By: Ryan Rogers

When a family or couple begins to think about expanding their family, they will often think about pets. What kind of pet(s) should we get? How many? But most of all, where to start. The first thing to consider is what animals are legal in your area, and the most important factor is how many animals can you legally own. Always be sure to check your area’s legalities. Once that’s out of the way it’s time to decide what pet you should get. There are many factors that play a part, such as where you live, how much space you have to offer, and where or who to get the pet from.

We’ll first start with rescues and shelters, both, are amazing places that help pets who have had bad or traumatizing events occur that turned their lives miserable, turn their lives around by giving them a second chance. There is nothing wrong with getting your pet from a shelter, so long as you have the patience. Especially when you consider the fact that oftentimes, purebreds frequently end up being in the shelter. And regardless of breed, pure or mutt, whatever dog you decide on will bring their own unique personality with them.

Remember, this animal has had a “ruff” life, and you’ll be giving them another chance at it, meaning some animals might take some time to adjust to a nice, warm, loving home, so patience is key. You wouldn’t want to come out of a horrible place to go right into a new one or worse, be put back after coming out, so why should the animal?

When selecting a rescue or shelter, it’s pretty cut, dry, and straight to the point. Is this place sketchy? Is it a credible place that you can rely on and trust? Or most importantly, how well do they treat their animals. The debate between a kill and no-kill has been heavily fought and argued, and both make incredibly valid points, but without going into specifics, they both have the same overall goal; to save animals.

Of course, some things to look out for in the shelters and rescues is how clean are the kennels? If there’s still poop in the kennel, that’s fine, but how long has it been there? Is it fresh? Or has it been dried and black and caked? Remember, a good shelter takes great care of their animals, with frequent cleanings, and will supply some form of bedding for the animals. If the animals are just in a cage without bedding, read for signs, if no signs, ask a worker there on why the dog doesn’t have bedding. If they don’t give a reason, that is a negligent shelter. Also remember to keep in mind, most shelter kennels are two-sided, meaning the bedding area could not be visible, so always be sure to ask beforehand.

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Now what if you choose to adopt from a breeder? There are several things to look out for. Will they let you see the puppy/ puppies? Will the seller give you a written guarantee covering sickness when the dog leaves its environment? Are they asking you questions that are relevant to the transaction, and/ or what kind of home environment will you be giving this puppy? Will they let you see the paperwork immediately? Will they give you references from other previous buyers or breed clubs they’re associated with? Will they tell you why one dog is being sold for a reduced rate compared to the others? If the answer is no to any of these questions, that is a breeder you cannot trust.

Always think it through before going through with adopting an animal. Remember there is no shame in not going through with an adoption, you want to be able to give this animal the best opportunity at a life of happiness and comfort, and if you feel like you’re unable to, that is okay, do not let anyone guilt you into it.
In my next article of the Canine Companion, we will be discussing breeds, and which is right for you and your family!

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