If we should desist from raising animals or "gathering" them to "keep" as companions, to evade abuse and neglect, perhaps we should also stop procreating ourselves to prevent child abuse and child neglect. That said, I am against breeding operations of any sort; let's find great homes for what we've got...and we've got a lot!

Hate to say it, but there will always be hateful and abusive people in the world, who will use other living things, human and non-human alike, to suit themselves. Or, at the very least, "normal", everyday people who do the same when it becomes too expensive and/or inconvenient to do otherwise.

Perhaps the real secret to solving this problem is to fully accept that this is the way some things are, and then concentrate on improving the situation by supporting the "baby steps" mentioned in an earlier post.

Oh, and on a personal note:

My dog is more content and more balanced than most the humans I meet on a daily basis. I can tell this by the healthy appetite he has, how well, and LONG, he sleeps, how he spontaneously plays, and invites others to play with him, and how he seeks ME and other humans out for companionship. He brings me joy, and I reciprocate. His heritage has been entwined with my heritage for thousands of years, so I don't buy the theory that we should not to "be together".

Sorry; no sale here.