Nancy Cope

Adoption vs. Rescue: Where Should I get my Next Dog?

Perhaps you are looking for your first dog or you just want to expand the family, but you want to know whether you should go with dog adoption or purchase. Before you go out to choose your new best friend there are some issues you should consider, because whether you adopt or purchase your dog could make all of the difference in the world.

When you purchase a dog you end up spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars, and that’s before first shots, neutering, and food. Some people like to purchase dogs because they are devoted to one breed. But when you buy a dog you have to consider some things, such as where did this dog come from? In the case of pet store puppies that answer is often a puppy mill, where dogs live crowded together in cages and never get to romp on green grass or see the fresh air. There are some devoted hobby breeders who treat their dogs well though. If you are going to purchase a puppy, do so from one of these breeders who has a good reputation. A good breeder will allow you to see the parents and will talk to you about genetic health problems which many purebred dogs have. He or she will also question you, because a good breeder will want their puppies to go to a good home. Buying a puppy should not be easy or an impulse purchase.

With dog adoption the difference is one of life or death. Did you know that over 3 million animals are euthanized in shelters every year in America? Not all of these animals are vicious or “bad”, some of them are simply paying the price for their owner’s carelessness or disregard. Sometimes people buy a puppy, and when that puppy gets too big, decide they can’t keep it anymore. Your local shelter is chock full of loving and wonderful dogs, big and small, mixed and pure bred. If you are fixed on a certain breed there are many breed specific rescues which often buy dogs out of puppy mills and put them into good homes.

While buying a dog can be a guilt free experience, it is nowhere near the good deed that adopting a dog is. When you adopt a dog you give him a second chance at life, and nothing could possibly feel better.