Adopting VS Shopping

Adopting

So why should I adopt?

• Cats and dogs are found wandering around pregnant or have had multiple litters of babies. Adopting allows for those animals to be saved and spayed or neutered.
• Rescue agencies typically spay or neuter as well as have a registered Veterinarian vaccinate and deworm them before being adopted. This decreases the cost for you once you adopt the puppy or kitten.
• In most cases a family who owned the cat or dog may have moved, couldn’t care for it/afford the care for it, had no time for it, had a baby etc. There is likely nothing wrong with the animal you want to adopt. The rescue will inform you if the animal has any pre-existing issues before adoption.
• There are breed specific rescues if you are really interested in a certain breed. However 25% of dogs and cats in regular rescues are pure bred.
• Through certain rescues the first health exam is covered if brought into a registered Veterinarian within the specified amount of days. Depending on the rescue there is often a health guarantee for a certain amount of time.
• They will help you choose which pet works for you and your lifestyle. Most rescues are willing to take back the pet if it just does not fit into your family. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out.

What are the disadvantages of adopting?

• Typically the breed of the animal you are adopting is unknown. The rescue or the animal’s foster family will do their best to identify the breeds but it’s usually a guessing game with some fun outcomes!
• The animal’s temperament may be unknown unless they are fostered before adoption or rehomed before adopting.
• They may not have a known history unless brought in by their previous owners. However a Veterinarian can easily start a new history for the animal.
• Some may be hard to train if they are older but are still very willing to learn and want to make you happy.

Shopping

What are the advantages of shopping?

• Good breeders allow you to meet the parents of your new pet as well as see where the puppies or kittens grew up. (Their size and personalities of the parents – usually correlates to their babies) meeting the parents allows for you to get a sneak peek into what your new pet may look like and act like when it gets older.
• Reputable breeders provide genetic health testing to secure the temperament and quality of animals they are breeding.
• By choosing a pure bred you get to pick the traits and characteristics that perfectly match you and your lifestyle. Do you plan on having a family within 10 years? Do you have children? Do you live an active lifestyle or more laid back? All of these things should be taken into consideration when you decide to get any pet.
• Reputable breeders will work with you to take back the pet or find you a better fit if the original one does not work for you.

What are the disadvantages of shopping?

• Pure bred animals tend to be much more expensive. There is a cost for the puppy or kitten which can be anywhere between $500 and $3500 depending on the breed and the person selling the puppies or kittens. On top of this there are still vaccines, spay or neuter, and any health issues that can arise within the first year.

• Backyard breeders are very common when looking online for a pet. If they ask you to meet anywhere other than where the animals were bred, they do not want you to see the parents or living conditions, or do not answer any questions you have about the new puppy or kitten and their parents they are likely a back yard breeder. A good breeder will have paperwork from a veterinarian. Puppy mills are very common and are often very good at hiding how poorly the animals are raised or kept.

Deciding on a family pet is a big decision. By seriously thinking about your choices of breed, temperament, size and energy level you should be able to find a loving pet and give them a happy loving home!