Dogs are a hot product. Think of all the fancy French bulldogs, perfectly-groomed corgis, or curly labradoodles in your area.
According to Forbes, 65.1 million American households are home to a minimum of one dog, however just 38% of dog owners embraced their pups from an animal shelter.
While it’s constantly terrific to discover the best fit when it concerns pet parenting, a lot of individuals are suspending their regional shelters. In reality, adoption rates are down throughout the nation, while consumption throughout rescue companies are increasing.
According to an annual report from Best Friends Animal Society, dogs gotten from breeders and animal shops have actually been progressively increasing over the previous couple of years, while dog adoptions stalled.
Last year, over 4.4 million cats and dogs went into shelters, up about 100,000 more than the year prior. Of these animals, around 378,000 were killed due to the fact that there was just no place for them to go.
As millennials and Gen Z make up just shy of 50% of the pet owner population in America, it’s necessary that these brand-new animal caretakers think about every choice when it concerns presenting a furry friend into the family.
Adopting a dog (or any animal, for that matter) is undoubtedly life-saving, however there are likewise a lot of other reasons it’s a chance to do good and make the world a much better location for our precious animals.
Here are the very best factors to think about embracing — not searching for — your next dog.
Top factors to adopt a shelter dog
You’ll save lives.
Making the option to adopt a dog has a causal sequence. By saving a dog, you’re making space for another to get the care they require because extremely shelter and discover their own fur-ever home.
Adopting a dog makes your brand-new puppy’s life considerably higher, however it’s much more of a win to see how simply someone’s choice to adopt a dog can alter the lives of a lot of more.
You’ll be doing your part to stop vicious breeding practices.
While there are definitely lots of respectable dog breeders worldwide, the enormous business scale of “puppy mills” or pet-breeding centers is vicious and inhumane, and embracing an animal keeps your money from approaching among these centers and back into your own neighborhood.
Dogs in puppy mills are typically kept in unhealthy and unhygienic environments and required to breed rapidly and without friendship. Some of these dogs are even reproduced for animal screening. This is animal abuse and can even result in long-lasting health conditions for these dogs. Across the nation, the Humane Society of the United States computes that there are at least 10,000 puppy mills in operation.
“Behind closed doors, these dogs are suffering at the hands of breeders trying to make a quick buck,” John Goodwin, senior director of the Humane Society of the United States’ Stop Puppy Mills campaign, said in a statement. “Consumers will continue getting scammed while the animals pay the ultimate price.”
The conditions for these centers are so wicked that a variety of states, such as California and New York, have banned commercial pet sales.
Adopting a dog from a regional shelter sends out a message that these breeding centers will not be endured — and reduces the need for commercialized dog adoption.
Just like you may pick an ethical shopping choice for your household products or the clothing in your closet, embracing a dog is the ethical thing to do in a world so typically driven by revenue — and not by genuine love and look after animals.
You’ll save money.
Those business breeders do what they do so they can make a lot of money from folks who desire a particular dog breed.
Of course, it’s completely okay to desire a particular breed of dog for your way of life or to rely on a professional who understands how to look after a particular breed, however think about taking a look at your regional saves for those types initially!
You’d be surprised how many Frenchies, pugs, Shiba Inus, and goldendoodles are waiting to go to loving homes — and for a much cheaper rate (as low as $50!) than the thousands you might spend shopping for a dog from a backyard breeder.
Some shelters even run sales or “pick your price” adoption rates to keep their facilities from overcrowding.
You won’t have to pay for vaccines, spay/neuter, or microchipping.
Part of the cost-saving of adopting a shelter dog comes in the form of reduced medical costs.
If you were to purchase a puppy today, you’d have loads of additional costs to consider, like puppy vaccines and vet check-ups, spaying or neutering, microchipping, and state registration fees.
If you’re adopting a dog from your local humane society or shelter, many of those procedures have already been done or will be free of charge. That’s a few hundred bucks saved right there!
The only thing better than a snuggly pup? One that was on sale.
The money you do spend will support a vital community resource.
Of course, you’ll still likely have to pay some adoption fees for your new best friend. When you adopt from a shelter, however, you can feel good knowing that those funds are going directly back to animals in need.
Whether it’s the salaries of shelter employees, upkeep and maintenance of facilities, food and medical care for animals, or the development of services for community members and their pets, the money you spend with your local shelter or rescue is always money well-spent.
