Animal Shelter or Breeder?

Animal Shelter

From my own personal experience I believe that your best options for adopting a dog or cat would be at an animal shelter. Here are good reasons I believe so.

Animal shelters save cats and dogs that have lost their home, have been neglected or abused by a previous owner, and owners that may have simply decided that they can no longer offer care and attention to their pet for financial or other reasons. Animal shelters have cats, kittens, dogs, puppies, and sometimes rodents or birds. They may also provide you with animal's previous owner, health, or personality information. Most shelters will even require you to fill out an application and an interview to make sure that the new pet you are interested is compatible with your home environment such as kids and other animals you may already own.

Basically, you may simply be considering on adopting a pet but not sure what you may be looking for. Upon entering the shelter you may even see full bred and mix bred animals. You can decide whether an adult dog or cat would be more suited than a younger pet that may require extra training and health expenses.

Adopting an animal at a shelter has many benefits. The shelter's are required to only put animals for adoption that have already been neutered or spayed, include a microchip identification system, and have treated health issues that may need attention. Even if you do decide that the pet is not right for your home and family, most shelters will give you the option of being able to return the pet to them so that perhaps another qualified person may adopt it. Fees for adopting animals at shelters may range from $75 to $150 depending on the type and age of the animal.

This is a great comparison to not adopting from a shelter and still have to make initial vet visits that may still include shots, medication, microchip implantation, etc. It is a good way on cutting down your expenses and you get save an animal!

The great thing about shelters its that its employed by people who choose to help animals. Not only are people payed to do what they love but some do it for free! I was a volunteer at the North Shore Animal League America and I met a lot great and dedicated employees and volunteers. The people at the center cared for animals that had been rescued after being homeless due to natural disasters and nurtured them until they were ready to go up for adoption. The dogs and cats at the center get a lot of caring attention from volunteers who are also trained to help you pick the perfect candidate.

Breeder

Unless you are completely knowledgable about the breed you are interested in you should choose a breeder. That means you should be familiar with this particular breed's genetics, animal husbandry, puppy rearing, training, and evaluating temperament. Most breeder don't raise their pups as "pets," they raise them according to their specimen instincts. So if you are just looking for the typical indoor pet you are looking the wrong way.

First, a breeder that you can take seriously will ask you a lot of questions. That is because they truly care for the dog's respect in breed and upcoming future. Remember that purchasing or adopting a dog is atleast a 15-20 year commitment. The breeder will not allow you to take the pup before it is atleast 8 weeks of age, that is because it is illegal in most states and puppies learn a lot in their first 6-8 weeks. He/she should also be able to prove to you in a medical record that the puppy has recieved its first shots. If it hasn't, this breeder most like isn't one to take seriously and is trying to take shortcuts. Just like in most good animal shelters, the breeder will try to get to know you and your family and will choose the right puppy for you.

A good breeder will also always offer a life time guarantee. This means the breeder cares each of his raised pups individually and would rather take it back if things just don't work out for you for whatever reason. Also, ask for references from previous "customers." This can help you decide through a grown adult dog if proper training and care has been provided before purchase. A good breeder will not look into advertising in a magazing, this may link to puppy mills or producing too many puppies. Word of mouth and references should be enough.