by Janet Farricelli CPDT-KA

Created on: April 18, 2009

So you decided you want to get a new puppy or new kitten, yet you are still debating on where to head out to find your furry friend. There are two places you want to avoid as the plague: puppy stores and back yard breeders. These sources are notorious for breeding pets only for profits, ultimately with little interest in the pet's temperament and over all health condition.

What remains at this point are serious breeders and shelters. Deciding between the two really depends on what type of pet you are considering to adopt and your financial situation. Only by looking at both these options owners can decide what works better. Below are the some of the pros and cons between adopting from a shelter and adopting from a responsible breeder.

Adopting From a Shelter

1) The main advantage of adopting from a shelter is the fact that you will be greatly helping out with the pet overpopulation problem. In your little, you will be doing a big favor and possibly, even save a life.

2) The main disadvantage is that shelter pets sometimes may come with a baggage of problems such as a history of abuse or neglect or other behavior problems. However, this is most commonly seen in adult pets.

3) Adoption fees from shelters are significantly lower when compared to purchasing a dog from a breeder. Most shelters allow you to adopt a pet for under $50 dollars. Also most shelters offer low cost neuter and spay surgeries and low cost vaccinations.

Adopting From a Breeder

1) The main advantage is that you will get a puppy that has been properly socialized, has parents both hopefully temperament tested and free of genetic flaws.

2) The main disadvantage is that the puppy comes with a heavy price tag at times. This can easily amount to hundrends or even thousands of dollars depending on the type of breed you are considering adopting. However, the breeder should be always available to answer questions and take back the pup without hesitancy if for whatever reason you are not happy with it.

3) You get the type of puppy breed you have been looking for. It may be quite difficult to find a puppy of a specific dog breed in a shelter, these are usually adopted pretty quickly. However, you may end up with a mixed breed that has some characteristics of the dog breed you like. Also consider looking in dog rescues for particular breeds.

As seen, there are advantages and disadvantages to each. It is ultimately up to you as an owner to decide where you will get your puppy or kitten from. It would be highly recommended to consider the shelter possibility even because with the way the economy has been going lately, it sounds like most animal shelters are quite over full. Before heading towards a breeder, try to visit your local shelter first, you may find yourself in love with a stray puppy or kitten that needs you and you may ultimately discover that you forgot all about that breed you thought you were so fond of.

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