BY: Savanna Pruitt
According to the Humane Society of the United States, nearly 3.3 million dogs enter U.S. animal shelters every year. It sounds like there are plenty of pets who need good homes to go around, right?
According to data from the same report, only 1.6 million dogs are adopted from those shelters each year. That number seems great, and it is definitely nothing to sneeze at. However, we have to consider what happens to the rest of the animals who don’t get adopted.
Unfortunately, approximately 670,000 dogs of the remaining 1.7 million are euthanized annually, and 1.1 million innocent dogs and puppies each year are left to live in shelters or in foster homes until someone adopts them.
The question is: Why are so many dogs and puppies euthanized or left in shelters when it seems like there’s still a lot of interest and demand for pets?
The answer: The Humane Society reports that 2.6 million puppies are sold annually that originate from over 10,000 licensed and unlicensed breeders across the country. That means many people are choosing to buy puppies from pet stores and breeders rather than choosing from the millions of adoptable puppies and dogs at local animal shelters and rescues.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with purchasing a dog from a responsible, licensed breeder. Sadly, though, a large number of dog breeders are essentially running illegal puppy mills. In fact, “Of the estimated 10,000 puppy mills operating in the U.S., only 3,000 are legal” (spots.com).
It’s clear that the real problem lies in buying puppies from unregulated, irresponsible breeders. Most breeders who sell directly to the public, whether it’s in person or on a website, aren’t required to hold a license or follow humane care standards. In many cases, these breeders are more concerned with making a profit than actually caring for the animals they are breeding. As a result, their dogs and puppies are forced to live under inhumane conditions and often end up with a plethora of health issues as they grow— if they make it that far.
How can we address and fix this issue? It’s simple: Adopt, don’t shop. There are numerous reasons to adopt a dog or puppy from a shelter or a rescue rather than purchasing from a pet store or breeder.
1. Adopting is cost-effective.
The cost of a puppy from a breeder typically ranges anywhere from $500 to $3,000, depending on the location and breed. It’s important to note that this cost typically doesn’t include desexing, fully vaccinating, or microchipping. Those services alone can add up to $350 or more.
On the other hand, the cost to adopt a dog or a puppy from a shelter typically ranges anywhere from $50 to $500. For example, it currently costs only $120 to adopt a dog from the Prattville Autauga Humane Society in Alabama. This adoption fee includes discounted desexing, microchipping, deworming, vaccinating, and even a courtesy vet exam at participating offices. Many shelters and rescues include similar services in their already considerably low adoption costs.
2. There are adoptable animals of all breeds.
Most people who look to breeders when they want to purchase a puppy do so because they have a specific breed in mind. What these people don’t consider is that 25% of pets in shelters are actually purebreds. In addition, there are thousands of breed-specific rescues all over the country.
Here’s just a small sampling of breed-specific rescues in Alabama:
No matter the breed, there is almost assuredly a shelter or a rescue with adoptable animals of that breed.
3. Adopting saves lives.
Choosing to adopt a dog or puppy means saving the life of that animal and potentially the life of another. Adoption fees typically go toward maintaining shelter facilities and providing care for the animals in the shelters. Additionally, each time an animal is adopted, it opens up a spot for an animal that may have otherwise been euthanized due to lack of space.
The bottom line is that adopting is simply the more humane choice. If potential pet owners consistently choose to adopt their animals rather than purchase them from breeders or pet stores, there won’t be as much of a demand for puppies to be bred under inhumane conditions for profit. As a result, hundreds of thousands of lives will be saved each year, and there won’t be an influx of millions of pets in shelters without loving homes.
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