Choosing to bring a dog into your life is a monumental decision that changes both your life and that of your canine companion’s. While many gravitate to buying from a breeder, the ethical choice lies elsewhere. Adopt a shelter dog. You will be giving a second chance to a deserving animal, helping break the cycle of overpopulation, and helping stop cruelty in mass-breeding facilities. If you buy your pet from a breeder, you are directly contributing to the 100,000 animals euthanized in animal shelters in California alone, according to the Koret Shelter Medicine Program.
Every year, millions of dogs enter shelter systems due to no fault of their own. These dogs often enter due to circumstance–a family move, an owner passes, a change of financial status. When you adopt, you are not just “getting a pet”; you are transforming the life of a very deserving dog. In shelters, there are a variety of ages, breeds, and training levels that you can take advantage of. You could adopt an older dog or a puppy; some dogs are even trained. Some have never felt love before, and all dogs deserve to feel loved. These dogs are no different than dogs that you can get from a breeder; if anything, they are better behaved. They are often unfairly looked down upon just because they come from a shelter.
Addyson MacQuarrie, a ninth grader at Casa Grande who adopted a shelter dog, shared, “the adoption process was easy, maybe only taking 20 minutes to do the papers. My animal is well behaved, and she’s super fun to hang out with. When you want to relax, she stays by your side.” Like MacQuarrie’s dog, Bailey, all shelter dogs are worthy, and they all deserve good homes.
Shelters are forced to make the heartbreaking decision regarding euthanasia simply because there isn’t enough space or funding to house every dog. Mass breeding operations continue to churn out litter after litter, regardless of the high number of animals already suffering. When you adopt, you are actively disrupting the supply-and-demand loop that fuels mass-breeding operations. For every dog purchased from a breeder, a shelter dog loses the opportunity for a home. However, when you adopt one dog from a shelter, it actually saves two lives: the dog you take home and the dog that will get that available kennel space in the shelter. When asked if she supports shelter animal adoption, Alyssa Florke, 9th grader at Casa, stated, “Yes, I do because it gives animals in shelters a place to live; a home, rather than with animal breeders who only care about money.”
Mass-breeding facilities do not care about the well-being of their animals; they are more concerned with profits. At these facilities, dogs are kept in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions. They often get very little to no veterinary care and receive inadequate nutrition. They force the dogs to breed repeatedly until their bodies give out. The parents and offspring often have medical and behavioral issues after being separated from humans for so long, not receiving the love they deserve. The cruel actions of these breeders can be stopped by adoption; we stop buying, and these facilities lose their motivation to breed.
Adopting a dog is a statement that a registration paper doesn’t determine a living being’s value, but by their capacity to love and be loved. You will turn from a consumer to a lifesaver, helping to stop the tragic surplus of animals and ensuring every dog has the opportunity for a dignified, permanent home. By choosing a shelter or rescue, you aren’t just finding a best friend; you are standing against cruelty and providing a lifeline to a creature in need.
