Navidad: 4 reasons you should consider pet adoption first

It’s hard not to stop and admire the cute puppies in the pet shop windows. Many people impulsively fall in love and bring one home without thinking twice. Unfortunately, most of the time these adorable puppies are the products of puppy mills.

Puppy mills are not reputable breeders and put the monetary value of puppies over the health and well-being of the animals in their care.

These animals live in terrible conditions and are forced to breed again and again. They live a life absent of love and affection and are crammed into filthy, unsanitary crates, and often suffer from malnutrition and lack of vet care.

Plus, many times puppies that come out of these breeding situations often end up having health problems because of the unsanitary conditions they were raised in.

Therefore, it’s imperative that you do your own research before you add a new pet to your family, and why I strongly encourage you to adopt and not shop.

Here are just a few reasons why you should consider adoption:

1. It’s more affordable

Adoption fees tend to be significantly lower than what you might pay through an online breeder or through a pet shop. Plus, your new family member will be up to date on all their vaccinations, will be spayed or neutered, and will be microchipped, which is a huge cost savings!

2. Built in support system

When you adopt from the Arizona Animal Welfare League or another local rescue, you will receive ongoing support as you embark on this new adventure with your new best friend.

At AAWL, we provide a behavior hotline for all our adopters for the lifetime of their pet, so they can always reach out if they have questions or concerns. We also offer low-cost training classes and vet care for our adopters, so you can keep your pet safe and healthy.

3. Transparency

Most animal rescues will be transparent about what they know about a dog or cat’s history and will be able to share more about their personality, activity level and medical history to ensure that it will be a good fit before you bring them home.

At AAWL, we offer a personalized, guided adoption process to ensure that you find your perfect best friend. Your adoption counselor will ask you what qualities you are looking for in a pet and you will be able to ask questions to ensure the pet you are interested in will be the right fit for your family.

4. It saves lives

When you adopt a pet from your local animal shelter, not only are you saving the life of your new family member, but you help make room for more lives to be saved. Plus, you’re doing your part to help to address a serious community problem: pet overpopulation.

These are just a few of the reasons why you should consider adopting from your local animal shelter instead of a pet shop or a breeder, and if you’re thinking, “But I want a purebred not a mixed breed,” you can adopt a purebred dog or cat through a rescue too!

There are even breed-specific rescue groups to make it even easier for you to find your best friend.

Editor’s note: Alessandra Navidad is president and CEO of the Arizona Animal Welfare League. Visit aawl.org.