Pet Adoption vs. Breeders

Are you someone who is preparing for a pet in the same way that you would prepare for a child? You have the pet doors already installed, empty food bowls ready to be filled, and you are scouring the Internet to learn which brands of pet food are going to serve your new family member best because that is just what they are, a member of your family. Now you just have to decide whether you adopt a pet from a shelter or go offer a down payment to a high-end breeder.

Health Concerns

Some people prefer to go to breeders because they think breeders are going to take the health of their animals more seriously than anyone else. To be sure, they do make sure that the parents remain healthy enough to breed, and they may even get the pups their first shots and worming treatments. Did you know that shelters do the same thing?

In many cases shelters don’t stop at deworming and shots. They sometimes also install microchips and tend to existing health concerns. Their end goal is to find safe homes for their pets, rather than to find a profit.

On top of these differences, consider the fact that breeders like to stay within one or two blood lines. In this way, they can assure the lineage of the pet they are breeding. The problem is that there are multiple health concerns with animals in these conditions, some of them stemming from inbreeding.

Shelters often have pets that are mixed breeds. The lack of inbreeding and exposure to elements that pampered animals are not exposed to means that shelter pets often have far fewer medical issues than breeder pets. On top of that, breeder pets are sometimes kept in such close housing that they spend their entire lives in cages inhaling the dander and dust from the animals around them.

Responsible Pet Choices

When you contribute your money to anything, you are supporting the continuance of that activity. You want a pet to be a family member, and shelters are trying to help pets find loving homes. Breeders use pets to make a profit and, while they might have concerns about how the pets are treated after they leave, their pets are not family members, but breeding machines. By contributing your money to those situations, you perpetuate them.

Yes, some breeders do treat their animals as family members, but the end goal for them remains the same. At the very least, take a good look at the accommodations and ask plenty of questions before you purchase your pet from a breeder.

By all means, look for the pet you want. You can even go ahead and install that pet door so that it is the right size for the pet you are looking for. However, you might consider looking in areas other than breeder pens for your future family member. There are plenty of loving pets just waiting to be adopted.

Look to local shelters, rescue teams, and social media to find the perfect pet for your home. Visit Australia Pet Doors to learn more about pet door options as well as other elements of responsible pet ownership and purchase.