It’s easier than starting with a puppy.
You can definitely adopt a puppy from a shelter or rescue, but adult and senior dogs are often most in-need of loving homes. And while puppies sure are cute and cuddly, they are also known to be little gremlins.
By adopting an adult or senior dog, you get to skip the puppy stage entirely. You will, of course, still need to adjust, and lots of grown-up pups can be reactive or nervous, but hopefully you’ll be able to bring home your new friend without puppy-proofing.
This is especially helpful for folks who are first-time dog owners. By starting with a more relaxed dog, you’ll be able to learn the ropes and jump right into the good part — sans pee pads and teething.
You can probably skip the potty-training.
With the above in mind, another advantage to adopting a dog is that you’ll probably spend a little less time on potty training (and little more time snuggling and frolicking!).
If you adopt an adult dog, you can feel pretty confident that they already know the bathroom rules and can quickly adjust to living (and pooping) in a new place.
If you adopt a puppy, chances are, they’ve already gotten some training under their belt by living in the shelter and socializing with volunteers and staff. Even if your pup isn’t fully potty-trained, they should be well on their way after learning from the pros.
You’ll be helping out an overworked shelter team.
Animal shelter employees and volunteers are overworked, and with minimal funding and ongoing demand, they work tirelessly — often without a break in sight.
Adopting a dog — and keeping that dog — is one more contribution you can make to help prevent burnout in shelter teams and create a community where all animals are cared for.
“If you can find ways to get animals out and to keep them out of the shelter, then that helps everybody,” Jennifer Jenkins, a manager at Louisiana-based Jefferson Protection and Animal Welfare Services, said in a blog post for Human Animal Support Services.
“That helps your staff. It helps so they don’t feel like there’s pressure and frustration and everything. And it helps the animals, too.”
Shelters provide ongoing resources and support.
When you adopt from a shelter or rescue organization, it’s not a one-and-done relationship, but rather an ongoing commitment to the well-being of your pet.
Many rescues and shelter programs provide free or discounted obedience classes, veterinary support, advice, and hands-on support as you transition to a new life with your furry friend.
Your pup will be full of personality.
One day you see a lonely pit bull in a kennel; the next, they’re begging to be swaddled in a blankie in their luxurious eco-friendly dog bed.
Rescue dogs are the poster children for a good redemption arc. While some rescues might be reactive and anxious — and you will have to learn how to work with them to find shared comfort and success — these dogs are so eager to be loved and cared for — and spoiled.
All dogs are full of individual personality and quirks, but rescues have a reputation for being extra goofy. Embrace the sing-song howls, fantastical fetch demands, and picky eating!
You’ll get to choose from a large selection of available dogs.
While you might be searching for a dog of a particular breed, age, or other qualifier, you’d be surprised which shelter dogs speak to your soul.
When you begin your search for adoptable dogs — whether online, in the shelter, at an adoption event, or elsewhere — you’ll find that the selection of mutts, purebreds, puppies, seniors, and canines of all kinds is vast and diverse.
As opposed to a pet store or breeder who only provides one option, shelters are full of different dogs who are ready to be loved.
Shelter dogs are known for their loyalty.
Not only are you committing to a lifetime of loving your new dog, but rescues are an endless well for unconditional love, too. While dogs who have been abused or traumatized might take a moment to warm up, once they do, the trust and loyalty you cultivate is second to none.
When you provide a shelter dog with safety and trust, they are very quick to show love, affection, and loyalty. This pack mentality comes from thousands of years of human-dog bonds. Once your dog knows they can rely on you to survive, you’ll be set for life.
Adopting changes the life of an animal — and yours, too.
Besides the “who rescued who?” bumper stickers and endless supply of festive bandanas, your new pup will provide you with something more: an unwavering support system.
When you adopt a dog, you also adopt a built-in exercise buddy, stress reduction program, daily companion — and if you work from home — the best kind of co-worker.
Adopting a dog requires way of life changes and commitments that prioritize another living being over yourself, and if you’re up to the task, it’s one of the most rewarding jobs on the planet.
You encourage others to adopt, too.
Adopting a dog — and you, know, bringing them everywhere with you — shows your friends and loved ones how easy and rewarding it can be to choose embracing a shelter pet over buying from a breeding facility.
You’ll be the resident dog parent in the friend group, and you can help your circle of friends find the right rescue organization or adoptable dog to grow your pack — and make the world a much better location while doing so.
