If you’re looking to add a new furry member to your family, why not consider adoption? With 6.5 million animals entering U.S shelters each year, there are plenty of adorable animals looking to find their forever home.

Find out what pet adoption means, and what it doesn’t, plus 5 reasons why you should adopt a pet, rather than shop.

What Is Pet Adoption?

Simply put, pet adoption is when you adopt a pet through an animal shelter or animal rescue group. There are many reasons why animals end up in these facilities. This could be because they needed to be rehomed due to the previous owner’s own circumstances (like moving, time commitments, financial issues, etc.), animal abuse or neglect, or behavioral issues (although, this has been shown to be the least common reason).

And you won’t find just dogs and cats at animal shelters either. You can find almost any companion animal, from rodents, to birds, and even pigs or other farm animals.

What Pet Adoption Is Not

Pet adoption is not purchasing an animal from a breeder, backyard breeder, puppy mill, or pet store.

This also includes most animals advertised on Craigslist. I’d advice you to be very cautious when looking for animals on sites like these. Many of them are from backyard breeders or puppy mills, so they’re bred unhealthily in poor conditions. This also includes accidental litters, which are usually caused by irresponsible, backyard breeders too.

Rehoming is a mixed bag. Many people on Craigslist run scams on their listings, claiming that their animals need to be rehomed, when in fact they were bred by backyard breeders or puppy mills looking to turn a profit.

It is also worrisome for the animals because there are no protections put into place for them to find a safe and loving home. So oftentimes, these animals either end up being rehomed again, neglected or abused, and sometimes even killed. In fact, it’s safer for animals to be in shelters, rather than be rehomed via Craigslist.

So exercise your best judgement if you choose to go down this route. But the safest option will always be to go through an accredited shelter or rescue organization.

Adopt Don’t Shop: 5 Reasons Why You Should Adopt a Pet

1. You will save a life

1.5 million animals are euthanized every year due to lack of resources and space. Simply put, there are just not enough people willing to adopt. So by choosing to adopt, not shop, you help keep once less animal out of the shelter.

2. There are animals of all breeds and ages

I think a big misconception is that animal shelters only have certain breeds or age groups, which isn’t the case. You can find so many different breeds, ranging from many different ages.

Of course, since adoption is different from buying, you may have to do some more digging, or wait a little bit longer if your preferences are non-negotiable. But I really do believe that there is a shelter animal out there for everyone.

3. They already had all necessarily health screenings

Usually when you adopt a pet, the adoption fee covers their spay/neuter, microchipping, vaccines, and more. You can learn more details at your local animal shelter’s website.

But for reference, at one of my local shelters, the adoption fee covers: spaying/neutering; microchipping; up-to-date vaccines; a collar and leash for dogs; a cardboard carrier for cats and rabbits; and a certificate for one free check-up with the shelter veterinarian. And the adoption fee for dogs and cats is $60.

Which brings me to my next point..

4. Pet adoption is less expensive

Pet adoption is way less expensive than going through a breeder. Registered breeders oftentimes sell their animals for thousands of dollars. And even if you found a less expensive breeder, that means supporting backyard breeders or the puppy mill industry, which are both riddled with animal neglect, abuse, and unhealthy puppies. And an unhealthy pet will cost more in the long run.

5. You won’t be supporting puppy mills or backyard breeders

I’ve already mentioned both of these industries throughout this post. But in case you need more information on what these terms mean, essentially, puppy mills are commercial dog breeding farms, and backyard breeders are amateur animal breeders. Both are known for unhealthy breeding and poor conditions for their animals. And adopting is a great way to fight against these practices.

Pet Adoption Resources

• Petfinder.com | Search for adoptable animals in your area
• Adoptapet.com | Search for adoptable animals in your area
• Shedhappens.net | An adoption-friendly pet blog
• Humanesociety.org | An animal rights website

You might also like: 6 Books to Combat Speciesism 

Pin It