Dog blog
Dog Rescue Shelters vs Pet Shops: What’s the Difference?
When you decide to become a pet owner, you become a dog rescue shelters for them and you’ll be faced with a lot of other monumental choices ahead of you, the first of which is figuring out where you should purchase your dog. While it may seem trivial to you at first, this will have a huge impact not just on your life but on your furry little friend. Let’s break down your options.
If you buy from a pet store, beware. These puppies usually have medical issues including intestinal parasites, skin infections, and malnutrition. You may not notice it at first but these illnesses will present themselves sooner or later and will cost you an arm and a leg in medical treatments and vet visits.
Pet Shops
Pet shops are perhaps the easiest and most accessible place to get dogs. I mean, who doesn’t love passing by a pet store and just fawning over the tiny puppies with their irresistible eyes!
Well, we’re sorry to burst your bubble here. Pet stores mainly source their puppies from people called “backyard breeders” and “puppy mills.” These terms refer to people who have bred their dogs either intentionally or unintentionally without any permits and do not adhere to the breed’s standards. They force the bitches (or dog moms) to get pregnant regularly so that the breeders can have a steady source of income without any regard for the dog’s health or safety.
Many of these dogs and puppies live in poor and overcrowded conditions.
Backyard breeders and puppy mills are not the same thing with reputable breeders, who painstakingly breed their dogs for the betterment of the line.
Reputable breeders will have all the required paperwork and will not have a steady stream of puppies on hand.
Puppy mills are the exact opposite. They will strive to constantly keep their pregnant and giving birth in order for them to earn the most money. Most of the time, they will resort to what is called “in-breeding” wherein the mother must mate with a close blood relative, such as a sibling, offspring, or parent.
When in-breeding happens, puppies can be born with a laundry list of health issues, including extreme aggressiveness, hip dysplasia, or even still-born puppies.
Because these backyard breeders and puppy mills have so many puppies at a time and sometimes a usual dog rescue shelters, they choose to sell to pet stores rather than individuals because pet stores can purchase the entire litter as opposed to a single puppy at a time. Because of the unethical practices surrounding puppy mills, they are illegal in most states.
Dog Rescue Shelters
You’ve probably heard of the saying “Adopt, don’t shop” at least once in your life. There’s a pretty good reason the phrase was coined. According to the ASPCA, approximately 3.3 million dogs are put into dog rescue shelters in the United States each year. Want to picture how many that is? That’s almost as many dogs as there are people who live in Los Angeles.
On average, only 50% of these dogs ever get adopted each year, leaving the remaining 1.8 million dogs to either stay another year in the dog rescue shelter or, sadly, be euthanized.
Adopting a rescue dog comes with many perks. Apart from it being a rewarding experience, dog rescue shelters often charge less in the way of fees than that of a typical pet store, making it cheaper to adopt than to shop!
Now, you may be wondering why dog rescue shelters aren’t free altogether. Well, shelters also need money for overhead expenses including dog food, medicine, vet fees, rent, and of course, money to pay their dedicated staff! The payment they collect from you will be put towards keeping the shelter up and running, which is another great reason for you to consider adopting.
If you’re leaning towards adoption right now, be prepared to shell out anywhere between $0 (yes, some shelters are free) to $500, which is still less than what you would pay a breeder or even a pet store. This fee will also sometimes include any vaccines your dog will need, as well as neutering and spaying services for your dog (which many shelters require anyone adopting a dog do upon signing the paperwork to take one home).
Another good thing about adopting from a dog rescue shelter is that shelters have a ton of dogs to choose from!
You can select from different breeds, sometimes even pure breeds, and choose the age of dog from dog rescue shelters that is most suited to your lifestyle. They’ll even include notes about the dog’s temperament, habits, and if they have it, background, to help you make your decision.
Something to take note of, however. Some of the dogs that are surrendered or taken in by dog rescue shelters may have traumatic backgrounds.
Be prepared to care for a dog that not only has health issues due to neglect but may also have behavioral issues including trust issues, separation anxiety, or possibly even aggression.
Don’t be thrown off by this, though, as many dogs who have come from dog rescue shelters have turned out to be much more loving and affectionate towards their new owners, recognizing them as their “saviors.” Because you are!
So, should you shop or adopt?
If you’re looking to buy a specific puppy breed and you’re in a hurry to get it, a pet shop may be your best option. Just keep in mind that every time you buy from a pet store, you are also indirectly supporting a dog rescue shelters, the practice and livelihood of puppy mills and backyard breeders, but at least you are giving one of these pups a good and loving home.
If you opt for the adoption route, you’re saving the life of one of the 1.5 million shelter animals annually euthanized. Apart from saving its life, you’re also opening up a new space in the dog rescue shelters for another homeless dog.
We hope this helps you make a more informed decision about where you should get your furry little friend! Good luck and please share this with anybody who might be in the market as well.
