Its been raining....

Akitas that is. Suddenly out of nowhere, Akitas in groups are showing up in need -- where are all these original breeders and why are so many Akitas showing up in need? Where is the culpability -- with the owners or the original breeders? Who is to blame for all these Akitas in need?

We were notified of Winter & Lovey when their owner supposedly was moving -- do I sound skeptical? -- and couldn't take care of them anymore. Its doubtful they were ever being taken care of, considering they both are now being treated for Heartworm disease & Lyme disease, in addition to poor Winter's bad arthritis and ear infections. Both are with ARWNY now, at "Chez Dimon" and doing well despite their ages. The owner, when asked, couldn't remember where he got them or who their breeder was. Seems convenient to be that forgetful... ???

Then we were contacted by the Cumberland County SPCA about 2 Akitas, a male and female in need of rescue. After contacting the shelter, we found out there were several other Akitas also confiscated from this "owner" and brought to the shelter that had to be euthanized due to temperament issues. These 2 are the only ones that had good temperaments and deemed safe to be rescued. Joann Dimon, our volunteer extraordinaire, is evaluating them tomorrow so we can see if they will be rehomeable -- then they will come to us in rescue. Where did they come from to begin with and who sold this disreputable person these Akitas to breed & treat so badly?

Now, 3 more Akitas from an "owner" have been surrendered -- this time up in Bergen County SPCA. Katie, who is 6, is a lovely fawn Akita who is reported to be very sweet. Kathy is a 4 yr old dark female who is a bit shy. Maximus is a 1.5 yr old male Akita who is also reported to be sweet if somewhat confused. This "owner" surrendered them due to moving again. Once again, who sold a person like this these Akitas to begin with? And why aren't they keeping in touch with their puppy buyers? Oh, I guess once they have money in hand, there is no need to care about the welfare of the lives they bought into the world. As for owners -- everyone is moving, it seems. And no one wants to take their Akitas with them.

Most likely - the truth is that the bottom has dropped out of the Akita puppy market and selling puppies is no longer the cash-cow it once was. So people are now dumping these Akitas rather than feeding them. They certainly weren't bothering to vet them, socialize them, or care for them either. But what about the original owners -- why isn't anyone caring enough to follow up on the Akitas they brought into the world? Is it that hard to do a once a year follow up? I think not -- if RESCUE can do it, so can breeders.

Then there were 2 sisters turned into a shelter in MD -- one was adopted but the 2nd one, Princess, that is coming to ARWNY, has possible juvenile cataracts coupled with another health issue called nystagmus. Their "owner" I suspect was also their breeder -- unable to sell the last two from a litter, they grew up together and were terrified at the shelter. Obviously no health checks were done on the parents and of course, the owner is not being held liable for anything since he surrendered both girls. And these are only a few of the many doubles, triples and more that are showing up all over the country in shelters. Rescue is overwhelmed, underfunded, and just simply tired of trying to do other people's jobs - mainly taking care of Akitas bred by those who should be held accountable.

Then add to that -- all the single Akitas we see daily in shelters. Akitas with no history we can trace, no way to prove where they came from, no info on the intake forms - just "moving" or "no longer can afford" or some such nonsense.

Just today, a show breeder's Akita (who was confiscated from the home the Akita was sold to several years ago), was all over the news when he got loose from the person trying to transport him to get him to a rescue facility. The big question should be: why wasn't the show breeder picking up this Akita - yes the show breeder was aware, yes the show breeder could have been the one to rescue this Akita, yes the show breeder had offers of help to get the Akita to her state; but eventually she just ignored the situation & others had to step in to save this Akita from being unfairly put to sleep. What is happening when even the supposed "good guys" aren't helping our breed?

Its so sad what is happening to our noble breed.

I've long been known to lay the blame for Akitas in rescue on the shoulders of the owners who let these Akitas down, who did not do their research, who did not care enough to continue to love them until their time came. But lately, I've been getting increasingly disgusted with the attitudes of these "breeders" who just shrug off any responsibility, as if bringing these puppies into the world was enough, they didn't have to do anything more. Well sorry folks, but yes you do -- from "womb to tomb" as the saying goes. The good breeders knock themselves out to stand by their puppies, then the lackadaisical breeders bring on the bad headlines, which then lumps them all together linking them by that one word: BREEDER.

Again -- this breed has given so much to those that own them, yet where is the loyalty from the humans in return whether from those that bred them or those that owned them? Its sadly lacking and appearing to be disappearing altogether....