Most of the pets who "work" here at UAN (like Dewey, pictured) were adopted from shelters or rescue groups, or rescued off the streets. So, yeah, we're a little disappointed that President Barack Obama and his family didn't adopt a shelter or rescued dog.

If they had, Americans would be overrunning animal shelters right now, making “pound puppies” the latest canine fad ... and preventing thousands of unwanted animals from being killed because too few people want to adopt them.

But we can't be too mad at the Obamas. They did their research and made a thoughtful decision about the kind of dog they wanted to bring into their family. And dogs like Bo are not the biggest problem when it comes to pet overpopulation in this country. Bo came from a reputable breeder – someone who puts the welfare of the puppies she breeds above profit and will always take a puppy back if a buyer can’t keep him.

These are not the dogs who end up at your local animal shelter. That distinction belongs to dogs from puppy mills – disreputable mass breeding operations where hundreds of dogs are confined without proper food, water, vet care or socialization. Mere machines, these dogs are bred over and over to supply pet stores with puppies who are often sick or have serious genetic or behavioral problems.

If we could reduce the number of animals being bought at pet stores, through classified ads and over the Internet, we could put puppy mills out of business and reduce the number of animals entering shelters significantly!

And of course, spaying and neutering is another important factor in tackling pet overpopulation. The new reports we've heard indicate that Bo has been neutered ... which should go a long way to setting a good example of responsible pet ownership.

But enough from us ... tell us what you think about Bo!

As an ED at a shelter I was excited when the first thing I heard was that they "rescued" their new puppy. This made me think that they responded to our cries to please adopt! When I heard the details of the "rescue" I was disappointed to see the "spin" on it. It was from a breeder, but because it was a return to breeder it was translated as a rescue. Not exactly...
I'm frightened about the potential response to this by the mills starting to mass produce the breed due to the increased popularity/interest because of the "first dog". Time will tell.

I'm sorry, but I just can't get past the fact that the President could have made a huge impact on the welfare of animals dying in shelters by choosing a dog who was facing death. I saw it mentioned that he was responsible by doing breed research. What research did he do about shelters, the conditions that shelters receive animals, the hard work they do in trying to get as many out alive, the short amount of time that most animals are kept before being put to death. Would he still have gone to a breeder if he visited one of the country's kill shelters on kill day...and even more sepcifically, a shelter that kills animals in a gas chamber? Are his kids aware that an animal in a shelter waiting for a home died the day they adopted Bo who was already safe? All they did was encourage that breeder to continue breeding dogs.

No matter what anyone says, he made a statement to the world that he does not care enough about our homeless animals to adopt one himself. So he either doesn't care enough about our homeless or isn't eductaed about the crisis that millions of unwanted animals die in shelters each year. A breeder who takes back their own animals isn't being altruistic, just ethical. Without changing laws, he could have given animal welfare advocates a much needed boost for adoptions by sending a positive message to the public and reinforcing a commitment to improve the fate of so many animals in our nation.

BB, well said! I wish Obama could read what you have written as surely it might inspire him to take steps to make legislative changes, not to mention using his great oratory skills to communicate the right message to the public.

Unfortunately he elected not to rescue a dog (sorry, but I just don't recognize his dog as a rescue dog), but that does not mean he still can't play a major role in improving animal care simply by virtue of his role as President, his charismatic popularity, and showing the world by example how well he treats his own dog.

As for the comment about whether his kids are aware that a dog in a shelter died that day because they chose a dog already safe, I don't think that is a fair statement. The kids did not make that decision and it is unfair to lay that guilt on them. They did consider a rescue before making their choice; not the choice animal welfare advocates would have liked to have seen, but they did still demonstrate thoughtful responsibility in deciding upon the right dog for them. And that, right there, is a positive message to many people who may not think to do so.

Hopefully during his term in office, animal advocates will be able to get him on board to improve animal welfare, regardless of where he got his dog.