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Pet Adoption is the Only Option
Raise your hand if you bought your dog from a breeder, pet store, newspaper ad or the Internet.
If you raised your hand, then you have personally contributed to the pet overpopulation problem in this country, perhaps without even knowing it.
The pet overpopulation problem is perpetuated by backyard breeders, pet shops and Internet breeders because there are millions of homeless animals living in shelters, foster care, and rescues across the country; and every time you buy a dog from a breeder* or pet store, one of the rescue pets loses the chance to go to a “forever home.”
Dogs in pet stores and advertised in newspapers and online especially come from puppy mills, mass dog-breeding operations where life is nothing more than a steel cage not even big enough for the dog to turn around in usually.
To read the rest of the article, click here.
*Note: there are reliable and professional breeders. This article is meant to describe the backyard breeders, mills, hoarders, and abusive breeders, not the reliable kind.
Great article you wrote here, this really hits home. It is SO IMPORTANT to educate people about adoption. Its amazing how many people just DONT KNOW.
My mom had her paw raised…but that was befur she got smart!
I’m a former guest of the York Khounty Bed&Breakfast/SPCA!
Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra
Thanks for bringing this issue to your blog, indeed many pets are created as products, and treated as that.
We have a lot of good information on adoption over at our blog Adopt a Pet Blog
I get worried when movies come out with a specific breed (eg Marley and Me or Beethoven) or a celebrity gets a certain type (such as Paris Hilton and her toy breeds). As the article says, too many people want things quickly, rather than wanting it the right way. It’s really sad.
This is a great article. Way to call out people who shop for dogs instead of adopting. Nice job
TERRIFIC writing here. This is a very good post and an even better point overall. Now we just need to spread the word to EVERYONE who buys instead if adopts.
Great post. I am in definite support of adoption! So many animals that are ready to love and be loved are in stuck in shelters and we need to take a stand against this!! Thanks for the great post.
FANTASTIC article JL. This is SO important for people to read. It simply amazes me how many people just flat out DONT KNOW about puppy mills. More media coverage needs to be given to the issue. I wish, like Amy in the story, that billboards and full page advertisements were talking about this issue.
Nice blog you have here, very promising. I wish success to you. Thanks,lucy
Just because you get a pure breed puppy does not mean it comes from a puppy mill. I can’t stand some of the self-righteous people that come up with adoption if the only option bs. If I want a Lab I want a freaking lab not a mutt. I want a Lab that has had those traits set that makes it a lab. And yes I know there are pure breeds in shelters. If you want to adopt great. Good for you, but don’t look down your nose at someone who does not or wants to start off with a puppy.
There are lots of little kids out there that need homes too. I don’t see anyone here proposing that people stop breeding until all those little kids have homes. Surely the little kids are more important than dogs right?
Hi Jeff,
Thanks so much for your comment on the story here. I appreciate hearing both sides of the coin and your opinion is highly valued.
I wanted to address your second paragraph however. This is not a forum for discussing child welfare issues – its an animal welfare blog, so bringing up issues dealing with children is a foreign topic somewhat.
Yes – I am QUITE aware of the issues plaguing American society’s children today and it is definitely heart-breaking. I, however, feel that I have to choose my battles and I am much more educated about animal welfare issues than those facing today’s homeless children, or children on welfare, children with drug-addicted parents, etc.
We have to pick our battles and I chose to fight animal abusers and puppy mills instead of child sex traffickers and child porn producers, as I do not feel I am educated enough to make a difference there.
I did not mean to say EVERY breeder is bad, by the way. In fact, my parents got two Golden Retrievers from the same breeder, and that breeder ended up being a rogue a**hole who faked the papers and everything else too.
These posts are based on my experiences and my opinions only. Thank you for sharing yours with me and my valued readers.
JL Smith, Administrator