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Last Updated on February 12, 2023
Do you know that there are many dogs that are being abandoned each year? Most of these dogs either end up in the shelter (assuming they still have space for the dog), otherwise, they are being put to sleep! Such cruelty should be ended, and everyone can play a big part in this.
Adopting A Puppy Is Right
You see, most of the time, the owners might come up with various reasons at which why they will go about abandoning their dogs. Perhaps the most common reason given by such parents is that they are having buyer’s remorse and can no longer provide care to the dog that they have purchased. The owners can either be unprepared for a new addition to the family, or they simply cannot commit the time to care for a dog. Whatever the reason might be, this is a behavior that needs to be mitigated, otherwise, there will be overcrowding in the shelters.
And one of the best ways to help the situation out is by adopting a puppy or dog at the shelter.
The Benefits of Adopting a Puppy
Adopting a puppy has several benefits, both for the puppy and for the new owner. Here are a few key reasons why adopting is the better choice:
- You’re Saving a Life
When you adopt a puppy, you’re giving them a second chance at a happy and healthy life. Many puppies end up in shelters because their previous owners can no longer care for them, and they’re in desperate need of a new home. By adopting a puppy, you’re not only giving them a second chance, but you’re also freeing up space in the shelter for another dog in need.
- Lower Cost
Adopting a puppy often costs less than buying one from a breeder or pet store. This is because many animal shelters include the cost of vaccinations, spaying or neutering, and other medical treatments in the adoption fee. This means you can bring your new furry friend home without breaking the bank.
- Already Potty Trained
Many puppies in shelters are already potty trained, which means you won’t have to go through the time-consuming and often frustrating process of teaching them where to go to the bathroom. This is especially helpful for those who are new to puppy ownership or have busy schedules.
- Health and Temperament Screening
Most animal shelters screen the puppies they take in to ensure they’re healthy and have good temperaments. This means you can be confident that your new furry friend is a good fit for your household. In contrast, puppies from pet stores or breeders may have health problems that aren’t immediately apparent, and their temperaments may not be well-suited to your lifestyle.
Of course, there are several other reasons why adopting a dog can be extremely beneficial to you and the dog.
1. Shelter Dogs Deserves A Second Shot
As most of these dogs are being abandoned, they are devoid of the love that was being promised when they were first brought home. These dogs can be perfectly fine and hence they deserve the chance to find love again, and this can be fulfilled when you decide to adopt them from the shelter.
2. Stop Animal Cruelty In The Mills
Just in case you are totally oblivious, most of the practices in the puppy mills are bad as they constantly subject the dogs to cruelty, and this must be stopped. Most of the female dogs are subject to constant impregnation by the male dogs, sometimes without rest too. This can result in the female dog being weak and tired, and this isn’t good for their health. Also, there might be times at which certain traits are desirable, and if the puppy does not have such traits, they will be neglected by the puppy mills since the return of an investment will be zero.
In addition to that, puppy mills usually do not allocate any social time for the dogs as their sole aim is to get them to mate and produce litters after litters of puppies. This can be very damaging to the female dogs, that is if they somehow leave the puppy mill.
3. Lower cost
Most shelters do have an adopting cost when you adopt a dog from them. However, the cost is somewhat mitigated, given that the dogs should have been neutered and properly vaccinated. The costs of the above are definitely much lower than the cost of getting a new dog and doing the neutering and vaccinations. Indeed, some shelters allow you to adopt the dog for just a nominal fee to keep the shelter going.
4. Shelter Dogs Are Usually Trained
As there are usually staffs that are 24/7 providing support to the rescue dogs, you can expect that the rescue dogs are well trained, either by the staff or by their previous owner. As such, when you adopt a dog from the shelter, you can expect yourself to have a dog that is manageable as compared to a new dog. This is because you will need to spend lots of time to train up a new dog that probably does not know any commands.
5. Solving the Pet Population Problem
Do you know that there are many dogs that are being abandoned each year, and since there is a limited amount of spaces in the shelters, the excess dogs can sometimes be put to sleep. This vicious cycle of buying new pets, abandoning them and causing them to be euthanized must be stopped, and the best way to do this is by adopting a pet instead of buying one!
6. You Can Adopt Dogs Of All Breeds And Ages
The best thing about adopting dogs (instead of purchasing one from the mill) is that you have a wide selection of dog breeds as well as ages. Sometimes, they can be of a designer dog breed too. Don’t be surprised to find puppies in shelters too, given that some owners might not be able to cope with a new pet and hence they have to give (or abandon) them away.
For seasoned owners of pets, they will know that it will be better to adopt an adult dog than a younger one. This is because you can see the adult dog’s characteristics, but the younger dog’s behavioral patterns cannot be properly identified given that they are yet to be fully developed.
7. Erasing Social Stigma About Rescue Dogs
There is a certain social stigma about getting rescue dogs. There are two reasons for this; the first one is that people usually regard getting rescue dogs as “second class” and only for the poor, and hence it can be a social status for them to get a new puppy. The second reason for the social stigma is that some people will assume that the dogs are dirty and unkempt, and hence they do not make good pets. The above is completely wrong.
First of all, there is no shame in getting a rescue dog. On the contrary, getting a rescue dog from a shelter is an act that should be placed in high regard, since you are literally saving a puppy or dog from being put down. How is that shameful? As for the assumption that the dogs are dirty and unkempt, this is untrue since there is support staff in the shelter that will groom the dog regularly. Dogs do have continuous care at all times, hence it is extremely unlikely that the dogs are dirty and unhealthy.
How Do Shelters Survive The Money Drain
As you might know, most shelters are run completely on a voluntary basis. This would mean that they rely completely on volunteers that help out at the shelter. In terms of funds, since shelters are non-profit in nature, most of their funds come from various donation events or donations from the public. In most cases, shelters do charge an adoption fee so that they can help sustain the viability of running a shelter.
Conclusion
Adopting a puppy or a dog shouldn’t be a shameful event. Indeed, it is an event that should be celebrated, since you are literally preventing a dog from being put down or euthanized. Having said that, shelters need all the support that they can get to keep the place open so that lives could be saved.
If you need help in trying to figure out which shelter pet is best for you, you can check out the video below for some tips!
