Parents for Dog Bite Awareness

First, a huge thank you to Heather for sending this in and her patience as I am running so behind with messages.

Second, I wanted to highlight this case because it brings a few specific aspects to light. This case actually shows a less obvious situation. And it is a good example of why legally mandated #DNA testing and disclosure should be the default in the #adoption #industry.

Although many of us would say no way to this dog on sight, it arguably looks like a lab. It has fewer predatory traits visible to the naked eye. The eyes are larger and rounder. The snout is softer. The head isn’t big and blocky.

The shelter that adopted this animal was still acting irresponsibly in the greater context, but it’s not surprising that this was pushed as a lab mix. Even the scanner app suggested lab as the majority breed.

But what this naive owner learned is that you can’t predict how and when #genetic traits express in a dog. This “low content” dog as it’s called, actually went on to express a high degree of the unwanted #recessive traits and did so very early.

New owners, naive owners, inexperienced owners…the average human…they don’t automatically possess an education in canine behavior or hereditary genetics and #epigenetics. They wouldn’t even know what they don’t know unless someone specifically explained it to them or enrolled them in a class.

So here we have a situation where the #rescue might have been quite reasonable with their guess. But it still ended up being an unsafe #adoption that puts the community at risk.

With all the vitriol and polarization, sometimes people forget that this isn’t about making people (and pets) out to be the bad guys. It’s about realizing that our current #system is broken. It’s unsustainable. And it’s hurting people and pets everyday.

When you decide to #adoptdontshop, you are making choices without #informedconsent. You’re playing the lottery. This is enticing to some personalities. Perhaps even addicting. But it can have serious consequences, including killing people. And this case shows us you can lose even if you make a winning bet.