‘Suffering’ of backyard breeding revealed as shelter rescues deformed puppy

An animal shelter has highlighted the dangers and ‘suffering’ of backyard breeding after a deformed puppy was found all alone.

The Animal Care Centers of New York City (NYCACC) has issued a plea and a warning after a small puppy was left “alone and unable to walk” on the street.

The pup, who they named Eeyore, was found in the middle of New York City and turned over to the NYCACC, who shared a video of her on October 22 Instagram page @nycacc.

Eeyore is only eight weeks old but, as a product of backyard breeding, “is already facing several health issues,” they wrote in the video.

“It’s not just the puppies that suffer, but female dogs are overbred and often dumped after they can no longer have babies,” rescuer Katy Hansen said. Newsweek. “Backyard breeding creates a cycle of suffering: more animals, less care and no responsibility.”

The video, which has almost 3,000 likes, shows Eeyore lying on a warm blanket and looking up at his rescuers before trying to walk and falling several times.

“His front legs are bent, which prevents him from walking properly,” the NYCACC wrote. Eeyore also suffers from a non-contagious form of scabies, “which gives his skin a crusty appearance.”

They added: “He is underweight but has a disproportionately large pot belly, caused by an intestinal parasite infestation. All signs of it irresponsible breedingprobably from a backyard breeder.”

A backyard breeder is the term for someone who breeds animals irresponsibly, often without knowledge or experience on how to breed safely, such as not screening for genetic problems, according to Paws.org.

Puppies from a backyard breeder may appear healthy at first, but later develop birth defects. And the mother dog can be bred continuously for years to produce litters for profit, endangering the animal’s health.

“There are clear signs of irresponsible ‘breeding’, including inadequate nutrition, infectious diseases (e.g. kennel cough, parvovirus), parasite infestations (e.g. fleas and worms), behavioral problems, health problems and genetic abnormalities,” Hansen said. Newsweek.

Now in the care of the NYCACC, Eeyore is receiving medical treatment for his multiple health issues, and a surgeon will decide the “best course of action for his leg deformities.”

“Unfortunately, Eeyore’s case is just one of many we are seeing thanks to backyard breeders,” the NYCACC wrote on Instagram.

They then shared the story of another dog in their care, Pun, who has similar issues, as well as respiratory deformities and an underbite, saying that both dogs’ stories “highlight the lasting pain and suffering“of irresponsible breeding.

More welcome news: Eeyore has a potential adopter lined up, but his road to recovery will be long and challenging.

The number of puppies coming to NYCACC has “more than doubled in the last four years,” Hansen said. “We expect to take in 250 puppies by 2024, our highest number in more than a decade.”

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