The cryptocurrency meme Dogecoin (DOGE) , famous for being Elonb MUsk’s favorite and increasing its value by 4,600% in one year, triggered the demand for dogs of the Shiba Inu breed, an icon of the currency . However, breeders and animal protectors are concerned about the growing number of cases of mistreatment, abuse and neglect of dogs .
Twitter / @kabosumama
“All my breeder friends are being inundated with requests for puppies and they have waiting lists that are miles long,” said Jeri Burnside , who has worked with Shiba Inu dogs for almost 35 years, in statements collected by Coin Rivet .
Burnside, co-founder of the Southern California Shiba Club and Southern California Shiba Rescue , noted that mass rearing of dogs could turn a popular breed into a passing ‘fad’ with very negative consequences for loins.
“Ethical breeders who breed Shibas to preserve and enhance the breed (and this is true for ethical preservation breeders of any breed) are NEVER happy to see a breed soar in popularity like this. The negative consequences of a breed becoming a ‘fashion’ are many, and all are the result of indiscriminate breeding in volume by backyard breeders and puppy mills, “ the specialist explained.
This is not good news for the Shiba Inu.
One of the negative consequences for these fluffy ‘produced’ in large numbers, is the poor evaluation of potential owners , in this case buyers. It is known that the sale of puppies itself already involves an ethical debate, since a few years ago responsible adoption has been promoted more. However, when there is money to be made, most breeders do not bother to check that the puppies go to good homes.
In informal “puppy farms” , raised litters receive poor health care , often adding to poor nutrition, tight spaces and which can lead to various health problems, including the possibility of developing glaucoma, which leads to blindness.
– Dogecoin (@dogecoin) September 5, 2021
Burnside added that the crisis has been compounded because inexperienced dog owners lack knowledge about the temperament of the Shiba Inu breed. For example, Shibas will never be completely reliable off-leash, as they are a Japanese breed of hunting dog, developed with the genetics of wolves.
“They are not a breed for everyone, and when you acquire a Shiba you are making a lifetime commitment, and that equates to about 14 to 16 years for most Shibas. These are not the little stuffed animals that they appear to be; They are a smart, cunning and self-sufficient predator in a cute little package , “Burnside emphasized.
Now, rescue organizations are struggling to deal with the proliferation of uncared for, unsocialized and uneducated Shibas, who are abandoned by their owners.
Elon Musk, guilty of the Dogecoin and Shiba Inu boom?
The pupularity of the Shiba Inu breed began to grow almost a decade ago, when it starred in the ‘Doge’ meme and went viral in record time. For its part, the Dogecoin was born as a joke in 2013 and took the image of ‘Doge’ as the icon of the new cryptocurrency ‘meme’.
While Shiba Inu like ‘Doge’ were already famous, many point to billionaire Elon Musk , CEO of Tesla, as the culprit for catapulting their success.
Last June, the CEO of SpaceX announced on Twitter that he had adopted a Shiba Inu dog and would call him ‘Floki’ (if you are a fan of the ‘Vikings’ series, you surely understand the reference).
My Shiba Inu will be named Floki
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 25, 2021
The face of this furry man seems to be a guarantee of success in the world of blockchain. the Dogecoin (DOGE) increased in value around 4,600% in the last year . In August 2020, each DOGE token cost 0.002802 cents, and earlier this month it was trading at 0.2964 dollars. This price is still below its historical maximum: almost 0.69 cents on the dollar on May 6. Additionally, it is the eighth most valuable cryptocurrency by market cap at nearly $ 32 billion, according to data from CoinMarketCap.
In addition to inspiring another cryptocurrency called Shiba Inu , last June the ‘Doge’ meme broke a record by being sold as an NFT (non-fungible token) for $ 4 million , an amount that makes it the most expensive NFT-meme in history .
Regardless of the ups and downs of the cryptocurrency market, the sudden ups and downs of Dogecoin, or the preferences of Elon Musk, the reality is that now there are millions of Shiba Inu puppies that, instead of being seen as living beings, are sold as merchandise Fashion. And that neither the tenderloins nor their protectors like.