I’m sure you’ve heard the “Adopt, Don’t Shop” slogan. If you haven’t, being a dog owner means you will hear it eventually. “Adopt, Don’t Shop” has been a highly divisive topic that is naïve at best and dangerous at worst.
“Adopt, Don’t Shop” was coined by Last Chance Animal Rescue with the aim of raising awareness of the homeless dog population. Some organizations and individuals have taken this to the extreme. Some see “Adopt, Don’t Shop” as a license to demonize anyone who does not adopt a dog from a shelter.
In this post, I’m going to dive into five unfortunate truths as to why “Adopt, Don’t Shop” isn’t always the best answer.
Unfortunate Truth 1 – A Question of Ethics
Adopt side
Most animal rescues, animal shelters and pet re-homing organizations are highly ethical. The people who work, volunteer, and run these organizations are truly unsung heroes. However, like in any other bunch, there are going to be some bad apples. There are stories like a Humane Society in St. Lucille County, Florida that was found in deplorable, filthy conditions. Another Florida rescue, which was being used as a front for selling illegal narcotics, was also found in horrifying conditions. Finally, there was the case of a couple who funnelled 1.5 million dollars from their Humane Society.
I’d like to think that these cases are in the minority, but it does happen. Here’s the rub – you don’t know for sure which shelters will turn out to make another news headline. As a result, unfortunately, it’s a case of buyer beware.
We all know the horror stories of puppy mills and, of course, this is something we want to avoid altogether. However, there are animal shelters that act as fronts for these so-called puppy mills. In fact The Dodo exposed one such organization, Hobo K9, as one of these fronts for their puppy mill.
Similarly, pet re-homing organizations have fallen under unscrupulous actors. To be fair, when you look at local pet rehoming groups on social media, you will see mostly posts from individuals looking to re-home their own pet or a family member’s pet who may have passed away. There are a plethora of reasons for individuals to seek new homes for their furry family members – from cost to moving to changing work conditions/return to the office, these cases are usually legitimate. You may come across people who are selling puppies on these groups. Again, they could have legitimate reasons, however, there have been many cases (at least in my local area) where these re-homing groups were simply re-branded puppy mills.
Shop Side
At one time you could wander into any pet shop and walk out with a new pet. In Canada, there are laws prohibiting the sale of dogs (and cats) in pet stores. The same is true for several states in the US including California and New York. The UK, France, and many other countries around the world, including parts of Australia, have also banned this practice. Although the sale of pets is prohibited, pet stores may help facilitate the adoption of dogs. Looking at the source of the animals for whom a pet store is facilitating an adoption is critical. Without knowing this, you may be unwittingly supporting those puppy mills that are using terms like animal rescue as a front for their illegal and unethical operation.
Also on the shop side, there are dog breeders. Many proponents of the “Adopt, Don’t Shop” slogan may oversimplify the ethics issue with notions like “non-profit good; for-profit bad.” In other words, because shelters are non-profits, they are intrinsically good, and because breeders charge a fee for their dogs (i.e for profit), they are bad. What is missed in this sentiment is the investment that ethical breeders make in maintaining the integrity of the breed, conducting breed research, and producing the best possible representation of their breed of choice. For most breeders, this is their life’s passion, and they are not making huge profits.
Unfortunate Truth 2 – Cost
Cost is always a consideration when getting a dog. When you choose to adopt from a shelter or rescue organization, there is typically a fee. This adoption fee will vary from place to place, but the fees cover any medical expenses incurred, such as having the dog spayed or neutered and getting the dog up to date on vaccinations. The shelter may also provide the dog with basic training.
Adoption fees are typically much lower than a breeder’s purchase fee, however, without knowing the dog’s medical history or if the dog exhibits undesirable behaviour that requires special training, the cost could increase rapidly. This risk is greatly reduced when you buy a dog from a reputable breeder because the breeder will typically provide a “guarantee” for typical health concerns for the breed, such as an elbow or hip guarantee. Moreover, a reputable breeder will be breeding with temperament in mind and matching owners based on the temperament of the dog. As a result, you are less likely to face hefty medical or training bills.
