Should I Adopt a Rescue or Buy from a Breeder?

One of the first questions you’ll encounter when you’ve decided you want to add a furry friend to your family is whether to buy from a breeder or adopt from a rescue shelter. Is it better to buy a dog or to adopt one?

There are many things to consider when you are thinking about adding a furry friend to your family. Whether you’re looking for a dog or a cat, there are many questions and points to think about before buying.

Do you want a puppy? A kitten? Do you want a specific breed?

Do you have the time to exercise a puppy? Do you have the budget to feed a big dog? Do you have the energy to take your new pal for his daily walks?

These simple questions barely scratch the surface of all the things you should consider before making your final purchase.

Although these questions are the most practical things you should consider and would affect your life and family in the most obvious way, you should also take into account the morality of supporting a breeder while there are dogs, cats, kittens, and puppies who are homeless in shelters.

The Benefits of Buying From a Breeder

At Rescue Champion, we definitely recommend adopting your new dog or cat from a shelter or rescue, but we’re also aware that this won’t work for everyone. Sometimes you want what you want, and that’s ok. But buying from a breeder is trickier than just walking into a store. You want to make sure you’re not supporting a puppy mill, or an irresponsible breeder just looking to make money by exploiting their animals.

Buying an animal from a breeder does have its pros and cons. Here I will outline some of the benefits you can expect if you decide to buy from a breeder.

For one, a breeder allows you to be much more choosy when looking for your new fur-faced pal. So if you’ve always wanted a particular type of dog or cat, you may be better suited to a breeder.

Another plus to supporting a breeder is that you are more likely to find a puppy or kitten. Raising a puppy from its infancy to be a part of your family is very rewarding.

Provided you find a good breeder, the puppy or kitten you buy from a quality breeder is much more likely to have a good temperament and attitude towards humans. Avoid pet stores and breeders who seem more interested in making money than making happy and healthy animals.

Buying from a breeder can be the right choice for some. Just make sure you’ve found a good breeder and have asked all the right questions.

Adopting From a Shelter or Rescue

The section you just read may have made it sound like it’s only possible to get a puppy or kitten from a breeder, but that is just not true. Although finding a puppy at a shelter or rescue is more difficult and time-consuming, you are not only getting what you want (a cute fur-baby) but you are also saving an animal from homelessness.

Some families aren’t actually looking for a puppy or kitten, so a rescue or shelter is perfect for you to adopt from. This way you can skip a puppy’s high energy stage growing up.

When adopting from a shelter you will likely find all sorts of breeds, mutts, and age groups. Because of the wide selection, you can definitely find a suitable companion. Once you’ve found an animal you’re interested in, let the shelter staff know. They will be able to guide you in their adoption process, which usually includes multiple visits and playdates.

Pay close attention to the animal’s behavior during your visits. Sometimes a dog or cat can be a total charmer in the shelter, but a misbehaved nightmare in your home. Animals that were once adopted and brought back after their true colors were discovered is actually a very common occurrence at shelters. Obviously you want to avoid this.

The sad reality when adopting an older dog is they may have behavioral issues that the previous owner simply couldn’t handle. The dog’s lack of training may have even been the previous owner’s fault, but the dog pays the price. While its nobody’s dream to own a destructive or misbehaved pet, the feeling of love you can get from adopting a dog or cat that has known only abandonment and loneliness and teaching it how to be a good companion is like nothing else.

Finding The Breed You Want Without A Breeder

Depending on where you live it is actually not that difficult to find the breed you want. At a shelter, you will find a mix of animals, but a lot of rescues specialize in one breed. Search around the internet for local rescues that are dedicated to the breed of your choice. Doing this will greatly increase your odds of finding the perfect companion to adopt.

If you have your heart set on certain breeds of dogs, such as pugs, bulldogs, dachshunds, etc (sometimes known as “disabled” breeds), do your very best to find one through adoption. These animals are bred not only because they are popular, but because they are expensive. These breeds have many health problems and struggle with breathing and joint pain. No one wants to see these breeds disappear. However, buying them in excess is supporting their suffering.

Should I Adopt or Should I Buy a Pet?

I hope I’ve helped you with your decision. In this last section, I’ll provide you with a couple of lists of pros and cons that can with your decision. Feel free to copy them down, print them, and add your own! This is a personal decision and one you should make after careful consideration.

Here are the pros and cons of buying a puppy from a breeder. Remember these only apply to good breeders. So make sure to read this article so you know what to look for.

PROS	CONS
Get exactly what you want	Expensive to purchase
Cute puppy or kitten guaranteed	High energy
Training the animal	Housetraining
	Babies are hard work
	Shots are expensive

And here is a quick list of pros and cons of adopting an animal from a shelter or rescue:

PROS	CONS
Save an animal from homelessness	Adoption process can be time-consuming
Adoption is cheaper than buying	Animal can be poorly behaved
May be well trained/have some training	Shelters can be hard to be approved at
No surprises in size if you buy an adult dog

Thanks for stopping by!