Million Dollar Pet Pix

By adopting an older dog from a shelter you are saving a life.

We recently decided to get a pet for our young family. We opted for a new old dog! Our 10 year old son kept asking for a puppy and we could not go to the mall without having to stop by the pet store to look at all the puppies there. No matter how cute the puppies are or how many shots they've had our budget just couldn't justify spending $800 or more for a puppy from a pet store.

We'd thought about going to the shelter before but had some concerns about maybe ending up with a pet that might turn unruly. As the pleas for a pet kept increasing we decided to do some research into adopting a pet from the local shelter. We had a family discussion about the pros and cons of getting a puppy or dog from a shelter.

The first advantage that appealed to me for going to a shelter as opposed to buying a dog from a pet store was from a cost perspective... the cost of adopting a shelter/rescue dog is much lower than going to a breeder or pet store. On average the cost of adopting from a shelter is between $50 and $250 which is much less than the $800 plus pricetag at a pet store. 

Since one can adopt a puppy or an older dog from a shelter our family discussion centered around which would be best for us. Here are our notes...

The possible advantages of adopting a puppy are:

1. Ahh! How cute a puppy can be
2. You get to do the training – you set the rules, so you have a better idea of what to expect from the puppy

The possible disadvantages of adopting a puppy are:
1.  Not knowing the puppy's genetics and disposition
2.  Not knowing exactly how big the puppy will get     

The possible advantages of adopting an older dog are:
1. They're most-likely housebroken
2. They're likely more appreciative of being in new and better surroundings
3. They can be less destructive than puppies
4. They will likely have had some training
5. You may be saving the dog's life! (puppies are more saleable)

The possible disadvantages of adopting an older dog are:
1. You know the dog’s size and disposition;
2. May have lived in many different settings so you need to be patient until the dog adjusts to another new location.

We also found out that many humane societies, pet rescues and SPCA’s provide counseling to help match a potential owner and a pet. Additionally, shelter dogs are checked by a veterinarian in many cases and have received vaccinations. The puppies or dogs may have been spayed or neutered and been treated for parasites and heartworm. Additionally, they will likely have received love and attention from compassionate volunteers during their stay at the pet shelter. All good!

Shelter dogs are not all strays. Many dogs are brought to a shelter because of owners not being able to continue the care due to a new family circumstance such as a family tragedy, an overseas move, or some other change that prevents the owner from properly caring for their pet. And, according to the HSUS purebreds represent on average up to 30% of shelter dogs, so if you really want to have a purebred, this is often an option.

So after much discussion and weighing all our ideas about getting a new puppy or dog we decided on adopting a beautiful 3 year old dog. Our son named her Butterscotch and in the last few months she has settled into our household very nicely. We're glad we were able to possibly save her life and she has definitely added a lot to ours.

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Author: Becca Ross - Freelance Author