The differences between adopting and shopping for a dog may not be clear for some people. Some may be unaware of the implications of shopping for dogs in pet stores and from online sellers, and in addition they may be unaware of the benefits associated with adopting a dog. Recently I’ve learned that adopting an animal is a much better option for anyone who is looking to find a new companion.
Most people will purchase dogs from pet stores or online sellers. However, the issue with this is that in some cases, these dogs are poorly treated and are often stuck in small spaces for long hours of day. These puppies aren’t able to roam around like they should be, and are left in containment and on display for potential buyers. In some cases, dogs are put down if they are not sold after a certain period of time. Moreover, dogs in stores often come from puppy mills who allow their dogs to have litters after litters of puppies which is detrimental to the health and well-being of the mother. The mothers are also kept in captivity, and once they are unable to reproduce they are simply forgotten and tossed away. Those who run puppy mills sell their pups off for large sums of money also allow their dogs to live in poor conditions with improper medical care. Not only this, but sometimes the puppies are taken away early from their mothers which affects their health as well. Puppy mills often value profit over the priority of the dogs, which is why shopping for dogs can be problematic.
In contrast to this, adopting a dog has so many more benefits!
First off, adopting a dog means giving a dog a second chance at finding a happy home. Often these dogs are rescued, unwanted, or have had previous owners who passed away or can no longer take care of them. Dogs in adoption are usually there because of external reasons, not because of the dog itself. Most of the dogs in adoption centres are also used to being surrounded by families and are often already house-trained. Plus, adopting an older dog will be much easier to integrate into your family. Not only this, but adopting a dog costs you way less than if you were to purchase a dog through a pet store or online seller. Usually when you adopt a pet, the cost of medical expenses such as getting your dog spayed/neutered or their first vaccinations are included in the adoption price.
Additionally, shelters take in millions of stray, abused, and lost animals every year. By adopting a dog you give your new companion a new life and also provide room for the shelter to save another animal who may desperately need it. If people were more inclined to consider adoption, then there would also potentially be a decrease in the amount of dogs being euthanized. Adoption allows you to find a dog that will be more suitable to your lifestyle and personality, all while saving you money and saving the lives of other animals. So, given all these facts, I encourage all who are looking for a new furry companion to highly consider adoption over shopping through pet stores or online sellers.