Two for the Money

‘Posting Rescue and Club info is okay’

I’m very in favour of this. Provide people with information on where and how to find the breed they are interested in. Information that allows them to make an educated decision.

As far as I know part of the Club's statute is to educate ... thus an Education Committee which is where all this broohaha began. Of course it's really easy to type "Ridgeback Canada" into Google and the Canadian site pops up right away. However, not everyone searches that way(not sure why but whatever). A lot of subsequent hits lead you to online classifieds.

Right now the options in those internet classifieds are backyard breeder or puppy miller. Let’s use a simple analogy; I’m looking for a car and my only options are Pintos and Gremlins. Which do I buy? Now, I may know that there are Nissans and Toyotas out there but I am intimidated by the salesman, can’t afford it or just don’t care … a car is a car. Introducing buyers to Nissans and Toyotas via a general access internet board will ultimately empower them and they will learn why a Yaris is better value than a Pinto. Or even why a Pinto may better serve their purpose - certainly NOT that they don't deserve to buy a Yaris (which is what some breeders intimate), just that it may not suit their lifestyle.

There is a fear that the online knowledge, provided to anyone who stumbles over it, will be used for evil. That BYBs will morph to clone the ethical breeder’s website, learn what to tell prospective buyers, learn the ‘right’ answers to informed inquiries, lie to buyers to get their money. I’m going to let you in on a little secret which is … *they already are*.

Whuuuuuuut?

BYBs and millers are already cloning websites, stealing your pictures, using your pedigrees, and copying your text. Don't think so ... think again.

There was also the concern that if BYBs see reputable breeders on these boards that they will think it’s ‘okay’ and do so themselves. Well duh. They are already splattered across the online classifieds like arterial spray (sorry for the visual). They are waaaaaay ahead of purebred breeders when it comes to informing the public about what they are offering. Our Club's website makes sense only if you know what a reputable breeder even is.

A lot of people do not or cannot make the distinction. So how do they learn?

That leads us to ... dun dun duuuuhn ... breed promotion.