"Group Takes Aim at AKC for Producing More Dogs While Millions in Animal
Shelters Are Killed for Lack of Homes

For Immediate Release:
April 9, 2008

Contact:
Ashley Byrne 757-622-7382

Sacramento, Calif. - Holding posters showing pictures of dogs who had to be
euthanized because of animal overpopulation and with the tagline "Breeders
Kill Shelter Dogs' Chances," PETA members--led by Sacramento activist Linda
Middlesworth--will hand out leaflets to attendees of a dog show sponsored by
a local affiliate of the American Kennel Club (AKC) at the California Expo
Fairgrounds and Center on Thursday. PETA's point? That severely crowded
animal shelters must euthanize millions of dogs and cats every year, while
the AKC encourages people to breed millions more animals. The action is part
of PETA's Animal Birth Control (ABC) campaign, which promotes spaying and
neutering and supports the work of animal shelters:

Date: Thursday, April 10
Time: 12 noon-1 p.m.
Place: Outside the California Expo Fairgrounds and Center, 1600 Exposition
Blvd., Bldg. C, Sacramento

For every dog or cat purchased from a breeder or a pet store, an animal
awaiting adoption in an animal shelter loses his or her chance of finding a
loving home. And because breeders and pet stores almost never require that
the animals that they sell be sterilized, many will have litters of their
own--creating even more unwanted animals. Nearly 8 million animals--many of
them purebreds--are abandoned at animal shelters every year in the U.S., and
about 4 million of them must be euthanized for lack of good homes.

"Breeders churn out puppies for a buck and go so far as to oppose
spay/neuter laws that can save animals' lives," says Middlesworth. "All dogs
are created equal, but millions of wonderful mixed-breed dogs across the
country are paying with their lives because of purebred mania."

Broadcast -quality footage of PETA's video "10 Reasons for Animal Birth
Control" will be available. For more information, please visit PETA's Web
site "