High price of cute: spcaLA President examines the cruelty behind the Labradoodle

New book exposes the lurid underworld of "designer dogs"

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ InDesigner Dogs: An Expos: Inside the Criminal Underworld of Crossbreeding, foreword by Dr. Phil McGraw, (Apollo Publishers; October 2018), Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA) President, Madeline Bernstein, exposes the dangers of forced breeding or genetic engineering to create smaller, funnier, and more Instagram-worthy dogs.

Bernstein illuminates a culture's obsession with new types of pups that leads to shorter life spans for dogs, grave health concerns, and even the extinction of some dog breeds. She posits: If you really love dogs, why would you accept the horrific practices employed by domestic puppy mills, backyard breeders, and international dog traffickers to fulfill demand for these so-called "designer dogs."

Bernstein also discusses what happens to "designer dogs" when they are no longer wanted and their impact on the already over-burdened shelter population across the United States. "When you finish reading this insightful expos, I pray that you will turn your back on the overbred and unsafe designer dog breeders appealing to the 'in crowd,'" said Dr. Phil McGraw in his foreword. "And, go get yourself a real friend, one that needs a home."

The book leaves readers with solutions to these problems, which include education, law enforcement, ending the demand for "designer dogs", and celebrating and adopting shelter dogs.

Bernstein states: "Whether the dog in the shelter is an 'all-natural' mixed breed or a designer dog, he or she needs a home. With patience, not impulse, the dog for you is probably already there."

MADELINE BERNSTEIN, President of Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA), is a frequent speaker and writer on animal welfare, with a CBS People's Choice Award-winning blog on the subject. A recipient of the prestigious Boeing Crystal Vision Award, she was the first Distinguished Visiting Animal Advocate for the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis & Clark Law School in 2012, and has since returned as a visiting professor.

Press contact: Ana Bustilloz at 323-334-4471, 323-707-1271 cell, abustilloz@spcaLA.com.

Since 1877, spcaLA has been the premiere independent, nonprofit animal welfare organization serving Southern California. There is no national SPCA that provides financial support to spcaLA. Donations run programs including Cruelty Investigation, Disaster Animal Response Team, Humane Education, and a variety of shelter services.

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