[251EPyso]

I am sad every time I hear someone saying that they just bought their new pet from either a breeder or pet store. There are so many good dogs in shelters that need our help, but still people rather put up $$$$ to get a certain breed. Or maybe it's just laziness, so much easier to put up a $100 or whatever amount than actually fill out an application at a shelter???!! Well not sure why so many people won't help a shelter animal, but I know for sure that we will never buy one. All our animals came from shelters and they are the best "friends" we could have ever gotten!

Do you buy your pets and why? Or do you help an animal from a shelter?

[Jannet.K]

I havent got or had a dog! I was considering a shelter before a breeder. However my eyes and heart are set on a boxer!

I have 2 snakes and 1 leopard gecko that are unwanted animals due to disabilities. Ive had other rehomed reptiles in the past too.

[Nosmas]

I spent around $800 on my german shepherd. Whilst I appreciate rescue work and I have got all my cats from rescues, and do a lot of rescue work with reptiles myself, I wanted a specific breed with no health problems, I wanted health checked parents, I wanted hip scores and blood tests, I wanted her from 8 weeks so that I could train her and she was worth every penny. If I decide to breed her ever, it would be because she has excellent bloodlines, champions in her pedigree, is a beautiful temperement, and she would be studded to an amazing dog and sold to very serious buyers.

There is a big difference between buying from a responsible breeder and buying from a puppy farm

[www.forumsovetov.ru]

I think it's a consideration everyone should make and there are a lot of animals out there that need homes. I think it's hard to convince people who have their heart set on something specific to realize that they will actually love a rescue just as much, but it is important that they at least don't have one 'delivered' and see the breeder and parents first. It's a bit annoying when someone says look how cute my new xx is. I always ask where they got it and more often than not, if it's a small breed, they say the breeder met them somewhere, and I know that means it came from a puppy farm.

[nasxbrtyol]

I have not experienced adopting a dog from a shelter but I had adopted a stray dog. Also our dogs usually came from our friends who giveaway puppies of their dogs since they could not take care of them all. Might consider adopting from a shelter if ever I could not have dogs from strays and from friends in the future.

[Jannet.K]

My nan used to take on the police dogs that never made it to being police dogs

[Roker]

We don't have shelters where I live. If there had been, I probably would've applied volunteering to it immediately. And our pounds are non-existent. With this said, there are so many street dogs roaming on the streets and it breaks my heart not being able to take care of them.

I only have one dog for myself. The others are from my mom. She gets it from different people who are unable to take care of their dogs. It's just annoying for me to not have a say on this matter, especially because I've been spending $$$ on having them vaccinated and bringing them to the vets.

Some shelters are more strict than others. It comes to a point that some conduct house visits before they have their pets adopted, which I think is a great thing.

Unfortunately, some novice pet owners know for themselves that they aren't capable of rehabilitating traumatized dogs so they'll opt for breeders or worst, puppy mills. Still what I like about shelters are, most dogs come neutered/spayed and have complete vaccination shots before they're being released. The downside of it is not being able to get the history of the dog.

[crestosssa]

My nan used to take on the police dogs that never made it to being police dogs

For some reason, I laughed at your response due to picturing a bunch of police dogs in your nan's house

I am proud to say, though, that I have adopted my dog from the shelter. It was one of the best things that can happen in life for both me and my dog, Gucci.

[CalBettaulp]

Yes, I have a dachshund mix I adopted from a shelter. As a matter of fact four of my five dogs we're in danger of ending up in a shelter so I took them in. You might say I take in my friend's and family's misfit dogs. LOL Also, all three of cats were born feral and I took them in also.