A Message From Our Founder....

Leadership

As the Founder of America’s Animal Society, it is my obligation to report to animal lovers and the general public what I’ve learned in my twenty plus years of experience in the animal industry as a breeder, retailer, broker and business owner.

In my effort to develop this concept and to carry out the mission as set forth, I have ask several other individuals to join me. Our board of directors are five business men with a broad scope of business experience and love for animals and environment, including our very well respected board member and staff veterinarian.

Our advisory team includes four veterinarians, two attorneys, CPA and support staff, animal control officials, and individuals with a broad scope of animal experience to draw from. 

More importantly, our team of animal care technicians, adoption agents and our outstanding adoption center and office manager that keeps it all together.

The talent and expertise of these individuals make this a very exceptional group. The track record that they have set to make things happen will enable America’s Animal Society to lead the country in educational materials and new methods of prevention of suffering and homeless animals that will move the nation.

We believe the old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Current Conditions

The need to explore new avenues of dominion over the animal kingdom has never been greater. Domestic and companion animals are being produced in manors and in environments that have never been more disturbing.

Due mostly to carelessness of man, suffering of some of God’s finest creation has never been more severe. The natural habitats that we have carelessly destroyed and the lack of proper environments created for the well being of domestic and companion animals, affect not only the animals but, all of mankind and future generations.

The overpopulation of unwanted companion animals is astronomical. The good news is America’s Animal Society’s concept will shape a responsible, positive future for generations to come. This concept was born out of the experiences I encountered as a producer, wholesaler and retailer in the field of canine companions.

Rescue Work

Rescue operations have helped to fill the emotional void for many individuals disturbed over the commercial breeding and overpopulation of companion animals over the past few decades.

Although rescues play a very important role in reduction of suffering animals, the numbers tell the facts, rescue work seemingly has done little to curb the overpopulation of animals in America.

This is the first area America’s Animal Society chooses to address. Our initial primary goal is to develop programs, methods and educational materials that will certainly reduce the number of unwanted, genetically defective, “at risk” and suffering animals, in America, that will relieve shelters and rescues of their overcrowded facilities and make euthanasia a rare occasion in companion animals.

Public Views

PREVENTION is the only way that the issues of suffering and unwanted animals will ever be diminished in America. Spay and neuter of unwanted animals may be helpful but will never make a dent into the record number of animals entering shelters.

Some well meaning individuals may take issue with our concept who don’t completely understand our program and feel that our methods encourage or support commercial breeding of animals.

We believe quite the contrary and that our program is a more aggressive approach to not only reduce over population but virtually diminish its very being.

Some may believe the answers to America’s animal overpopulation lie in the age old tradition of rescuing, spaying and neutering homeless and unwanted animals, and government regulation.

In our opinion this is a misconception by individuals and groups throughout our society with good intentions and big hearts.

The animal industry is so much a part of our culture that we feel these challenges must be met and dealt with in a cooperative manner with everyone involved. It is the opinion of America’s Animal Society that the government does not hold the answers to these issues.

This is why America's Animal Society has chosen a much more innovative and forward-thinking approach.

PREVENTION or CURE

FACT: The overpopulation of animals will never be cured by rescuing, spaying and neutering unwanted animals. This reduction will only be made possible through the PREVENTION and or removal of wanted animals from the breeding cycles and more so from the consumer’s animal that is bred inadvertently.

Pet Shop

If every pet shop and retailer of animals, spayed and neutered their animals prior to their sale how long would it be before the demand for companion animals is greater than the supply?  I don’t have that answer. It will be part of our research to find the answer.

Statistics

We believe and statistics support that most animals in shelters likely originated from “backyard breeders” not commercial breeders (“puppy mills”).

 The facts are approximately 25% of dogs in shelters are purebred and 75% are mixed breeds. Most commercial breeders breed purebred dogs to get the highest price possible for their puppies.

This is a good indication that the largest percentage of unwanted dogs and dogs that end up in shelters come from sources other than commercial breeders (“puppy mills”).

