When people look for a new pet to add to the family, they need to decide what breed they want of their favorite species of animal. Most people would want a purebred, show line pet, even though they most likely won't show them in the future. They're unaware of the thousands of shelter pets waiting to be let out of that kennel to a new family. Sadly, these people treat these mutts like chopped liver and go to the purebreds. So, from my experience with fostering and adopting out animals, as well as rescuing my own dog, I will hopefully persuade another future pet owner to rescue instead of getting a show line purebred.
To start off, rescuing a pet from a shelter is way cheaper than buying from a registered breeder. Let's take a Pit Bull or any Bull-Type Terrier (since they're the top dog breeds that end up in shelters). That shelter Pit Bull is going to cost you at most $250. Now if it was from a registered breeder, it will cost you about $1,000 to $5,000 depending on the breeder. Unless you want to show your dog in the future, you might want to stick to the cheaper shelter dog.
Secondly, mutts have been proven to be the most intelligent, most loyal, and most outgoing over any purebred dog. This is because they are mixed with so many traits from other breeds that just come together perfectly to form a better and stronger characteristic than its descendants. If you want a loyal dog that will stick by your side no matter what, get a Golden Shepherd. Do you want a smart dog that you can teach many tricks to? Get a Bordoodle. Want an energetic dog that will go on your daily jogs with you? Get a Boxmation. Want a lazy dog that just wants to eat and sleep? Get a Bassugg. What's also great is that mutts are much better around kids and other animals than purebreds. These mutts are the perfect companions for you.
Furthermore, you are saving someone's life. The Humane Society for Shelter Pets estimates that 3.7 million shelter pets get euthanized each year for many reasons. Why do they keep euthanizing animals? That's honestly a very good question The three main reasons are illness, aggression, and overpopulation. When an animal has an illness that is so severe and the shelter is tight on budget, they euthanize it. When an animal is so aggressive that no one wants to adopt the pet, it gets euthanized. When a shelter is overpopulated with homeless animals and there are no available kennels for the new animals, they euthanize the animals that will most likely not get adopted. There are also a few people that pick up strays that they would like to adopt, but because of the seven day policy, they have to wait to see if any owners claim the animals first. Sometimes when these people come back for the pets, they find out that it had been euthanized days earlier. Even though humane societies pledge to have a no-kill policy, many shelters to this day euthanize pets.
Lastly, you are changing someone's life in a way they never seen before. When you adopt a shelter animal, it is your responsibility to give it the love it has never experienced. Animals have emotions like we human beings. If you were super lonely and feeling hopeless, and someone you love gave you compassion, it would make you feel happy. You would know someone loves you as much as you love them. This is exactly how an animal feels, especially a rescue. There are even some cases where foster homes picked an aggressive dog, and a year later it turns into a huge love-bug. You also get a good reputation from others, because you would be an amazing person for changing an animal from being lonely to feeling loved.
So, when you are picking out a dog or a cat for your family, consider this article before leaning towards buying a purebred.
