I'm writing an email to my BYB Aunt...... Any suggestions?

Question

I've decided to write an email to my aunt who is a backyard breeder of Golden Retrievers. I'm wanting to tell her about a few things in hopes that she will change her mind about some of her breeding practices. Anyways, I've tried talking to her but I always forget what to say, so here's what I'm emailing her:

Pam,

It was fun visiting the puppies yesterday - they're so cute and 3 weeks old is the funnest age! Bet they start playing with eachother real soon. Listen, I know I've tried talking to you before about your breeding practices, but the fact that you will not sell these puppies with spay/neuter contracts and use AKC's limited registration really worries me... You say everyone who buys from you just buys for pets. Pets are meant to be fixed and, as the name suggests, be kept simply as pets. Even if you know they want to breed, will they come to you and ask for help, or do they just go out and handle things themselves? You've never even mentioned anything about advising the new owners to spay or neuter at the correct age. Why?? 
I would be so worried about someone lying and turning around and breeding a female every single time she came in heat so the owner could make money. Or, a female (or male) is out in the back yard and the neighbor's dog gets the female pregnant or the male runs around the neighborhood breeding anything dog in heat... What happens to those puppies? They probably end up in shelters where they'll be put to sleep because there aren't enough homes for the puppies, most likely they will be put to sleep.
I know you think this hasn't happened (with the male pups you've sold, it probably has...the owners just haven't told you), and you think it won't happen. But, it will. There are too many dogs in shelters for things like that to be happening... It can be prevented, all you have to do is require the owners to spay or neuter their puppy at the appropriate age. I know you don't want to believe things like that happen, but sadly they do.
I'm not asking you to health test your dogs or show them, even though I know it is the responsible thing to do (breeding for a purpose when stray dogs already breed for pets, and since there's already pets in shelters, there's no good reason to breed for pets). I'm just wanting to prevent any more dogs ending up in shelters.. 

I hope you have a good day and enjoy the puppy breath while it lasts!

-Kelsey
CheckItOut Border Collies & Papillons

So, what do you all think? What should I change and/or add?

Thanks!!!

Herding Dog Lover · Accepted Answer

It sounds great...and I hope your aunt listens to you!!

†mongrel momma† · Answer

I think it looks pretty good, but I would really try to talk to her more about why her BYBing is so detrimental to her dog's breed and the dogs in shelters (not necessarily in this e-mail, but in the future)-it would be frustrating since you really are going to have to break it down for her. You're pretty good at this, I would personally be all but strangling the woman if she were my aunt, lol.

Start small and don't lose hope. Even if she tries to deny it with you in the moment, it's likely your words will stick in her head at least a little.

Good luck.

Clumsical · Answer

I don't know if it was a typo or just a figure of speech but the "runs around the neighborhood breeding anything dog in heat" bothered me.  

Also, the ellipsis are kind of unnecessary and kind of make it look like you aren't exactly sure about what you are talking about.

Other than that, the info and stuff in it is pretty awesome.

marie823 · Answer

sounds good. maybe add that a lot of dogs that dont get spayed and neutered also end up with cancer in their reproductive parts and die young and she prob doesnt want the puppies she sells to die  so young. It sounds real good so hopefully she listens and does it.

♥ Cioccolata ♥ · Answer

I know you care and that this is a long-running issue for you.

I have a feeling that your aunt is incredibly pig-headed and ignorant - not a good combo - and will look upon your pleas for sanity as . . . well, childish.

I think this is a good letter, and well-written, but from the sound of things in the past, your aunt is not someone to be dissuaded from her course of action.  Maybe a slap in the face - a confrontation of her actions, for real, in person - would wake her up; such as, seeing one of her dogs on death row at a pound, something to that effect.

By all means proofread, break this into more paragraphs to make it reader-friendly, and send this to her, and good luck to you - we need more crusaders like you in this world!  : )

? · Answer

Sound great! You are a really good person for doing this. I had to do this to my cousin but it wasn't a letter, it was a speech. I think shes starting to see the light but it will take time. Hope same happens for you. Best of luck!

? · Answer

Sounds good!!! xxxxxx

Pamela · Answer

Being as this is nothing more then a childish rant, I was wondering if you took the feelings of either you mother or father in to consideration when you wrote this? 
This aunt is the sister of your mother or father and writing a damming letter to her will cause a backlash on one of them. 
which in turn will come back and smack you in the face. 
Why not just have a family meeting and bring this up as a topic. 
I do understand your reasons for wanting to stop the breeding of more unwanted dogs, but it does not bring up the topic of designers being the number one dogs filling up shelters today.

Good Luck to you in you endeavors and I hope your aunt listens.

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I'm writing an email to my BYB Aunt...... Any suggestions?

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