Capstone Detailed Outline

Purpose: To illuminate mostly the negative and questionable effects of pleasure/hobbyist

breeding on animal welfare
Thesis: Most exploitative breeding occurs in the three best-known domesticated species: dogs,
horses, and cats. Nowadays, these animals serve less practical purpose and more of a
companionate niche. Due to the absence of a real need, mankind’s right to engage in such
activities should come under question and scrutiny as there are many negative aspects to
pleasure-breeding.
Actual Structure of Paper
Introductory Remarks and Contextualization
a. Introduce some basic ethics arguments such as sharing the planet, stewardship etc.
Thesis
a. Any transition here? Unsure if I need one or if I should just do it
Plight of Bred Dogs
a. There is no mainstream need for bred dogs
a. Acknowledge service dogs
*Ultimately let logic settle that if there’s no need, there’s no reason
b. Health problems outweigh looks
a. Pug’s exposure keratitis
b. Apso’s gait
c. French Bulldog’s Brachycephaly
d. American Bulldog’s Dystocia
e. Shar Pei’s Entropion
*Conclude with idea that it’s inhumane to willfully condemn dogs to a life of
health problems simply for their looks*
c. Breeding causes psychological damage
a. Breeding for temperament
b. Neoteny
c. Exhibited behaviors
*Conclude that it’s inhumane to willfully condemn dogs to live as
developmentally slowed/morphologically juvenile beings*
d. Breeding dogs causes social impediments
a. Old English Sheepdog
b. Tail, whiskers, hackles
*Although not commonly thought of, breeding takes away a dog’s ability to
communicate, and that’s just another reason that breeding dogs is inhumane.
e. Conclusion of Dogs
a. The physical, psychological, and social damage that breeding dogs causes along
with the fact that it’s completely unnecessary should be the only reason needed
to not do it.
Plight of Bred Horses
a. There’s no mainstream need for bred horses
b. Some would say that there IS a mainstream need for bred horses, but actually…
a. Synthetic drugs are available
b. HRT isn’t necessary
*With these two ideas in mind, we are we still breeding horses?
c. With that in mind, PMU is unethical
a. The squalor of PMU farms coupled with the ethics of the idea should imply
that the world can do without breeding horses.
i. Conditions
ii. Betsy and Kate
iii. Foals and MM
d. Breeding for looks is also a practice that plagues horses
a. El Rey Magnum
b. Vet commentary
c. Miniature horses?
*For much the same reasons as dogs, breeding horses for looks is inhumane as
it’s condemning them to live lesser lives.
e. Is it our place? (Implied no)
f. Conclusion of Horses
a. There’s the idea that there’s no need to breed horses (for both looks and for
conventional drug uses) coupled with inhumane conditions of breeding
practices should be standalone evidence that breeding horses is shameful
equitation.
Plight of Bred Cats
a. Breeding cats especially is not a mainstream need
a. I mean there is NO need whatsoever for bred cats
b. Highlight that they serve no drug purposes, no disability uses etc.
b. Health problems outweigh looks
a. Manx cats & Manx syndrome entail Spina bifida
b. Persian cats are bred for their signature looks, but the very pushed in face and
nose often make these cats very sensitive to heat and cold. Additionally, this
affects the effectiveness of their breathing and leads them to be generally
more inactive than other cats. Their inactivity due to their breathing makes
them obese which them leads to heart problems brought on said obesity.
c. Conclusion of Cats
a. Given that there is LITERALLY -7 need for a bred cat, it’s pointless to do it
b. ^ Clearly this will become more developed and eloquent
Concluding Remarks
a. What have I just read/written?
b. Step out of the details
Other Thoughts
- Weave broad ethics arguments into the paper as a whole