Book Review: The Dog Merchants
The Dog Merchants by Kim Kavin, published by Pegasus Books
Next week sees the publication of The Dog Merchants, written by journalist Kim Kavin. It’s a book that explores in depth the complex nature of today’s puppy industry. From breeders of all types and scale, to shelters and rescues, the whole business of how people acquire their dogs is examined with admirable thoroughness. The author’s critical thinking runs throughout the book and what impresses is the way she lays bare similarities in practices found in the work of adoption and large and small scale breeding. She’s ardently on the side of the dogs, and neither pro- nor anti- breeding. She is however keen to see things done better across the board, and to empower readers with the knowledge that they can use as ‘conscious consumers’ to help make it so. This phrase alone will jar in the minds of many who do not wish to think of dogs as commodities, or themselves – or those they supply dogs to – as consumers. I’ve had it said to me on several occasions that to refer to dogs and breeding in this way is unpleasant; well, yes, that may be the case, but this is inescapably an industry, and a vast global one at that, and it’s well overdue that uncomfortable truths are articulated as persuasively as they are in this timely book.
The author’s clear priority throughout each chapter of The Dog Merchants is to not only present a fact-based account, but to tease out the many, interwoven threads that allows the reader to see the extent and real nature of the lucrative, modern business that dogs are enmeshed in across the world. There’s no surface skimming here, it’s a thorough exploration of the full depths of the industry, including rescues. There are several memorable, at times rattling accounts which show the spectrum of individuals and businesses involved in the marketing and trading of dogs. As someone who spends much of her time researching it and trying to grapple with the reality, I was stunned by some of what I found in the pages of this excellent book; I can imagine how explosive some readers will find it. And these explosive moments are sorely needed if things are to change and I’m thankful to the author for having the courage to write it.
Interviews with auctioneers, and the director of corporate sales for the Hunte Corporation, described as ‘America’s mega-distributor of pet store puppies’, are insightful and grimly fascinating. As are those with large-scale breeders, whom many would call puppy millers. Other chapters explore the world of dog shows and the marketing and consumer demand associated with them and what I’m sure will be unwelcome to many, thoughtful, accurate analogies are drawn between the auctions and the shows. There are interviews with rescuers and adoption agencies, and faults where found are examined as thoroughly as any other segment of the industry.
The breadth of coverage in the book is seriously impressive and the analysis which results is unarguably sound. It makes uncomfortable reading at times and covering a topic that’s as polarising as topics can get, I’m sure some involved in the business of selling dogs will not shift their entrenched positions after reading. Which would be a shame, as one thing the book does is puts the dogs first and what the dogs need is for humans to understand properly what they’re doing, what they’re involved in and make the life of dogs everywhere better as a result of this awareness.
I sincerely hope that it will be read by anyone who considers acquiring a dog, and that they use the knowledge gained from this critical analysis of all sides of the topic to source their dogs well. I also hope it facilitates a much-needed coming together of all who are concerned with the dogs caught up in the industry, even if that demands fresh thinking on their part.
One line of The Dog Merchants stood out for me:
…so much of what happens to the dogs often boils down to a single person’s character and decency.
This shouldn’t be the case, but sadly in today’s poorly regulated dog business it is.
