Adopt Not Shop

So, you want a dog? Your first step may be to contact a breeder, or go to your local puppy shop. Shake a Paw, Puppy Guyz, The Puppy Boutique, Puppyland. Be wary. Puppy stores and breeders often get their puppies from unethical sources, such as puppy mills, which practice inhumane and cruel breeding as they prioritize profit over the wellbeing of puppies.

So, why should you adopt from shelters ? Currently, there is an enormous adoption crisis throughout the US as people put more of an emphasis on adopting from unreputable breeders and shops rather than animal shelters. They underscore the attractiveness of a designer breed or a purebred, over a mutt that deserves just as much. These poor animals lose out on the chance to be adopted into loving homes, and are neglected in favor of their “lap dog” counterparts. Due to the growing disregard for shelter dogs, overcrowding has had significant increases in animal shelters, which are unable to take in more animals. Especially in the case of kill-shelters, which often have to euthanize robust dogs to make room for others (new arrivals).

According to the ASPCA, “The length of time dogs, especially large dogs, are staying in shelters before being adopted has increased in the last 5 years, adding strain to an already overburdened shelter system. This extended length of time animals are staying in shelters contributes to the ongoing capacity crisis, limiting space for new animals.”

Dog adoptions have declined 13% from 2019, with 308,000 fewer adoptions, according to Shelter Animals Count National Database.

Euthanesia has always raised moral and ethical concerns for the public. Kill shelters carry out the heartless murder of defenseless animals without giving them a proper chance of survival. Whether their condition is treatable or not, these shelters carry out immoral practices in order to create a less chaotic environment for themselves. This not only pushes aside the basic rights of the living animal, but also creates emotional stress and guilt for the staff. If a shelter’s mission is to protect and rehome animals, euthanizing due to space or time limits contradicts this, weakening its credibility and core values overall. Not to mention the relationship between clients and shelters is corrupt and dishonourable, as shelters carelessly trick people into the bribe of a young flashy dog. You’ll be surprised by how many cruel shelters put their prettiest dogs on display, to throw away the older, healthier dogs.

According to the ASPCA, In 2024, as the overcrowding crisis has increased, close to 607,000 animals have been euthanized in the US.

Non-live outcomes in animal shelters refer to situations where animals don’t leave the shelter alive, neither adopted or returned to an owner. This is ascribed to the fact that they were euthanized, which is troubling because they represent lives that never got the chance to experience a safe, loving home, often due to overcrowding and the perpetual rejection by prospective adopters.

“Non-live outcomes in shelters have risen by 0.5% for dogs but dropped by 15% for cats. The increase for dogs is driven by government organizations, where non-live outcomes grew by 1.5%, now standing 17.5% higher than in 2019, with a non-live outcome rate of 15% of total intakes.” - Shelter Animals Count National Database

So, what will be your choice? Will you be the reason a life is saved—or the reason it never had a chance?

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