ADOPT don't Shop

Who coined the phrase, “adopt, don’t shop” and why? 

​If you want a pet and are willing to give it a loving home, what business is it of anyone where you obtain your animal?

April 30 is National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day , a day created to raise awareness for the millions of animals waiting for their forever homes in shelters across the country.

Are you ready to bring home your new 4-legged family member? Your local shelter is a great place to begin your search!

Why shouldn't you buy a pet?
Your local pet store that sells pets is the obvious and most convenient place to go when looking for a  new pet.  It is an establishment located in a shopping center you frequent, has been around for a long time and often offers attractive registrations and finance plans.  So why not?  

Because, most pet store puppies are sourced from commercial dog breeding operations (aka puppy mills), where making a profit takes precedence over how the animals are treated.   This results in perpetuating the abusive cruelty of puppy mills. You also pay a premium for an animal that may have medical or personality issues due to in-breeding and poor breeding in unhealthy conditions.  How do we stop this horrid practice? 

Puppy mills are not breeding puppies because they love animals or want to show them in conformation or to preserve the lines and qualities of purebred dogs.  They are breeding for money.  It is simple supply and demand; if no one is buying, they will stop producing.

Okay, if not a pet store, then where do I go? Check the ads in your local newspaper. I did that once and drove several miles to a small Texas town (Texas is not known for the best treatment of animals) and purchased a darling little Boston Terrier puppy from a couple in the country who seemed nice enough. But the very first evening at home, I began to suspect something wasn’t quite right with the pup. She was not playing and she seemed lethargic. The next morning, when the diarrhea began, I took her to the vet where Parvo was confirmed. After a fairly lengthy and very expensive stay in the hospital (the nice country folks refused to take any responsibility for selling a sick dog) she became a 14-year joy. But we were lucky, it could have had a different ending. 

So, what next?  People are turning to the internet.  Once again, you don’t know anything about where the puppy was bred or the conditions of the kennel.  Reputable breeders take excellent care of their animals and health test to try to prevent inherited medical issues. And they don’t sell their litters to just anyone.

Paying high dollar for a pet and purchasing from people who are dealing in pets for profit augments animal cruelty by supporting inhumane breeding and over population. 

Unless you are a “dog fancy,” a group of people comprised of professionals and hobbyists who are invested in the sport of showing dogs in judged competitions, you really don’t even have a need for the often-coveted AKC registration that may accompany a purebred dog. A piece of paper does not prove the quality of the dog or enhance the joy, love, and happiness that a dog can bring to your life. 

If you want a particular breed because you like that look or personality, check out the breed rescues. If you just want a companion, household member or family pet, visit your local shelters and rescues. Thus the phrase, adopt, don’t shop! 

When you adopt, you are giving a homeless animal a home rather than perpetuating the already over- populated canine and feline populace. And, once again, you are not encouraging inhumane breeding practices. The reasonable amount of money that you spend to adopt goes toward helping other homeless animals rather than the unethical business of irresponsible and/or unscrupulous profiting from animals.

If you adopt an adult pet you also have the advantage of knowing it’s “full-grown” size and appearance.  You have some insight into personality. The animal is likely potty trained and past the chewing stage. 

One more thing! When talking about appearance, animals, like people, respond to love and nurturing.  My little rescue was deemed “unadoptable” by animal control before a rescue took her.  She was skinny from malnutrition, had lost her hair from stress and flea infestation and considered too unattractive to be adopted.  Today, with her proper weight, full coat and toothy grin, people stop me on the street to comment on how cute she is and want to know her breed.  Guess they want one that looks like her!     

Give a homeless dog a home, but don’t give someone who is unethically treating animals a reason to continue!
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Midland Humane Coalition and other local rescue groups are working towards saving homeless pets from euthanasia. When animals are surrendered or abandoned, they end up at the shelter.  The problem is, when space runs out, so does their time. Often times, there's nothing wrong with these pets aside from the fact that their human guardians failed them and they are consequently homeless. 

When you adopt a pet from MHC, we take the time to ensure we have a good match for both pet and the home. If, for any reason, the adopter has any issues with a pet down the road, we are always willing to offer a helping hand -- whether it's giving advice or helping to re-home the pet. We want to ensure that  no MHC pet ever ends up back in the shelter or on the streets! Our doors will always be open to MHC pets. 

If you're interested in finding a new member of your family, check out the local rescue groups! Adopt a pet and save a precious life. There is a cat or dog out there just sitting and waiting for you to meet them:  www.midlandhumane.org/adoptables  
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Shelia Huffman, Contributor/MHC Board 
Shelia recently moved to the Greenwood community of Midland from Dallas where she was a staff writer for White Rock Lake Weekly and a columnist for Bubblelife Media.  A retired travel agent and event planner, she has  been an animal activist her entire life.  Shelia  has a daughter and son-in-law in Midland, a grandson in Dallas and a granddaughter at Texas Tech. She lists cooking and writing about food, and,  of course, playing with her Terrier Mix rescue, Penelope, as some of her favorite things.