The Pet Process

We’ve all asked that question. “Can I have a dog/cat?” Maybe it was when you were younger, maybe it was earlier today. Perhaps you want a specific breed, but you’ve heard so much about breeders that you’re afraid to even look one up. Let me tell you something, there’s a difference between a puppy/kitten mill and a good, reputable breeder. But you might want to adopt the pet of your dreams from a shelter- maybe you fantasize that when you walk up to the animals that one special puppy will be there, chewing on a toy and lookin’ all adorable.. you’ll lock eyes, and it’ll be love at first sight. However, maybe you’ll be walking home from an unsuccessful day at the shelter and find the kitten of your dreams suddenly rubbing against your legs.

..Not.

Picking a pet is a difficult process, and one that should not be taken lightly. You should explore all your options before picking one instead of rushing into it. I took the liberty of making a pro/con list of breeders vs shelters so you can have a basic idea of what the risks are for both of them.

GOOD Breeder	Shelter
PROS: Health Guarantee Exact breed - this means you can get specific characteristics of the breed(i.e. Ragdolls are known for being limp when you pick them up, or German Shepherds are known for their exceptional intelligence) If you look at the parents, you can get a good idea of what the grown animal will be like CONS: Generally costly	PROS: You could very well be saving a life Mixed breed dogs are a magical mish-mash of characteristics from different breeds Cheap Normally spayed/neutered, etc You can ask for a specific breed and maybe they’ll have it CONS: Mixed breed isn’t always good Unknown background No way to know how they’ll end up looking when they’re grown

So long story short, if you don’t care what breed you get, buy from a shelter, but if you want a specific breed, buy from a breeder. Always check the shelter first ‘cause some purebreds do end up there.. somehow. You should check them out! :D