Looking for the World's Best Kisser (Mutts Only, Please)

Thursday, July 12, 2001 - USA

NEW YORK CITY — Here's good news for shelter dogs, not-so-good news for breeders and bad news for puppy mills: mutts are on the rise in the USA.

Although the following statistic is by no means exemplary of a nationwide trend, a study published by the New York City Health Department seems to indicate that the general preference among dog-keepers is for mixed-breeds these days, outnumbering (licensed) pedigrees by a substantial margin.

Steve Musso, senior vice-president for the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) commented that he was heartened by the news that mixed breeds appear to be the most popular—or at least the most licensed—dogs in the city.

"That means we're not going to breeders, and hopefully these animals are being adopted from shelters," he said, according to an article published in the New York Daily News.

As if to substantiate this claim, the newswire has recently been rolling off its spool with announcements of widespread & sponsored, organized "dog shows" honoring that one breed of canine indigenous to all nations of the world: the mutt.

YELM, WA — Last weekend, the "Magnificent Mutt" show swept through Washington's Yelm City Park, celebrating mongrels of mysterious lineage before a spirited crowd of bipeds and quadrupeds alike.  Pooches came from far and wide and competed for such prestigious and non-AKC-sanctioned awards as "Magnificent Mutt", "Longest Ear", "Best Trick" and "Coldest Nose", to name a few of the categories.

Of course as with any crowded, competitive event, there are those who may take the fun a little too seriously; David Pratt, emcee for this year's show, noted that in the past there have been reports of contraband ice-cubes smuggled through the crowd preceding the "Coldest Nose" event.