You’ve probably seen the #AdoptDontShop slogan popping up in your news feed, but have you ever really thought about WHY exactly it’s so important? In this blog, we’ll tell you the three primary reasons for why you should adopt instead of shop and the impact such an action makes!
“Paw”blem #1: There is a pet overpopulation crisis.
Plain and simple, there are more pets than homes for them. Every year, about 3.2 million dogs enter shelters, but only half that number are adopted out. That means homeless pets continue to fill shelters and live in environments where they don’t get the love and attention they deserve (1).
While we never euthanize animals for reasons such as time spent or space available in our shelter, unfortunately, animals could be at risk from euthanasia at shelters with far fewer resources than we are lucky enough to have.
The most practical solutions to pet overpopulation are ensuring your pets are spayed and neutered, supporting your local shelters and adopting a dog!
“Paw”blem #2: It’s a people issue, not a pet issue.
It’s worth noting that many shelter dogs are brought in from their previous owners for numerous reasons, and being a “bad dog” is rarely one of them. Things like moving, illness and inability to pay for pet care are among many reasons that play into why people give up their pets.
Another perk of shelter dogs is that they frequently arrive at a shelter having already been trained by previous owners. This cuts out extra work for you and provides you with more confidence because you can know for sure that a dog has already lived in a household that has kids, other pets, etc. It’s a win-win! A shelter dog gets a new loving home, and you get a wonderful new pet that suits your needs.
Finally, we must understand that not all dogs are created equal. You hear scary stories about specific breeds, which may turn you away from the idea of adopting a “mutt,” when you aren’t sure of its genetics. But the truth of the matter is that we can’t profile dogs by the masses and doing so is another example of the “people problem.” For instance, the actions of one pit bull do not reflect the behavior of
all other pit bulls. The same goes for humans—we can’t judge entire groups of people based on the actions of one, and we all need to do our part to end breed-specific stigmas. Adopting a pit bull is one great way to do this 😉
“Paw”blem #3: It’s a myth that shelter dogs cost you more money in the long run.
A pure-bred puppy can cost you up to $6,000, and often still needs to be spayed/neutered (4). However, when adopting from HSPPR, puppies cost less than $400 and include a microchip, a dog license, recent vaccinations, a voucher for a veterinary exam and a spay or neuter.
Plus, you know the dog was examined by a certified veterinarian in a clinic accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association. You get better bang for your buck, and you can rest easy knowing that the dog you are adopting is happy and healthy.
Between the overpopulation crisis, the availability of healthy and safe dogs in shelters and their lower costs, the question now is: why wouldn’t you adopt? #HappyTailsHappyHearts
