On May 28th, the No Breed Dog Day is commemorated, with the purpose of promoting the adoption of abandoned mongrel and stray dogs, many of which are non-breed dogs.
Likewise, this celebration seeks to create awareness in the population about the reality of dogs, since they all deserve the same opportunity to be part of a home, regardless of whether they are purebred or not. All dogs are faithful companions and have the same capacity to give and receive love.
What is a non-breed dog?
Non-breed dogs are those that do not have a particular breed, because they are the product of mixtures or crosses of pure breeds. They are also known as mongrels or strays. They do not have a pedigree or official document that certifies their descent and the purity of their breed.
Nor do they possess physical qualities that make them stand out, such as coat color and texture, height and dexterity. For these reasons, they tend to be abandoned on the streets or live in animal shelters.
These aspects have an impact on the scarce possibilities of adoption that affect their existence, since due to certain sanitary norms they can be sacrificed if they are not adopted in a reasonable time.
Why adopt a non-breed dog?
Those who have a pet at home enjoy the unique and unconditional love that these animals are capable of offering; however, adopting a mongrel dog is one of the most noble and generous actions that can be performed.
As mentioned by the Argentine Veterinary Federation, when a non-breed dog is adopted, lives are saved, since this type of dogs are the ones that have less options to find a family, especially those that have already reached adulthood or were abandoned to their fate and are very sick.
Even though there are animal protection associations and volunteers willing to take care of homeless dogs, many of them are not adopted, so it is necessary to spread the importance of adopting dogs instead of buying them.
The affectionate relationship between dog and human being does not distinguish between breeds; the bond that can be generated can be one of the most loyal that exist, due to the great companionship shown by these four-legged beings.
According to MSD Salud Animal, dogs, regardless of their breed, are capable of adapting to homes, with the aim of providing their unconditional affection. Mixed-breed dogs are less prone to suffer from diseases, due to the diversity of their DNA. According to studies, it is estimated that mongrel dogs live an average of 1 to 2 years longer than purebred dogs. On average, they usually have a life expectancy of 16 to 18 years.
