‘Adopt. Don’t Shop.’ is a shaming phrase to try to get people to get a dog from a rescue rather than from a breeder.
It is a sarcastic, misplaced, misused, and ineffective slogan.
When people go to a breeder seeking out a specific breed or type of dog, they have every right, morally and legally to do so. They are often looking for specifics, and find that working through a breeder works best for them.
People going to shelters to adopt are doing no less. Most are looking for their first or next family pet. They are affected by all the dogs, running to their gates, making cute, sad, desperate faces. They often make their decision based on instant emotion rather than careful consideration.
In both cases, intentions are always good, but often misplaced.
In shelters people often pay an ‘adoption fee’, meaning they bought the dog – so much for ‘Don’t shop’. Someone comes in a shelter, pays for (buys) a dog. They leave with all the others there dying inside as people walk by and leave.
In both cases, statistically, a huge percentage of those dogs end up in, or back in shelters.
The characteristics of ‘purebred’ dogs sold as pets are generally not superior to mixed breeds, or full blood dogs found in shelters. They exhibit the same characteristics. Often when people find this out, can’t deal with their dog’s actions and development, they get rid of it.
And because choosing a dog from an emotional response in a shelter, ends up causing dogs to be endlessly circulated through shelters over and over and over …..
In both cases acquiring a dog requires a financial investment, and a care and financial investment for the life of the animal. In both cases ‘Adopt’ is what people do.
So ‘Adopt. Don’t shop.’ has no realistic application when comparing one to the other.
Here’s your real responsibility. Not for shame. Not for comparison of how the dog is acquired. Not for sarcasm.
KEEP WHAT YOU ADOPT!
Through puppyhood. Through adolescence. When they act like dogs. When they chew up your stuff. When you have a baby. When they are rough with your toddler. When they are loud. When they grow big. When they are hyperactive. When they jump on you, dig holes, bring in dead birds. Through life changes. Through job changes. Through taking them with you when you move.
And through all ages, teaching all your children how to correctly handle your dog, so nobody gets bitten.
And please don’t try to give your dog away on Facebook and try to look good doing it. Like ‘it’s best for the dog’.
If it’s ‘best for the dog’, then do whatever is possible to carve out whatever time and expense necessary to keep, care for, and attend to your dog(s).
Keep Them! That’s what they deserve.
That’s your real responsibility.
~Mark Rogers