Many of the spotted canines were acquired with no concept of the breed's unique characteristics. First and foremost, Dals demand and thrive on human attention. Neglecting them in the backyard or tying them to a tree will result in an unhappy situation for everyone. In their early years especially, Dals have a tremendous amount of energy and need an outlet such as running or playing with a companion. For centuries, Dalmatians were accustomed to running miles with horse-drawn carriages and fire engines, but that avenue does not exist today.
Puppies grow at an incredible rate.
Dals have several months as a puppy and up to 12 to 14 years as an adult. Animal shelters across the country put to death thousands of healthy, beautiful Dalmatians last year alone. Many rescue groups across the country, including Dal Rescue in Miami, have been extremely disappointed in Disney's lack of response to the tremendous problem they instigated. While Disney did not breed or sell any Dalmatians, they marketed Dalmatians to the maximum as cute, cuddly toys. McDonald's promoted Dalmatian toys and posters, and Disney cartoons and the Disney website led to a large variety of cute Dal products.