Last Updated on September 20, 2023
Getting a dog is a big decision. The only thing that remains now is to figure out what’s best:
- Hit the mall and buy one of those fuff-balls in the window of a pet-shop
- Start reaching out to animal shelters and adopt a rescue dog
You’re reading this, so we know you’re seriously considering adopting a rescue dog, and you definitely know that we’re going to do our best to convince you this is the best choice.
What is more important, though, is that when you searched for reasons to adopt a rescue dog, you probably got over 40 million results in Google. That speaks for itself, but we’re still going to summarize the most important aspects of how adopting a rescue dog is better than purchasing one.
Save a Life
According to the Australian Pet Welfare Foundation, Australia, a country with over 24.6 million people in it, euthanizes roughly 43,900 dogs per year.
While we do understand that some of these dogs are put to sleep because they face medical conditions in which euthanasia is the merciful path, for most of them, this fate is only a procedure. Depending on where you are, there could be different shelter policies.
Most of the time, in state-funded shelters, there is an average period of 90-days in which a dog can be adopted or euthanized, due to a large number of pups and low funding they receive. So yes, you CAN save a life — one of the 200 million stray hearts wondering the streets all over the world.
Fight Puppy Mills
Remember option A above? Now imagine those same pups (usually taken from their mother too early) trying to get their milk they need from an underfed, over-bred mother. You know that female pup you see in the streets with her breast hanging so low that they almost touch the ground – all while you can count her bones?
She’s just not lucky. Her instincts kick in. But imagine the same thing being forced by humans to a dog, and they do it because it’s profitable. The worst part is that they choose the prettiest pups in the litter and breed them together.
And they do it over and over again.
While some pups might be ok, most of them develop underlying congenital illnesses, which show up later in life. You bring home a sweetheart of a puppy, only to spend days at the vet, and it’s most likely you’ll receive the option you do not want to think about.
So, we ask just this: why would you?
Rescue Dogs are Healthier
Setting aside the information above, when you adopt a shelter dog, the cost of adoption will most likely already include vaccinations, check-ups, and even post-adoption controls. Those working at shelters do their best to help both the dog and the new owner to adjust to one another and make this transition as smooth as possible.
They understand that taking your new rescue dog to the vet for a rabies shot only two days after you got him will only disrupt any bonding process you have started. That’s why you will get a healthy dog and reap the benefits of your new relationship. Still, check for the basics of course, and maybe look into buying a dog flea collar.
You Have Variety to Choose From
There is a misconception about shelters that they only bring in troublesome stray dogs reported by “concerned citizens.” The truth is that most dogs arrive in shelters after being abandoned by families who got them as a whim.
The joy on a child’s face when they see that Santa really got them a puppy is priceless – or, is it? Once the adults in that home realize the dog is their responsibility, chances are pretty high that the pup “needed to go back to his mommy. She missed him soooo much.”
This is why chances are pretty high for you to find a specific breed if you have your heart set on it for years, or alternatively, if you’re not sure which breed to go with, check out this article on dog breeds for first-time owners. But remember: at the end of the day, any dog is just a heart that wants to love and receive love (and maybe a juicy bone from time to time).
You Give a Chance to Another Dog
When you adopt a rescue dog, you eliminate a specific cost of the shelter. That money can then be redirected towards rescuing another one, or for the medical bill of an injured pup (which otherwise might have been put to sleep due to lack of resources, as I don’t think they take out dog insurance… there really should be a program around this).
So, our number one reason for adopting a rescue dog turns simply into “you save lives.”
Honestly, we could speak endlessly about this topic, but we’re going to leave you with another one though. You’re bringing a dog into your life because you know it’s going to make it better. So, why don’t you do the same in return? Make a life better that is.
