By Olivia Jakiel, Purple Clover
Adopt, Don't Shop
Getting a dog is one of life's greatest pleasures. There's nothing quite like welcoming an adorable, cuddly, fuzzy, four-legged member to your family! However, buying a dog from a breeder or pet store isn't the best choice. There are millions of dogs in shelters across the country that would give anything to be in a loving home. Plus, there are SO many benefits to adopting a dog rather than shopping for one. If you're thinking about adopting a pup, check out this list for 13 reasons why you should do so.
You'll Save A Life
Unfortunately, many dogs are euthanized at shelters all across the country because of overcrowding, their age, health, and other heartbreaking reasons. By adopting a dog rather than buying one, you’ll save a life that might otherwise be cut short.
You'll Free Up Space At The Shelter
Adopting a dog from a shelter means there will be more space for other pups who need a temporary home before they hopefully get adopted, too!
You'll Give A Pup The Best Life They Could Ever Ask For
All dogs want is to be loved and show you how much they love you. By adopting a dog from a shelter, you’ll be giving them the best possible life they could ever have, and they’ll be eternally grateful for that.
You'll Save Money
It’s not uncommon for there to be an adoption fee when picking out a pet from a shelter, but buying a dog from a breeder or a pet store is insanely expensive! We’re talking thousands of dollars! However, for a few hundred dollars (sometimes even less), you’ll not only save a dog’s life, but you’ll save some serious cash, too.
Adoption Helps More Than One Animal
Which brings me to my next point: Adoption isn’t just helping the animal(s) you choose to adopt; it’s helping other pets at the shelter, too! Your donation/adoption fee will help supply food, blankets, toys, and other goodies and necessities shelters need.
It's A Big 'Screw You' To Puppy Mills
The best way to fight puppy mills is to not buy animals from one! If you don’t support puppy mills, it’ll be harder for them to stay in business.
You'll Become Healthier
Once you adopt a pup, your new friend is going to need to go on walks ALL the time. Even if you’re just walking around the block three times a day, that’s still more than the zero times a day. Plus, seeing your adopted pup interact with other dogs at the park or while out and about will bring you — and of course, them — so much joy!
They May Already Be Trained
A lot of people say “you never know what you’re going to get” when it comes to rescue dogs, however, that’s not necessarily a bad thing! Your brand-new doggo might be fully trained, which is great if you don’t want to go through the trials and tribulations of potty training. (And, honestly, who wants to go through that?)
You'll Be Happier
Fact: Dogs make almost everyone happy. If a dog doesn’t make you happy, you might be a cold, dead, soulless human being. The end. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
You'll Become More Social
Dogs are just like kids — you have to socialize them if you don’t want them to turn out weird. In turn, the more you socialize your pup (by taking them to the dog park, training classes, out for Saturday brunch, etc.), the more you’ll socialize, too. Also, that’s EXACTLY how 30% of Hallmark holiday movies start, so who knows — maybe you’ll meet the love of your life while you’re out with your doggo.
There Are Tons Of Options To Choose From
If you buy from a breeder, puppy mill, or pet store, your options are pretty limited. However, when you adopt, you can literally find ANY type of dog you want, especially with sites like Petfinder. Also, going to a shelter and seeing if you make that special connection with a dog right away is a truly wonderful and special feeling.
Other People May Follow Suit
Not gonna lie, this happened with me and my brothers! We all adopted dogs within a year of each other, after seeing what a wonderful addition they made to each other’s families. If you adopt a dog, other people in your life may follow suit, which means they’ll save money, give a dog the best life ever, become more active, and everything else on this list.
You'll Gain A New Best Friend
Most importantly, you’ll gain a new best friend. Dogs enhance our lives so much! The second you adopt a shelter dog, you’ll wonder how you ever lived your life before they were in it.
