"Guard dog" or "security dog" companies are listed in the yellow pages, just like any other company pitching a service or a product. The dogs are essentially treated like inanimate commodities that are leased and sold for profit.
As "working dogs" most guard dogs are given only the care required to ensure that they will be able to perform their so-called job. NJ anti-cruelty laws apply to guard dogs, but the insidious nature of the neglect which guard dogs are likely to endure makes their plight one which cannot be properly addressed by these laws. This is especially true since guard dog companies often "rotate" dogs, making it nearly impossible for anyone to closely monitor their condition. Rotation is routine practice in the industry and is intended to keep guard dogs unfamiliar with their location in order to prevent them from becoming "too friendly" towards people in any given area.
New Jersey law permits the commercial use of dogs as guards despite the inherent risks to the animals. For example, in Newark and Jersey City, guard dogs are placed on vacant, run-down properties where they are regularly exposed to hazards including shattered glass, rotting garbage, insecure construction and malicious passers-by. Owners of guard dog companies which lease and/or sell guard dogs are motivated by economic interests and the people with whom they contract are preoccupied with protecting their property. The animals' interests are not taken into consideration in this business equation.
Many of these animals used to live with families who ultimately surrendered or abandoned them. However, abuse and isolation can turn even a friendly dog into a biter and animal exploiters know it. The dogs simply do not receive the socialization and attention that they need. Although some guard dogs are not trained to attack, guard dog companies know how to torment and neglect a dog in order to make her aggressive. One company claims to have a farm where it gets dogs "ready for the job."
Ironically, when a guard dog does act aggressively, he may face punishment or even death. In May 2001, two guard dogs were shot to death in New Jersey after they attacked a teenager who jumped a fence on the property they were guarding. These poor animals were clearly in a lose-lose situation.
