Adoptable dogs no longer identified by breed in Orange County

[The Straight Story]

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —

Orange County Animal Services is no longer displaying breed names on the cages of adoptable dogs.

Resident Alexia Cole visited Orange County Animal Services on Monday and said knowing a dog's breed before adoption is helpful, but not necessary.

"It depends on the person who raises them, They are just like kids, if you raise a bad kid they're going to be bad, if you raise a good dog, they're going to be a good dog," Cole said.

Animal services officials said the larger dogs have a harder time getting adopted and some labels or stereotypes may limit an animal's chance of adoption.

"Somebody might look at over their chart and say 'Oh it says pit bull, let's go to the next one,'" said Kerrie Towns, who's looking for a pet.

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/adoptable-dogs-no-longer-identified-breed-orange-c/nd9Lf/

[murielm99]

1. Yes. We have a big, black dog.

Big black dogs have trouble getting adopted. Our last two dogs have been lovable, big, black dogs.

[Warpy]

3. My favorite dog of all time was a big, black Newfoundland retriever.

I was baby sitting my parents' miniature fluffball and the big guy loved him and always wanted to play. He'd lie down in short grass and think the grass gave him enough cover that he could sneak up on the fluffball. It was hilarious!

His name was Teddy and it was perfect, he was a real teddy bear to anyone who didn't approach him or his person with hostility.

I find I don't like little dogs, they tend to be high maintenance yappers. Give me standard size or above and I'm not particularly breed conscious.

[hollysmom]

6. I prefer buying white dogs only to help if they get fleas -

so much easier to see.

[hunter]

9. My brother and his wife are big black dog lovers.

The shelter always claims they are lab mixes.

My wife and I are suckers for the unadoptable.

Sad older dogs who ended up in the shelter because their owners died or fell upon hard times, and younger dogs who've suffered neglect or abuse.

It sometimes take a year or two (or three...) before they are fully civilized beings, but they usually start radiating joy soon after we bring them home. Dogs are much quicker than people that way.

Good food! Hooray!

Sleep in the house, Hooray!

Walks, Hooray!

When I was a kid our family had a similar mix of impossible dogs.

Dogs are clearly intelligent beings with distinctive personalities.

From my perspective people who won't recognize this are a little suspect.

A person who is cruel to dogs is probably cruel to people too.

[Scootaloo]

2. Good change

Should be adopted by shelters across the country.

[alp227]

4. i always wanted to say this, the different language we use about fur kids & human kids.

Want a purebred pet? not a big problem. Want a "designer baby" or "purebred white" girlfriend? YOU ARE A FUCKING NAZIKLANSMANGENOCIDALMANIAC!!!!!!1!!!!

People "breed pets" but "have children".

seriously, PETA may be kooky as hell but did have a point that time they compared dog breeders to Nazis (is that the story?)

[hamsterjill]

5. Certainly better IMHO than the shelter in our city that mixes up the breeds all the time!

This is a situation where "less" would be better in my opinion. So kudos to Orange County.

Our Animal Control agency just puts anything on the information card that they pull out of their asses. It complicates things for owners looking for lost pets who look for a specific breed. Many unsuspecting owners search the database by breed, and if their pet is not listed correctly, then they miss knowing that it was picked up. (Of course ideally, all pets should have identification and be microchipped, but in reality, that doesn't always happen). In three days, the pet is either adopted out or most likely euthanized for space.

[hollysmom]

8. I wanted a Harrier - i.e. big beagle and I had to drive 3 hours to adopt one.

I drove all the way there and the picture did look right, although it may have been distorted - when I got there - no way was this dog a harrier. I't head was more fox like with a narrow head and snout and a long thin body. It was at a retirement farm paid for by a no kill shelter as unadoptable. The people who ran this place, were being paid to do it and loved dogs, but not this one. I ended up adopting her just because I did not want to leave her there as the only dog not allowed to run free because they said she was "vicious" - NOT

Yes, if I knew it was a hunting dog, rodent killer, I would not have driven all the way there especially with her body stink, had to air out my car for weeks. took 3 baths and a shower to get the smell down and this is a dog that does not have to bath often because she cleans herself like a cat.

[X_Digger]

7. Hrmm, what about health-related concerns? Hip dysplasia in some breeds, etc.

Or how large you can expect a dog to get- may be a concern for urban dog owners. Is that cute little puppy going to be a 15lb lap dog, or a 75lb lap dog?