Taco is a six-month-old Chihuahua available for adoption from the Petaluma Animal Shelter.
There are so many Chihuahuas at shelters in Oakland, they have started shipping the dogs out of state, said Megan Webb, director of Oakland Animal Services. They have sent about 100 to Washington, Oregon and Arizona, she said, “and as soon as they get them, they are ready for new ones.”
Although not inundated, several Sonoma County shelters have Chihuahuas available for adoption.
Chihuahuas make up 30 percent or more of the dog populations at many California shelters. And experts say pop culture is to blame, with fans imitating Chihuahua-toting celebrities like Paris Hilton and Miley Cyrus, then abandoning the dogs.
The problem appears to be specific to California — shelters elsewhere would love to share the wealth, said Gail Buchwald, senior vice president overseeing the ASPCA adoption center in New York City.
“We never have enough supply for the huge consumer demand for small dogs,” she said.
One of Webb’s biggest problems is a lack of money to fly the dogs to other states. Buchwald said she would be happy to help.
“Nothing is outside the realm of possibility here. We have a supply-demand isssue,” she said.
Chihuahuas are the most popular breed of dog in Los Angeles, so it makes sense it is the most abandoned breed, said Madeline Bernstein, president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles. In Oakland, some days, they get 10 of the 5-pound dogs a day, Webb said.
The problem is so bad that shelters all over California that were built for big dogs had to remodel to accommodate the little guys.
Among the reasons for the glut is the breed’s popularity in movies like “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” and as celebrity pets, said Dave Frangipane, senior coordinator for Chihuahua Rescue of Beverly Hills. A cute puppy can grow up to have adult health problems or become protective and aggressive.
There are less glamorous reasons, too, like the high vet bills Chihuahuas can bring. And the biggest spikes in California Chihuahua populations are probably due to puppy mills and backyard breeders, Buchwald and Frangipane said.
Sonoma County Shelters with Chihuahuas available:
The Sonoma County Animal Shelter
Sonoma Humane Society
The Petaluma Animal Shelter
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Gee, maybe someone ought call up Senator Jackie Speier and Gavin Newsom and get a mandatory spay/neuter on all these carpet cruisers. oh, wait, that’ll never happen.
Blame it all on the celebs all you want, but it’s the idiots who emulate them that are the bigger problem. How stupid can a person be? A dog isn’t something to be be bought as the latest fad and discarded once the person realizes it needs to be fed and maybe just doesn’t fit into their lifestyle.
And to the breeders who profited from all of this, you need to be making donations to your local shelters and rescues, and don’t you dare write it off on your taxes. Ultimately, you are just as responsible for meeting the demand, so pay your dues.
Spay/neuter measures have been proposed and proposed and fail to make their way out of committee due to pressure from professional breeders and service organizations.
It would seem like a slam dunk but along with a spay/neuter program must come ways to make it affordable.
Looking for a 1 to 3 year old Chichauaha for my cousin in her 60′s. She lives in an apartment that allows dogs 1 year or older. She cannot have a puppy. She loves small dogs, had a littl poodle that lived 17 yrs. She lives alone and would like to have a companion. She has looked in the local shelters with no luck.
She might try as well, looking on http://www.petfinder.com and type in the zip code for your area near Sonoma County.
if you go to http://www.craigslist.com and look under “pets” there are always a lot of small dogs and a LOT of Chichauaha’s.
Be extremely careful in getting a pet off craigslist. It’s best to visit a shelter or rescue that takes the time to determine the temperament of the animal.