Cost is also a consideration because this has been cited as the key reason that animal shelters see pets returned or surrendered to their care. According to a study that was produced in September, 2020 by PubMed Central, the return rate of pets in the US within the first six months of adoption is between 7-20%. In Humane Canada’s 2020 Animal Shelter Statistics report, 34% of the intake of dogs is due to surrender by owner and the key reason for pet surrender is cost.
A disheartening development has been the increase in animal intake in shelters. Animal shelters in Toronto, Canada are seeing pet surrenders up 75% from last year. The main reasons cited are post-pandemic return to office and cost. With rising inflation, most people are feeling the pinch.
That said, according to the ASPCA, they are not finding a national trend in this post-pandemic uptick. This article was written in May, 2021, so more current data may paint a different picture. It’s also worth mentioning that it would be in the ASPCA’s best interest to downplay any return or surrender rates.
We’re now in late summer 2022. Hopefully, the pandemic is behind us, but a lot of people who decided to get a dog during the pandemic, who are now returning to the office, are dealing with dogs with very high separation anxiety issues. If your lifestyle can nurture an adopted dog who may need a little bit more attention, then adoption may be an awesome route for you.
Unfortunate Truth 3 – Dog’s Lifespan
If you have your heart set on a puppy, then it may be a little bit more difficult to find a puppy for adoption. It’s not impossible, but they are in much higher demand and are adopted quickly. If you prefer to skip the puppy stage (which can be very trying at times) and are open to adopting an adult dog, you may have a better chance of finding your furry friend in a shelter or animal rescue. Keep in mind that the number of years you have with your dog will be shortened by their current age.
Finally, if you are open to adopting a senior dog, you will likely have no problem finding one in a shelter or animal rescue. You will need to be prepared for helping a dog go through their final stages of life – in their last months or years. From my own experience, I was grateful for being with my dog in her final days and hours, but it was one the most heart-wrenching experiences I’ve had.
Unfortunate Truth 4 – Allowed to Adopt?
There are circumstances where an animal rescue or shelter may not allow you to adopt one of their dogs. I kid you not! I live in a condo and I’ve almost always lived in apartment-style buildings. Whenever I’ve looked at dog adoption, unfortunately, the shelters I went to gave preference to people who lived in a home with a fenced yard. I understand the justification and I want to respect the needs of the dog.
For instance, a couple of months ago, I met a sweet Am Staff mix at my local SPCA. She was wonderful with people but was dog reactive. As a result, she was deemed not suitable for apartment living. Having a dog reactive dog in an apartment building like mine, with other dogs in the building, means that there is a good chance that we would meet another dog in the hallway. It would be unfair to put a rescue dog in such a stressful situation (not to mention my neighbours and their dogs) knowing they are dog reactive. I’ve heard similar stories from friends who also live in apartments. And you may find yourself in the same situation. There may be other stipulations for specific dogs, such as: no homes with cats, no homes with other pets, or no children. If you fall under any of these constraints but want a dog, your only option may be to buy from a breeder.
Unfortunate Truth 5 – Breed Specific Needs
If you have breed-specific needs, you may be challenged to find these breeds in an animal shelter or rescue. For instance, a farmer may need a herding breed for their cattle. A hunter may be looking for a dog that can help with pointing or flushing out foul.
There are breed-specific shelters, however, they may not be local to your area. If travelling isn’t an issue, this can still be a case of buyer beware. There are cases of puppy mills that use shelters as a front for their operation and may even misrepresent the breed of dog they provide. As always, it’s important to stay diligent with your research.
Closing
“Adopt, Don’t Shop” has done a wonderful job of raising awareness of the homeless dog population, however, some organizations have taken this to the extreme. As a result, it has devolved and is now used to demonize anyone who doesn’t adopt a dog from a shelter. Instead of villainizing fellow dog lovers, I propose that we support each other instead and say, “adopt and shop” or “dog lovers unite.”
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