As responsible pet owners how can we keep good genes moving forward?

A responsible pet owner knows that a spay/neuter is the way to go. It’s not our responsibility to breed for certain traits. I believe that evolution takes care of that right?

Buy puppies only from reputable breeders.

If you rescue a dog or cat, spay and neuter them.

Don’t be a backyard breeder.

I am much more experienced with dogs than cats.

In dogs, responsible breeders don’t breed animals unless they met all of the following criteria-

• Passed all relevant genetic tests for the breed
• Has temperament and conformation appropriate for the breed, as evaluated by an impartial third party
• If a working breed, possesses working instinct as shown by working or testing
• If there are significant genetic defects or problems in a breed that don’t show until a late age, breed as late as possible- for example, in flatcoated retrievers, most breeders use older males who are cancer-free as this is a huge problem in the breed.

There are plenty of dogs in this world; only the best of the best should be bred.

If you want to be responsible, spay and neuter every single animal you own and leave the breeding up to the professionals. No matter how many of your cats you spay/neuter, there will always be plenty more waiting for a home at the shelters so don’t worry- the feline species does not need you to contribute to “bettering” it.

@BBSDTfamily lol

@marinelife and @crisw said most of what I was thinking already. Purely from a buyers point of view. If you are going to get an animal from a breeder (rather than a rescue) make sure you talk to the breeder about the relevant genetic checks and get documentation to prove that these checks have been done. Any good breeder will be happy to give you this info and stay clear of the “breeders” that are shifty or you feel maybe withholding info. In order to encourage good breeding and stamp out backyard breeding the world nee to stop putting money into irresponsible breeders pockets.