Adopt not buy. Why adopting a pet is better than buying from a breeder

What is the difference between buying and adopting?

Adopting a pet is usually through a not for profit organisation such as RSPCA, the money from adoption goes towards helping rescue and rehome animals in need

Buying is through a breeder. Generally the money goes towards ethical breeding practices and profit, but sometimes this is not the case; puppy farms, for example, sustain a high intensity breeding operation for profit alone.

What are the upsides and downsides of adopting? 

There are two main reasons why an animal would require adoption: being surrendered by their previous owner or have sadly suffered neglect and cruelty. It is not their fault that these unfortunate animals end up in shelters around the globe, and they all deserve a second chance.

When you adopt an animal from a reputable shelter, your pet will have been desexed, fully vaccinated, and undergone a thorough health check.

There are a few downsides to adopting; there is often no way to know the animals past, they may have behavioural issues (be sure to check with the shelter staff), and there is often no way to their true breeding

Adopting an animal is an amazing experience, both for you and the animal. Whether you want a dog, cat or even a horse, you can usually find a furred or feathered companion that’s suits your needs. 

The upsides and downsides of buying a pet

When you buy a buy a pet from a breeder, you have the freedom of choosing your preferred breed. This is a big advantage if you want one of the breeds that rarely end up in shelters, which depends on the state and/or country in which you live. 

Of course, there are disadvantages when you buy from a breeder including: pets from breeders sometimes suffer inbreeding, which is when there is limited genetic diversity in the animal’s family tree. Buying pets from breeders is increasing the homeless pet population every year in Australia, around 200,000 dogs and cats are euthanised every year due to the lack of good homes. Finally, pets from breeders are often considerably more expensive than those from shelters.

The bottom line

400,000 pets go to shelters every year in Australia, and half of those are euthanised. And while pet breeders will give you a specific breed, is the that worth one life of a misplaces animal that needs a second chance?