Adopt, don’t shop

Millions of dogs enter American pet shelters every year, of which more than 400,000 get euthanized.

Human and animal welfare are two directly coordinated variables. Pets often get neglected or abandoned because their owners don’t have access to important resources, not because they are “horrible people”.

Many issues affect the well-being of people and, therefore, animals, including systematic inequalities, poor healthcare, lack of education, problematic housing policies, breed-specific legislation, unethical breeding practices, and more. This makes it difficult to find a conclusive solution.

In an ASPCA national rehoming survey, it was concluded that “pet problems” like undesirable behavior, getting bigger than expected, or health issues, are the most common reasons people get rid of their pets. 

However, the sheer number of animals entering shelter systems has actually been declining in recent years. Increased adoptions, more frequent reunions with original owners, and a decrease in accidental litters through better education, spaying, and neutering could all be contributing factors to these falling numbers.  

This still fails to halt the 3.1 million dogs and 3.2 million cats entering shelters each year. These shelters are important for addressing our current situation of reducing pet homelessness. Now the next issue is to decipher which shelters are ethically treating their animals. 

Responsible shelters should be able to provide the most honest description of their animals and where they came from to the best of their knowledge. These animals might project different behaviors in shelter environments than when they are settled in their forever home, and some problems are harder to detect right away. These trustworthy shelters should seek families who are a proper fit for each and every animal, even if it means waiting a bit to finalize an adoption. The shelter should be transparent about how the animals are cared for, what the adoption fees are, and where that money will go. 

Spotting an unethical shelter is a bit easier. They don’t evaluate their adoptable animals properly, lying or sugarcoating issues that would potentially stop dogs and cats from getting out the door. Untrustworthy shelters might have litters of purebred litters from an unknown source. Some organizations will buy from puppy mills or other unethical breeders, selling under the mask of “rescue animals”. These shelters won’t vet potential adopters or make it nearly impossible for anyone to adopt an animal with excessive requirements. 

It’s important for rescue organizations to have some guidelines to avoid people who won’t be able to provide a stable home for their animals. On the flip side, making adoption restrictions too difficult, like insisting an adopter has a yard or doesn’t live in an apartment, might drive people to unethical breeders. 

Unethical breeders are in the business for profit only. They will often force their animals to have multiple litters per year to get as many puppies or kittens sold as possible. These breeders won’t perform health or temperament tests for parents, and will often breed their animals too young. They often send their animals home with anyone who is willing to pay, and won’t take responsibility if a family isn’t only able to care for their pet anymore. Since they spend less caring for and evaluating their animals, their cheaper prices draw in good-intentioned, uneducated, owners.

By adopting your animals you will be discouraging unethical breeding practices, reducing the number of homeless pets, and freeing up space in a shelter for other deserving animals. Also, you’ll be getting a pet that has been prescreened for health and behavioral issues and save money. When adopting from a reputable shelter, you should receive a full medical report, and you may even get freebies like food, medications, toys, or name tags.