As a pet owner, you may argue that you have control over your pet. Your animal
is not a stray, running loose terrorizing people. Your dog or cat is purebred,
and you plan to breed that animal. Purebreds always find homes, you say.
You’re wrong. According to the Fund for Animals, about 25% of animals in
shelters as strays are purebred. Unlike your average Heinz57 roaming tom cat or
yard dog, these animals were bred on purpose only to become a burden on
society. There is absolutely no logical reason to breed your Golden Retriever
unless he is a highly rated champion of some kind. The average purebred dog or
cat also has a good chance of ending up in a shelter, eventually to be
destroyed.
Also, saying you have control over your animal is about as foolhardy as
saying you have absolute control over your children; you can say it, but young
Johnny might still sneak out of the house and drive your car. The same goes for
your pet. That harmless little domestic dog or cat could easily run away,
either for good or just a couple hours.
A cat or dog in heat is especially good at getting her way. She wants to
mate, and according to her nature she will try everything possible to do so.
She’ll slip through a loosely closed door, and soon be on her way to producing
more unwanted animals.