Stephanie Shain Quotations

We applaud films that present the bond between dogs and their people. The downside is that people become so enamored by the character portrayed on screen that they want that dog in their home. They assume the breed is great without examining if it is the right match for their lifestyles.

People need to stop and think. Let the magic of the movie wear off a little before you buy a dog.

We are concerned that people are caught up in the trend and not doing research on the needs of the breed. History is proof that when people purchase dogs based on looks alone, the animal ultimately ends up being given away to a shelter, adding to the over 4 million homeless dogs already in shelters.

We see it with almost every movie that comes out that features a certain type of animal. People see the movie and see wonderful dogs do great things, and really having a strong bond with their people, and it looks perfect. It's a relationship with a pet that anybody would want.

What happened after '101 Dalmatians' is going to happen again. You're going to have moviegoers see the movie, see these adorable puppies, and go run out and buy one.

Breeders that are interested in speaking with us are not the ones we are worried about. It's the ones that get into the breeding business only to turn a quick buck after the movie.

Puppy mills sell their puppies through fancy pet stores, beautiful Internet sites, even newspaper ads.

People are willing to put up with some difficulties with a new puppy, but after a few months of keeping an animal they weren't really prepared for, they can't or won't keep these dogs, which end up in shelters.

Despite their cuddly appearance, rabbits are fragile creatures who require special care. Too often people buy a rabbit thinking you can put them in a cage and they'll be a great pet, which is completely wrong. Baby bunnies require significant time socializing with people every day outside their cage in order to bond with and enjoy being handled by people.

The breed becomes the latest 'thing' to have, and people snatch them up like they are a trendy new purse or style of coat.

A university campus is a community just as any other. If the community has a problem with free roaming cats, they have a responsibility to deal with it over the long term.

They see the dogs do funny and interesting things, and the impression is when they get this animal home it will do funny and interesting things in their own home. But these dogs are highly trained, and it might have taken 50 takes to get the dog to do that.

They had so many Dalmatians, that they were difficult to place. And you had Dalmatians coming from puppy mills, or breeders that are not reputable breeders -- people just quickly breeding their dog to make a quick buck. Those were not quality dogs.

It's one of the states we hear about most often. We need better laws, better enforcement, and a more educated public.

It's a matter of handling that animal's needs, exercise (and) mental stimulation. If they're a dog that chews a lot, you need to provide them with appropriate things to chew.

Exercise is key. If you can't fill that need, everything else falls apart.