Nearly every dog or cat I've ever had has come from an animal shelter. With so many animals in need of homes, it seems more ethical to me to adopt a pet. Did you adopt your pet, or was it purchased from a pet store or breeder?
I'd rather adopt a pet. Honestly, they're the ones that need a loving home more. Especially since if they don't get adopted after a certain amount of time, they get put down.
There are a lot of negatives associated with how pets sold in pet stores are bred. Adopting a pet from the pound is the better option. You are saving the life of a dog that will most likely never see a home again, if you don't adopt them. I think it's good to at least have a look around at the shelter before purchasing a dog from the pet store.
I agree that the best place to get a pet is from a shelter. Pet stores often get their purebred stock from puppy mills, which are horribly abusive . I have two dogs - my mixed breed was adopted, but the other I got from a reputable breeder (I did do my research!) because I wanted a purebred German shepherd. Please don't buy dogs and cats from pet stores!!
I do alot of volunteer work for PAWS so I really like to encourage people to adopt a pet. These are animals who often need and deserve a second chance especially since financial concerns mean they get put down if no one adopts them. Added on to that is that pet shops often sell dogs and cats that are from puppy/kitty mills and thus purchasing a pet from a shop only goes on to support the practice.
I'm glad so many people understand that shelter pets need homes. Rescue shelters are another good source, but the rescued animals often have health issues. That's why they need special people to adopt them.
Thus far, we have not needed to make the choice...as animals have just come to our door, clearly needing a meal and some love etc. After checking if their owners cannot be found, we simply keep them as our own. We have had about 6 dogs this way and up to 10 cats...spread across about 10 years. If they had not chosen us, I would definitely go to the shelter...or where I feel drawn to. Nice question.
I'd rather adopt a pet as well. It would really be better for the pet himself, since he'd have a nice home to go to.
I don't usually adopt pets from shelters, but I do take them in from friends or people looking to get rid of them. It's a nice way to keep that poor animal out of a shelter.
Like Linky, pets have appeared on our doorstep and remained with us -- but a few times we did go to a shelter to find a small dog or cat. We never had any regrets and, surprisingly, the dog lived 19 years and the cat for 22 years. I thought that was amazing! Of course, I've been on the planet for some time and have seen pets come and go throughout our family group, but it just never seemed like a "home" unless a pet was in it. I think everyone knows what I mean... That unconditional love feels eternal, doesn't it? Yep!
I have never bought a pet from a pet store before. I like to adopt from a shelter. There are so many animals there looking for a home. I hate the idea of animals being put down just because of overcrowding. Our local shelter has gotten so many animals dropped off lately because of people losing their homes, or they just can't afford them anymore. When I adopt from the shelter I feel like I am not only helping a loving pet get a good home, I am also helping our community.
I would rather adopt a pet from a humane society rather than a pet store because animals at pet stores get purchased regularly, while pets at humane societies live in inhumane conditions and are put to sleep.
I would rather adopt a pet, rather than buy. Pets are pets whether or not you adopt them they are the same thing. But also consider the history of the pet you are getting we would not want to adopt a pet that would bite us later on in life.
Actually, the vast majority of our pets over the years have come from other people directly who couldn't care for them any more or didn't want them, etc. We sort of skipped the shelter step by taking them in directly. I've never been actively looking for a pet before, so it just sort of happens.
I have just heard so many bad things about puppy/kitten mills that supply pet stores that I wouldn't want to get a dog or cat from them. The shelters are the best option, in my opinion, because you are helping a dog or cat that truely needs a new home. As far as other pets, like guinea pigs, hamsters, fish, etc. The pet stores will definately have more to choose from and shelters do not always have these types of animals available for adoption.
Every pet I ever had was either adopted from a shelter or from a neighbor or friend. I always thought that "mutts" and mixed breeds are cuter than pure breds anyway. And I agree with everyone that shelter animals need the home. Maybe if we quit buying from the pet stores we can decrease the amount of puppies bred in the mills.
I have bought some, adopted quite a few and picked up quite a lot. When I want a particular breed, I buy it from a breeder who is dedicated to the breed. I visit the place first to have a look at the conditions there before I make my purchase. My vet happens to have a soft heart for all kinds of animals, so his clinic is more like a zoo than a clinic. At any one time, there would be any number of cats and dogs there waiting for adoption. So whenever I have space, I would take one or two back. As for the ones, I picked up, I found most of them at the wet market. That's where some heartless people who dump kittens there just about everyday.
I would much rather adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue society. The only exception would be if I knew the puppies or dogs in a pet-shop came from quality breeders who needed help selling pet-appropriate animals. Sometimes the pups needing a pet-only home do need help finding that home. If I'm going to get a puppy from a store I'm going to ask for the people that bred it, and do research on them before I pursue the adoption of that puppy. Truthfully if I want a certain breed I'll check my shelter first, then check the local ads for any kennels (not back yard breeders either), and finally check for breeders of that particular breed online. If there are no particular breeds I'm interested in then absolutely I'd prefer a shelter. Then again, as stated above, even if there is a particular breed I'd check a shelter first. Lots of purebred dogs end up abandoned, abused, or dumped off just the same as mutts do. Adopting from shelters saves lives and doesn't support the pet over-population either, and I think that's my biggest reason. You can sometimes get the background of the animals. The biggest con for adopting from the shelter is that you often don't get a full or true background on the dog. Even still, shelter dogs often work out best and if not there's always somewhere you can return them. You can't take a puppy back to a pet shop if he doesn't work for you.
If they don't come to me, I prefer getting them from the shelter. I think the people at the pet stores get mad because I'll always ask for papers to make sure a puppy is not from a puppy mill, etc.. then the price is too expensive and I end up going to shelter anyway. There are so many animals that need homes in shelters, I highly support them.
I have always gotten my pets from friends or people looking for homes for them. I have considered getting a small dog eventually and would go to a shelter or an animal rescue. I would consider getting a pet from Petsmart or Petco who donates the space to the rescues and/or humane society. It's a plus going that route or directly with the shelters since they usually do shots, spaying/neutering, and I believe de-worming cheaply at a low cost. You can find purebreds at the shelters as well. My friend had gotten their golden retriever from the humane society and he has been the best dog. My friend thought I was going to get mad because she adopted a cat from the pound when I had kittens up for adoption and I told her I wasn't mad if since she rescued the cat from being put down eventually if he wasn't adopted. i had tears in my eyes at Petsmart while I was demoing when this guy brought in the most beautiful huskies. The one was grayish/white with the blue eyes the other was white with blue eyes. He had rescued both from shelters. The grayish husky was a walk away from being put down. I couldn't believe the pound would put down a full blood Siberian husky that beautiful. He was a very friendly loving dog. I could never volunteer at a shelter because I would have a houseful.
