Is It Better to Buy or Adopt a Dog? (2024)

FAQs

Is It Better to Buy or Adopt a Dog? ›

Adopt from a local shelter. It's the best way to throttle the puppy mill industry and stop its cycle of cruelty and abuse.

The number of euthanized animals could be reduced dramatically if more people adopted pets instead of buying them. When you adopt, you save a loving animal by making them part of your family and open up shelter space for another animal who might desperately need it.

By adopting instead of buying a pet, you can take comfort in the knowledge that you aren't supporting puppy or kitten mills. Additionally, most pet stores don't provide any support if you have questions or problems, whereas most rescue groups and shelters are happy to help you through the introductory period.

Dogs ages one to three are between 15 and 30 human years, and this is a popular age to adopt. Teething is over, and if the pup is not already house trained, she is physically ready to be. She is also ready to learn good behaviors, and has plenty of energy and vigor.

Adoptable animals are generally held and placed with a new family; animals that are too sick, old, or unsociable to be adopted are euthanized. Once a shelter gains title to the animal, it can do with the animal as it sees fit, and its decision will be upheld by courts as long as the shelter complied with state law.

The best course of action may involve returning the pet to the animal shelter or rescue organization that you adopted from (some adoption contracts stipulate that you return the pet if things aren't going well). If this isn't the case or isn't possible, rehoming the pet yourself may be the best choice.

One of the things we discussed is a question I am frequently asked by clients who have rescued a dog that came with a name. “Is it is okay to change the dog's name to something else?” You will be happy to hear that the answer is YES, absolutely, your pet can adjust to a new name, and it's easier than most people think.

Though shelter dogs' behavior changes tend to ebb and flow in the first 6 months after adoption, 100% of owners at the the study's end reported their pet had adjusted well to their forever home.

Adoption fees help cover the medical care of the animal while he or she waits for a new home, as well as food and transportation costs. These fees help to provide care for the other animals in the shelter or rescue group who may have medical bills that are much higher than any possible adoption fee.

Reputable breeders will gladly let you meet the parents of a puppy, see where the puppies were born and how they've been treated since birth. Puppy mills generally will not let you see any of their operation.

What not to do with a rescue dog? ›

If you aren't allowed to meet the pup in person before you agree to adopt them, it's a red flag! And if the person with the dog says the animal must be shipped to you and you must pay upfront, it's also a red flag! You want to meet the dog in person before committing to providing a home for them.

What to look for when adopting includes factors like personality, health, behavior, size, and other important considerations. You should look for a dog who is friendly and eager to make a connection; a dog whose exercise requirements fit your lifestyle; and a dog who is appropriately sized for your home.

Adult and Senior Dogs Are Great for First-Time Dog Parents

If this is your first dog, or if you cannot devote the time necessary to train, socialize, and exercise a young or adolescent puppy properly, an adult dog could be a better option for you.

Puppies purchased at pet stores almost always come from cruel breeding facilities where dogs are confined to small, filthy spaces and receive little to no veterinary care. By adopting from your local shelter or rescue, you are giving back to your community instead of helping cruel breeders profit.

Every day, dogs and cats are killed in America's shelters simply because they don't have safe places to call home. That means when you adopt an animal, you are gaining a loving companion and saving a life at the same time.

Adopted mixed-breed cats tend to be healthier and live longer than purebreds, due to what is known as “hybrid vigor.” And kitten mills (as well as the pet stores they sell to) breed their cats so often that their health and the health of the kittens is often questionable. … and best of all, you are saving a life.