Three Chihuahua dogs born without front legs
Like 0 Dislike 0 Published on 21 Jul 2015
1. Three chihuahua puppies taken out of crate, zoom in (++PART MUTE++)
2. Three two-legged chihuahuas being fed
3. Close-up, chihuahua being fed
4. Set up of Leslie Duquette (on left), animal welfare worker
5. SOUNDBITE: (English), Leslie Duquette, senior director, North Shore Animal League:
"We got a call from a sister shelter of ours, down in Virginia, the Martinsville SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and they had gotten these three puppies, dropped off by a backyard breeder, who knew they could not sell them."
6. Mid of chihuahuas
7. SOUNDBITE: (English), Leslie Duquette, Senior Director, North Shore Animal League
"Martinsville did not want to euthanise them, but they were not able to take care of them the way North Shore Animal League America could. So, we raced down there and got them and they are doing really well."
8. Mid of chihuahuas
9. SOUNDBITE: (English), Stephen Zawistowski, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals:
"Well, we are actually in a major national campaign, trying to convince people not to buy puppies from pet stores because these dogs are coming from mass breeding farms, puppy mills, where the dogs are often bred with very little attention to the genetics or the proper medical care required to ensure that they are happy and healthy dogs."
10. Wide of chihuahua puppies
STORYLINE:
A New York animal centre has taken on the task of rearing three chihuahua puppies born with no front legs.
It is thought they were dumped by a 'puppy mill' - commercial, backyard breeding kennels, accused by campaigners of putting profit before caution with resultant genetic deformities becoming increasingly common.
The two-legged dogs were first dropped off at an animal shelter in Martinsville, Virginia. Staff there decided the litter was too healthy to put down but accepted they lacked the facilities to rear them properly and so called in experts from another shelter in Long Island, New York.
Lesley Duquette, senior director at the North Shore Animal League, described the breeders as irresponsible, breeding dogs just to make money.
"Martinsville did not want to euthanise them but they were not able to take care of them the way North Shore America could." she said. "So, we raced down there and got them and they are doing well."
The case follows a nationwide campaign by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) for breeders to take more care in genetic selection.
ASPCA's Stephen Zawistowski said bad breeding could lead to behavioural and neurological problems.
"We are actually in a major national campaign, trying to convince people not to buy puppies from pet stores because these dogs are coming from mass breeding farms, puppy mills, where the dogs are often bred with very little attention to the genetic or the proper medical care required," he said.
The chihuahua, the world's smallest dog breed, is named after Chihuahua state in Mexico where it is thought to have originated.
Keyword-animals-wacky
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