Dogs make for amazing pets – they are loving, friendly, and loyal. Unfortunately, too many people mistreat the animals, something that we find repulsive. Below, we’ll cover a few of the common ways dogs are abused and provide you with a few things that you can do to help reduce the likelihood of such incidents occurring.

Dogs Used As Testing Subjects

Perhaps one of the most alarming trends that we’ve heard of lately is the use of dogs as test subjects in laboratories. The Humane Society of the United States recently released the results of an undercover study that found that more than 60,000 dogs were used as test subjects. The study found that researchers used dogs to test for potential toxic poisonings in:

• Drugs
• Pesticides
• Dental Implants

At the end of most of the studies, researchers killed the dogs. If the dogs were not killed, they were subject to long-term suffering thanks to the effects of the tests. During the tests, researchers routinely had to force-feed the products to the dogs. At one point, the hidden cameras witnessed researchers shoving medicine down a dog’s throat.

The dog used most commonly in the study were beagles because they are docile. Researchers typically obtain dogs from commercial breeders. One of the breeders who supplied dogs had a facility that contained more than 22,000 animals.

Perhaps most upsetting about this is the fact that the products routinely fail when used on humans. Even if a product has a success rate during animal testing, there is a 95 per cent failure rate once used on humans. Dog testing is cruel, inhumane, and remarkably inconclusive.

Puppy Mills

Puppy mills are facilities that breed dogs in cruel and inhumane conditions. These breeders care about nothing more than their bottom line. They seek to maximize their profits by producing high numbers of dogs at a low cost. Common elements of puppy mills include:

• Undersized cages
• Poor veterinary care and hygiene
• Disregard for genetics
• Nonstop breeding

One of the tell-tale signs of a puppy mill is that dogs are forced into small cages. The larger a dog’s pen, the more space they take up at a facility. Remember that breeders wish to maximize profits by producing as many dogs as possible. So, they put dogs into tiny cages so that they can fit more pens in a given room. They may also keep the dogs outside, where they are exposed to the elements. Mill owners also tend not to keep the cages clean.

Additionally, mill owners treat their dogs inhumanely by refusing them healthcare. Because they are trying to maximize profits, they do not pay for a dog’s medical care. This often means that dogs do not receive the shots necessary to keep them healthy. Mill owners also usually don’t send dogs to the groomers. The conditions in puppy mills are often disgusting, which means that there is an increased risk for the spread of diseases.

Furthermore, dogs should be bred very carefully. Mix-breeding can cause a wide array of behavioural and medical problems. Mixed-breeding should be done under supervised conditions. Mill owners do not believe in this, however. They are not concerned about the quality of the animals, often creating hereditary defects that can last for generations. Mill owners will also breed mothers until they can no longer produce puppies, at which point they are often killed.

Your Neighborhood Dog

Inhumane treatment could also happen at the local level as well. Perhaps you see dogs who are left outside at night. Maybe you notice a neighbour’s dog who is chained to a post outside under the hot sun. Common signs of inhumane dog treatment include:

• Lack of indoor shelter or roofing
• A collar that is too tight
• Starvation
• A lack of grooming, hygiene or medical attention
• Mange, which are tiny sores caused by parasites

What Can You Do To Prevent The Inhumane Treatment Of Dogs?

If you would like to stop the inhumane treatment of dogs, there are a few things that you could potentially do. Many of these solutions are advocacy-based. For instance, if you would like to reduce the prominence of puppy mills, one of the best things you can do is to ask your local pet store to stop selling dogs, which often come from puppy mills. Instead, encourage members of your community to adopt from shelters instead.

You can also write lawmakers to help draw attention to puppy mills. Similarly, you can write letters to your local newspaper. The same is the case if you wish to stop the inhumane treatment of dogs when used as testing subjects. If the government were to pass a law forbidding this practice, the situation would improve tremendously instantaneously.

One of the areas where you could potentially have more of an impact is if you notice animal cruelty in your neighbourhood. The Humane Society defines animal cruelty as either neglect or direct violence. If you see any of these situations, we highly recommend that you report the issue to:

• Local animal control
• Your local humane association
• Law enforcement officials

These parties have the authority to investigate potential abuse and remove the animal from the home. If the case is severe, they could also arrest the owner and charge them with a criminal offence. Even if the situation is not this severe, someone like your local humane association could explain to the owners how to care for the pet properly. Often, inhumane treatment occurs because owners don’t understand how to care for the pet.

If you notice a dog in an abusive or inhumane situation, you should never try to rescue the animal yourself. For one, it is illegal. But, more importantly, it is incredibly unsafe. You should allow the proper authorities to handle the situation.  

About GeoZoo

At GeoZoo, we not only love dogs but all types of pets. We continually strive to create an informative community for pet lovers. Our readers vary from seasoned veterans who own exotic pets to young adults looking to bring a pet into their home for the first time. We routinely post about the latest pet news and products. We invite you to check out our website to learn more!