Pet Shelter and Breeder

Why you have to adopt from a pet shelter as an alternative of buy from a breeder
Unwavering desire and love for animals have been one of the primary best feelings amongst animal enthusiasts that can only be equated to the delivery of a new child. They wag their tail, stroke your body, hug, and love that welcomes an individual to a rather lonely home. When a selection has to be made to introduce another or invite a new pet to be part and parcel of the family, journeying and subsequently getting one from a local animal shelter, considered from all the perspectives, remains a better alternative other than purchasing from a breeder for obvious reasons.
On the first note, adopting a pet from a rescue group or animal shelter is relatively cheaper as compared to acquiring from a pet store. Most of the animals from shelters, for instance, cost approximately $100 to $400 while another individual who opts to get their supplies from a pet store will spend an estimated $1000 to $5000 (Choron, Sandra & Harry 224). The amount of saved money from adopting a pet from pure breeders can be used for future routine pet feeding and medical requirements that in the long run limits any chance of a pet succumbing to treatable illnesses that might be occasioned by financial drains. In addition, the animals from shelters costs are inclusive of other expenses such as the neutering as well as vaccination expenses. A pet store costs are also inclusive of initial pet vaccination expenses, but charges exorbitant prices yet the vaccines used are the same. They are also likely to use substandard vaccines to reduce production costs that might be ineffective exposing the owners to an array of animal-borne infections.

Secondly, obtaining an animal from a rescue group or shelter results into one acquiring a mixed breed. A mixed breed is associated with breeding advantages such as limited inbreeding related illnesses and higher resistance to common illnesses (Choron, Sandra & Harry 224). The routine medical requirements to treat such diseases may lead to higher cost as well as dependant on the availability of specialized care professionals. The inadequacy of either money to seek prompt medical assistance as well as an absence of veterinary professionals may lead to the death of the pet which in turn negatively influence future decisions to keep a pet as well as infect other healthy animals. However, pure breed animals from pet houses are well maintained, no history of possible abuse or neglect that might necessitate skewed behavior in the course of growth and development (Choron, Sandra & Harry 224). The shelter dogs are rescued in shelters when they are either old or in their mid ages thus lack a comprehensive history that can be used to predict future animal behavior consistencies. What remains top priority are the reduced illness cases, higher survival rates of shelter pets as well as simple to understand management practices.

Another important point that might assist in making the final decision to purchase a pet from pet stores or rescue groups is that shelter animals receive better training than the pet store breeds. One reason for inadequate training for pet store animals is the lack of round-the-clock care (Biniok 16). The store owners rarely walk their animals on display as they prefer pee pads as well as newspapers in pets’ waste management. Nevertheless, there are a lot of group classes that are taking place in the pet shelters with an intense animal walking in their efforts to limit expenses in purchasing animal waste management kits. In the long run, the animal gets used to their natural habits that enhance their overall growth and development. The routine animal walking might be inappropriate to an individual preoccupied with other activities, and thus the animal might portray some aggressive behaviors making animals from pet houses more ideal. However, shelter pets are exposed to training and adopting new skills hence higher chances of success in further training can be realized to limit the number of dog walking at the convenience of the owner.

Many of pets from rescue or shelter have undergone intensive housetraining as well as are highly socialized to prepare them for their new home. The training is contrary to the peddled rumors that shelter pets are as a result of massive behavioral issues as a result of abuse and neglect. The reality is that the owners might have developed financial constraints that cannot sustain the health and feeding requirements of a pet at the expense of family needs. Or the family might have witnessed social problems like divorce that results in separation and none might be in a position to only salvage the little essentials he/she can start a new life. It is agreeable that the pet might have undergone some trauma as a result of neglect but doesn’t compare with the suffering that pure breeds have to endure to conform to specific traits to suit the market demand. Besides, the adoption of an adult pet will ensure mutual relationship as the animal has undergone all the youthful development that are some of the causative phobias towards animals from shelters.

Adopting a pet from a rescue group or a pet shelter helps in curbing the rise in the puppy mill. A puppy mill refers to breeding facilities that are driven by an urge to realize more sales of pure breed dogs. According to the Humane Society of the US statistics, there are over 10,000 unlicensed as well as licensed mills selling a total of 2 million puppies yearly (Burger 289). The animals in such “factories” are kept in houses with poor living conditions and are less likely to receive adequate medical care. As a result, the animals are prone to endemic illness and higher vulnerability to behavioral inconsistencies. The puppies’ mothers, besides, are kept in cages waiting breeding time and again, depending on the market demand, without any human love as well as the diminished hope of joining a family. Worse still, when it has been determined that the pet species have little financial returns, the breeding dogs are abandoned, killed or auctioned (Burger 289). In other instances, for the puppy mill to remain robust, they use survival tactics deceiving the unsuspecting customers who place their orders online, pet stores on the quality of their breeds. A reduction or complete elimination of that kind of business would grant justice to pet populations enhancing their safety and overall well being.

Approximately 8 to 12 million pets undergo euthanization each year as the number to shelter ration is overwhelming. Acquiring pet animals from a pet shelter, therefore, assist in reducing the pet overpopulation cycle (Biniok 16). The reduced population also creates space for other animals that are facing abuse, neglect or are in dire need of help to be incorporated in the shelters. However, adopting for the sake of creating space is baseless as the overcrowding as well as euthanization is likely to continue until the pet population outnumbers the capacity for homes to adopt. There is greater need to control the number of uncontrolled animal breeding which might be the primary cause of the surge in their population. Nevertheless, adoption of the current population as opposed to buying from a breeder would create a substantial interim relief as sustainable solutions are reviewed for long-term measures.

Finally, Shelter animals also provide an excellent opportunity to familiarize with the animal before the final adoption. The shelter volunteers and employees have a record of the pet information that might assist in determining the level of compatibility contrary to pet houses (Biniok 16). There is also a warrant to return the pest to the shelter and select an alternative in case its behaviors do not conform to the family’s expectations. The return policy also allows an individual to seek further knowledge on the medical and feeding needs from the shelter employees at no charge. The shelters also have on sight professional consultants that might reduce the upfront cost as well as substandard procedures and products from quarks (Biniok 16). While the pet houses also offer on-site consultations, there is a lot of bureaucracy in accessing such services as an individual have to rely on the goodwill of the service provider who takes advantage to charge relatively higher prices. The result would be discarding the animal that will, in turn, be rescued and brought into a rescue center increasing the vicious cycle of pet vulnerability.

Works cited

Biniok, Janice. The Yorkshire Terrier. Eldorado Ink, 2009.

Burger, Kailey A. ”Solving the Problem of Puppy Mills: Why the Animal Welfare Movement’s Bark is Stronger than its Bite.“ Wash. UJL & Pol’y 43 (2013): 259.

Choron, Sandra, and Harry Choron. Planet Dog: A Doglopedia. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co, 2008. Print.223