dog for his family. Apparently, Biden also had a similar “election doggie” promise. A writer for the Christian Science Monitor reports that if Obama and Biden won the election, Joe promised to get him and his wife a dog.
Well true to his word, Biden got a dog. He purchased a beautiful three-month-old German Shepherd puppy from breeder, Linda Brown of East Coventry Township, Pennsylvania. According to Delaware Online News, Biden chose the dog because he is familiar with the breed.
However, not everyone is happy about Biden’s decision. Animal rights activists are making a big bark about Biden buying a dog from a commercial breeder instead of getting a rescue or shelter puppy. There are an estimated four million dogs that are euthanized each year because they don’t have a home.
“We are surprised that Sen. Biden chose to purchase a dog from a commercial kennel since he has been a leader on animal-protection issues and has championed a number of important animal-welfare reforms in the Senate,” Michael Markarian, executive vice president of the Humane Society of the United States, told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “President-elect Obama can send a stronger message of hope and change for animals by adopting a homeless dog from an animal shelter or rescue group.”
Even People for the Equal Treatment of Animals (PETA) came out with a statement about Biden’s breeder pup.
“I was extremely disappointed to read that Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his wife bought a dog from a breeder instead of adopting one from an animal shelter,” writes Dore on the PETA blog. “Obviously he or his wife blanked on Ingrid’s letter, which asked him to consider adopting,” she wrote. ”Every year, U.S. animal shelters are forced to euthanize millions of wonderful, deserving dogs and cats because of the lack of good homes.”
Animal rights advocates are still holding out hope that Obama gets a pound puppy. Meanwhile, check out Biden’s cute puppy on the video below.
Note: Also on Pop + Politics
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
CARAMEL BELLA: This is my place to write about my adventures and mis-adventures in this thing called life. I discuss my passions: the environment, politics, art & culture, writing as well as yoga, health and spirituality. The one thing you can expect from this blog is that it is not what you expected. Thanks for reading! To reach me email thecaramelbella at gmail.
3 Comments so far
Leave a comment
I can imagine the disappointment and I’m a supporter for saving animals from shelters and giving them a decent home. I own three cats, all rescued. But I have to wonder, what about the animals who come from breeders. They need a home too, right?
By Ingrid on 12.16.08 11:20 am | Permalink
Ingrid, of course they do. By buying an animal from a breeder you give them an incentive to breed more animals that need care. So the cycle never ends leaving needy animals in the pound. So the goal should be to adopt until there isn’t an overpopulation problem. When the pounds have to shut down because there are no more homeless animals and there is still a demand for pets then it would be ethical to breed animals or buy animals from breeders. That day is a long way off though.
By jeremy on 12.16.08 7:54 pm | Permalink
I know. It is such a complicated issue. It is nice to see a dog rescued from a shelter. I don’t want any of the dogs euthanized. Thanks for commenting.
By Caramel Bella on 12.16.08 11:17 pm | Permalink
Leave a comment