Persuasive Speech

Ashley Workman
July 24, 2018

Persuasive Speech: Audience Assessment

Specific Goal: My audience will feel different about puppy mills and dog breeding.
Type of Claim: This is a claim of policy.

Ethos: Primary Ethos:

a) Competence: I recently had a friend who purchased a dog from a friend who breaded French bulldogs and half
of the litter came out with health defects. The mom had 3 puppies are completely deaf. I believe that this was from poor
breeding and wanted to research more about dog breeding.
b) Fairness: I will be fair in recognizing opposing sides.

Secondary Ethos: I have 6 authoritative sources that I will cite in my speech.

Audience Assessment: Most of my audience members will probably have an attitude toward my proposition that is highly favorable.

Adaptation to Audience Attitude:

a. Common ground: I will present my audience with all the information that I have researched regarding the problem with
why dog breeding is creating a problem and hope that I can identify where their stance is and hopefully persuade the me to
feel a different way.
b. Latitude of acceptance: I plan to use pictures to show these poor animals that are stuck in puppy mills and show the dogs
with health problems from poor breeding and hopefully get them to accept what I am saying.

Baby Steps: I’m providing them with a lot of reason why dog breeding is creating a problem and backing it with real life examples.

Pattern of Organization: Problem-Solution

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Persuasive Speech: Outline

Why Dog Breeding is Creating a Problem

Introduction

*Start with slide 1

I. Hook: How many of you own a dog? Where did you get your dog? (Ask each member)
Was it through a family/friend? Pet store? Adoption?

II. Ethos: I recently started researching about the problems associated with dog breeding when a friend of mine bought a dog from a
lady who bred French bulldogs in her backyard. The mom had a total of 3 in her litter and 2 of them are 100% deaf. This put
up a red flag to me and motivated me to look into dog breeding and the problems associated.

III. Proposition (or Hint at Proposition): I hope to change my audience’s opinion on dog breeding and encourage them to adopt.

IV. Preview:
1. Why dog breeding is creating a problem?
2. How can we help?
Transition: Let’s dive in and talk about the problem.

Body

I. Why is dog breeding creating a problem?

A. Puppy Mills *Click to Slide 2

i. Puppy mills are facilities in which dogs are bred on a large-scale. These animals are kept in small wire cages and
are rarely let out. They are deprived of human socialization and often neglected and live in unsanitary places.
*Click to blank slide 3
ii. I recently read an article, based on a true story, by the Rolling Stones, “The Dog Factory: Inside the Sickening
World of Puppy Mills”, 20 Humane Society of the Unites States members investigated a house in North
Carolina and, in their own words, this is what they found: *Slide 4 In the basement dozens of puppies in dust-
cloaked cages stood on their hind legs and bawled. There were Yorkies and poodles and Maltese mixes, but
their fur was so matted and excrement-mottled it was hard to tell which from which.
The lady holding all these animals was selling them online with no license to do so. Here are some images from
the scene. *Click to slides 5 and 6

B. Health Concerns *Click to blank slide 7

i. Some people who are looking for a new dog are willing to pay large amounts of money for a purebred dog and
believe that the dog was raised in a friendly environment. When in fact, most of them are bred in puppy mills
or by breeders that are not well trained or have the proper knowledge.
ii. An article titled “The Pedigree Dog Breeding Debate in Ethics and Practice” talks about the health problems
that are most common in dog breeding. Those health problems are: breathing problems, heart disease,
inability to give birth naturally and many more ties to specific breeds. *Click to slide 8
iii. According to the American Kennel Club, bulldogs are the 4 th most popular dog breed in the U.S. National
Geographic has an article “Demand for Cute Bulldogs is destroying the breed”. These dogs many health
problems, with the lack of genes, it’s difficult for breeders to reintroduce healthier traits with a technique
called reverse breeding. Because most people love this particular breed, they continue to breed them cause us
to destroy the breed and shorted their life span. The lifespan of a bulldog can be 8-10 years but can be as low
as only 5 years.
C. Animal Shelters *Click to slide 9
i. I recently read a book called Pets and People by Christine Overall and learned that just in the United States,
there are 70 million companion animals are homeless but only 7.6 million of them go through shelters each
year.
ii. One Green Plant wrote an article on dog breeding “Why Breeding Dogs is a Problem, even if the breeder is
‘reputable’. Only around 20% of Americans adopt from shelters, that leaves 80% who are looking for a breeder
to ‘create a dog’.

Transition: So, what’s the solution? *Click to slide 10

II. How can we make a difference?
A. Choose adoption *Click to slide 11
i. Animal shelters and rescue groups are brimming with happy, healthy pets just waiting for someone to take
them home.
ii. I adopted my English Mastiff from the pound 5 years ago and when I adopted her, she was almost like skin and
bones, super malnourished and in need of a good home. I took her home and made her healthy and happy
and is living her best life with me.
iii. With the number of animals that are homeless, there isn’t enough space in the shelters for them. I encourage
everyone to adopt a dog, so you can open the opportunity for more pets in the shelter to have the chance at a
better life.
B. If you want a purebred, know how to determine a reputable breeder *Click to slide 12
i. The Dog People asked Sarah Halbeck, an AKC approved dog breeder for advice on finding a reputable dog
breeder, here’s the main points she recommended: 1. Use the AKC breeder referral site or Quality Breeders
 Association 2. Get references from previous buyers and follow up with them 3. Ask lots of questions to the
breeder 4. Get a sales contract with a health guarantee
ii. Please help encourage others to either choose adoption or educate them on making sure they are taking the
necessary steps to ensure they are choosing a reputable breeder. *Slide 13

Transition to close: In conclusion, I encourage all of you to adopt a dog rather than having one bred for looks. Dogs are not profit. If
you do want a dog bred, make sure that the breeder is reputable and that the genetics of the dogs being bred aren’t going to cause
health issues for the dog.

Conclusion:

I. Summarize main points/thesis: We have talked about the problems with dog breeding and solution, with this information I
hope I have changed the way you feel about dog breeding.
II. Bookend: The next time you get a new dog, I hope you’ll take this information into considering when making your decision
and also educate others about dog breeding.
III. Challenge the audience to respond: How many of you would now consider adoption for your next dog?

References:

Overall, C. (2017). Pets and people - The ethics of our relationships with companion animals. Oxford University Press.

Bovenkerk, B., & Nijland, H. J. (2017). The Pedigree Dog Breeding Debate in Ethics and Practice: Beyond Welfare
Arguments. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics,30(3), 387-412. doi:10.1007/s10806-017-9673-8

Bennett, J. (2018, June 08). The Truth About Dog Breeding. Retrieved from https://www.rover.com/blog/history-breeding-dogs/

Why Breeding Dogs is a Problem, Even if the Breeder is 'Reputable'. (2018, April 09). Retrieved from
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/why-breeding-dogs-is-a-problem-even-if-the-breeder-is-reputable/

Solotaroff, P. (2018, June 25). The Dog Factory: Inside the Sickening World of Puppy Mills. Retrieved from
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/the-dog-factory-inside-the-sickening-world-of-puppy-mills-112161/

Demand for 'Cute' Bulldogs Is Destroying the Breed. (2016, July 29). Retrieved from
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/07/bulldogs-dogs-animals-science-breeding/