AP "Post Mortem"
Visiting malls, my favorite store was always the pet store; walking past the clothing and food stores, when we split up to buy our own clothes and games, my friends knew they could always find me looking at the different puppies on display. I was unaware that these dogs were most likely from puppy mills until a friend casually mentioned the topic, and since then, as tempting as it was to press my face near the glass and coo at the unhealthy, genetically compromised puppies, I have not stepped foot into any one of those stores. As I had registered for this class hoping to discuss any topic regarding dogs, I found it only fitting that I should write my advocacy project on the topic of puppy mills, wanting to research the topic further and to do what I could to raise awareness of the issue.
Though I initially had trouble deciding what sources to search for, I remembered that the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) had a campaign to stop puppy mills; using their website, I followed the various links they provided, utilizing their statistics and information to write my AP. Likewise, the second chapter of Kathy Rudy's book Loving Animals discussed the problems of puppy mills as well as suggestions for solutions. It was much more difficult to find sources for my HCP, as I was unsure of what scientific foundation I could create for my argument; however, once I decided on focusing on the canine cognition and cognitive ethology, it was easy to tie my HCP into my argument for my AP.
One source that was particularly useful was the pdf file provided by the HSUS, which provided data on the puppy mill business. Titled "Puppy Mills: Facts and Figures," this source gave information on specific numbers, such as how many puppy mill businesses there are in the United States, as well as how many dogs are bred in these facilities and how much it costs to shut down commercial breeding establishments. I believe that including these statistics helped to establish my ethos as well as provide stronger evidence for my argument that puppy mills are unethical and problematic.
Unlike the PETA spokesperson who advocated against eating meat in the video we saw in class, I did not want to rely heavily on pathos. Using facts, I wanted to present the logical argument that humans have a moral obligation to breed our pets ethically. As domesticated dogs are capable of experiencing a wide array of emotions, whether they are primary or secondary in nature, I argued that puppy mills should be stopped as they disregard the studies on canine cognition and cognitive ethology, abusing the animals to maximize profits.
Though my HCP included arguments about anthropomorphisms and domestication in terms of the canine umwelt, I felt that they were not necessary in my AP; as such, despite the countless revisions I made to those sections of my HCP, I decided to exclude them from my AP. This was a difficult decision to make, as I had rewritten the anthropomorphism section roughly four different times before finally submitting the final draft of my HCP. I had wanted to make it fit into my AP somehow, but the more I tried to work around it, the less it flowed in my AP; in hindsight, I believe I struggled with the anthropomorphism paragraph due to the fact that it did not fit well into my AP. As the HCP was supposed to be the scientific background for my AP, it makes sense that I had trouble writing it in the context of my AP if it did not apply well to my AP. Luckily, I was able to keep the majority of my "What's the Problem" without having to change too many things, for which I was grateful for. Although in the end, during a few revision processes, I went through the paragraphs to include more information or expand on an argument, the first draft of the essay did not change much.
I had a difficult time tying in all the different parts of my AP. Whenever I transitioned from one topic to the next, it did not seem to flow smoothly, nor did it seem very coherent; however, I believe through my various revisions, I was successful in tying together the different elements of my AP. Without using headers or subheaders, I believe it is clear where my introduction, review of literature, explanation of the problem, and solutions begin and end. I believe I presented a strong argument and solutions for the end of puppy mills, and I believe the multimodal elements I included effectively supported my points.
Initially, I included a large graph from McMillan, Duffy, and Serpell's study, but after receiving feedback from my peers and my professor, I removed that graph and simply summarized the findings of the chart. Wishing to have more than one multimodal element, I included a second graph in addition to the ideal pedigree, depicting the states that have laws directly regarding regulating puppy mills. Though they did not show the effectiveness of said laws, it still highlighted that there are states that do not address the blatent mistreatment of commercial breeding establishments, and that some states only require basic rules regarding anti-cruelty laws.
Through the process of writing this essay, I came across a lot of different perspectives that made me question my own actions. Even while knowing that there were many dogs available for adoption, I had chosen to buy a Maltese from a breeder, as I had specifically wanted a small, white, hypoallergenic breed; although I had made sure to seek a responsible breeder, and I would not trade my dog for the world, while writing this essay, it truly made me question why I had not looked through shelters to try and find a similar dog, or why I had not considered the personality of the individual dogs before buying mine. Kathy Rudy's argument that there are more traits to what makes a "good dog" than simple phenotype truly made me reflect on my decision.
Perhaps in the future, with the greater knowledge and reflection I've learned through this essay, I will make a greater effort into adopting a shelter dog, choosing instead to focus on the dogs' personalities rather than their physical appearances.
