Adopting a shelter dog vs purchasing from a breeder

[Zookeep]

Originally Posted by Whiteshepherds

I think the article was well written. Adopting dogs is a great if that's what people WANT to do but there's no reason to try and make someone who buys from a breeder feel guilty about it.

I thought the article was poorly written and full of misleading and incorrect information. It attacks the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) for only giving 1 percent of its money to shelters. Where did HSUS ever say that its mission was to fund shelters. It has five shelters of its own. It also funds advertisements to encourage people to adopt from shelters. This is a good use of funds.

The article also implies that shelters are doing something wrong by taking in dogs from other countries. Don't dogs from other countries deserve a chance at a good home in the U.S.?

I laughed when I read that the author wrote that Puerto Rico sends dogs into the U.S. Puerto Rico is part of the U.S. My local shelter takes dogs from places all over the country where they are less likely to be adopted because they have a better chance of being adopted here. That's a good thing, right?

The real problem is not breeders, but people who don't spay/neuter their dogs. It is the unexpected litter which causes dogs to end up in shelters. Responsible breeders will not breed more dogs than they can sell.

[llombardo]

Originally Posted by Zookeep

The article also implies that shelters are doing something wrong by taking in dogs from other countries. Don't dogs from other countries deserve a chance at a good home in the U.S.?

I didn't read the article and I don't have a problem helping any dog from anywhere, but it might not be a bad idea to start here. With so many homeless dogs here, it really doesn't make sense to not help them first. Its the same thing with starving people in other countries, what about the people here? In a perfect world we can help them all, but in reality we can't save them all.

[PatchonGSD]

Very interesting read. While I am blessed with a great rescue GSD, there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to purchase a dog with a pedigree, known history, health guarantee, and that was bred exactly for what you want.

[Zookeep]

Originally Posted by llombardo

I didn't read the article and I don't have a problem helping any dog from anywhere, but it might not be a bad idea to start here. With so many homeless dogs here, it really doesn't make sense to not help them first. Its the same thing with starving people in other countries, what about the people here? In a perfect world we can help them all, but in reality we can't save them all.

The dog whose life is saved does not know or care which country it came from.

[llombardo]

Originally Posted by PatchonGSD

Very interesting read. While I am blessed with a great rescue GSD, there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to purchase a dog with a pedigree, known history, health guarantee, and that was bred exactly for what you want.

I agree 100%, but I openly admit that everytime I start looking at breeders for my male GSD(in the future), I end up looking at rescues instead. All I want is a pet, I'm willing to work the dog if its able, but its not that important to me. I'm looking for a companion that can go where I go, enjoy life with me. I also like a challenge, which going the rescue route is ALMOST a guarantee. Down the road I can say that I did good by the dog and the dog turned into what I wanted. My oldest is a rescue that was returned 3 times by the time she was 10 months, I still can't figure it out. I did spend the first couple years trying to stay one step ahead of her, she is by far the smartest dog I've ever owned

[llombardo]

Originally Posted by Zookeep

The dog whose life is saved does not know or care which country it came from.

This is true, but why go elsewhere when they are everywhere here? By doing this, how will it ever be under control here?

[Zookeep]

Originally Posted by llombardo

This is true, but why go elsewhere when they are everywhere here? By doing this, how will it ever be under control here?

We need to do more to encourage people to spay/neuter.

[Freestep]

Originally Posted by Zookeep

The article also implies that shelters are doing something wrong by taking in dogs from other countries. Don't dogs from other countries deserve a chance at a good home in the U.S.?

It's an issue because some of the shelters are funded by tax dollars, and the taxpayers don't think we should pay to clean up other places' problems.

When they have the room, our local shelter takes in dogs from overcrowded shelters in central CA, and a lot of people around here don't like it--and that's within the same state, within about 300 miles! I guess the issue could be the same with privately-run rescues that receive donations; donors might not necessarily agree with the practice of bringing in dogs from outside the area.

Personally, I'm on the fence with the issue. It seems that we have enough problems of our own, but... if for whatever reason half the kennels at our shelter are vacant, why should they not ease the load of a more crowded shelter? We're in this because we care about dogs, right? Well, the dogs have no control over where they are born or where they live. As long as the organization is not spending a ton of resources to transport the dogs, I have a hard time getting upset about it.

When it gets to the point of transporting dogs overseas, it gets more ethically complicated. You have to start thinking about the resources being spent, disease transmission, etc.

[Zookeep]

Originally Posted by Freestep

It's an issue because some of the shelters are funded by tax dollars, and the taxpayers don't think we should pay to clean up other places' problems.

When they have the room, our local shelter takes in dogs from overcrowded shelters in central CA, and a lot of people around here don't like it--and that's within the same state, within about 300 miles! I guess the issue could be the same with privately-run rescues that receive donations; donors might not necessarily agree with the practice of bringing in dogs from outside the area.

Personally, I'm on the fence with the issue. It seems that we have enough problems of our own, but... if for whatever reason half the kennels at our shelter are vacant, why should they not ease the load of a more crowded shelter? We're in this because we care about dogs, right? Well, the dogs have no control over where they are born or where they live. As long as the organization is not spending a ton of resources to transport the dogs, I have a hard time getting upset about it.

When it gets to the point of transporting dogs overseas, it gets more ethically complicated. You have to start thinking about the resources being spent, disease transmission, etc.

I don't mind my tax dollars or donation dollars going to save foreign dogs. I guess I can see how others might not agree. In other countries, people don't have the money to spay/neuter their dogs. For the most part, in the U.S., we do. There is no excuse for someone allowing an unexpected litter in this country.

When I go to the shelter to adopt a dog (5 of our 7 came from shelters), I don't care where it came from, only that it will get along with our other dogs and cats (also from the shelter).

As for disease, I am pretty sure our shelter quarantines and vaccinates the new dogs.

[DunRingill]

Originally Posted by Zookeep

The real problem is not breeders, but people who don't spay/neuter their dogs.

The body parts aren't the problem.....I have quite a few groom customers with intact dogs that have never had a litter.

Monster Mike is still intact, he has not and will never sire a litter.