Using these numbers, it’s fair to say that more than 50% of the dogs in shelters come from sources other than commercial breeding facilities or “puppy mills.”

For this reason, prevention of potentially producing consumer owned pets are the only way the reduction of unwanted animals in America will ever be accomplished.

Subsidized

Many years ago the government determined that they needed to reduce the amount of some crops being produced. They offered a subsidy to farmers who did not plant specific crops for a season or more. I believe they still do and that tobacco is one. 

Yes, maybe an option to reduce overpopulation is to support the commercial breeder for a year or two, or maybe longer. Provided he/she doesn’t breed the animals, thus reducing the numbers he/she is raising.

Perhaps we should support the retailer (pet shop) by providing subsidy to them for spay and neuter of animals before they sell. We believe the answer is PREVENTION.

Consumers and Screening

In our opinion, much of the overpopulation of unwanted animals are likely from consumer's animals that are bred inadvertently.

Despite the huge overpopulation problem and educational efforts, a large portion of consumers demand puppies, not adult, abused, neglected, or abandoned animals.

It makes sense to provide that portion of the population with an alternative to purchasing their pet from a pet shop or breeder who doesn’t regulate or demand spay and neuter, at the same time providing them with educational materials. 

Also, many of these consumers resent being assessed to any significant degree as to their qualification to adopt a pet. Rather than relinquish their privacy to a rescue agency they will opt to purchase from pet shops, breeders etc.

For this reason and the furtherance of their mission of removing animals from the breeding cycle, America’s Animal Society does not require a significant personal background inquiry or application. They do require an adoption agreement that primarily requires spay and neuter. 

Rescue - Breeder Relations

Most rescues and commercial breeders relationship is bittersweet from the breeders perspective and bitter from the rescue perspective.

The rescue hates the breeders very being.

The breeder doesn’t like or trust the rescuer, but likes the fact that many rescues will buy their animals at auction and many times will pay more for them than other breeders and brokers.

It seems that the rescue will do this just to get them from the breeders and perhaps by doing this, justify their mission.

Puppy Interception Program

Because we have developed relationships and negotiated agreements with breeders and brokers we are able to remove animals from them at a reasonable cost.

Many times we get them at less than broker prices. We target genetic defects first to remove them from the breeding cycle and then, other "at risk" puppies that will potentially be sold back to breeders for breeding stock with little or no controls on breeding.

Breeder/Broker Agreement

We have negotiated an agreement with some brokers who many times send a large number of dogs to other brokers or to auction for breeders.

They will now let us intercept puppies for less than their cost instead of sending them back to the breeders or auctions. 

While many of these puppies seem to be perfect specimens they are many times sold to breeders who are potentially careless in their breeding practices, and place them into undesirable environments.

Placement

By removing these animals at this early age it is easier to place them. We remove them from the breeding cycle by spay and neuter or demanding so in adoption agreements.

They go to a consumer, not another breeder and the potential of inadvertent breeding is virtually eliminated.

The consumer gets a reasonable quality animal very comparable to what he/she would have chose from a pet shop or breeder.

Returned from Broker

Because most of these puppies are purchased after they have been to the broker and are on there way back to the breeder through auctions etc. it certainly does not encourage or support commercial breeding. 

In fact, quite to the contrary in most cases, the puppies would bring far more at auction to other breeders and even to other rescues than we pay for them from the broker.

So the breeder selling the animal, many times is actually taking a loss.

Sounds ludicrous, but I’ve personally watched rescues bid against each other at auction.

Conclusion

Here at America’s Animal Society, we are working to develop educational, training, and inspection certification programs, to eliminate what would otherwise be mediocre at best, breeding stock.

We are working to provide the control standards to afford the pet consumer a reasonable pet quality animal that is spayed or neutered or so contracted.

This is truly a win-win situation for the consumer, the breeder, the concerned individuals and groups for the welfare of animals.

For The Betterment of Animal Welfare,

Steven A. Lewis

President