What is "Adopt don't shop?"
Adopting = Getting a dog from a rescue or shelter and the dog had a previous owner.
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Buying = Getting a dog from a pet store or someone on the street and the dog was breed specifically to be sold.
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What are puppy mills?
A puppy mill is a place where dogs are breed in large quantities. Often these places are not sanitary and the dogs are overcrowded. Most of these dogs are not provided proper veterinary care and, as a result, have diseases and behavioral problems. It may come as a surprise to many people, but most pet stores get their dogs from puppy mills, even if they provide " 'papers' or licenses to prove that their dogs are from humane sources"(ASPCA, Puppy Mills).
Why adopt at a rescue/shelter?
Rescues and shelters are places that take in dogs that are found on the street or are relinquished by their owners. A rescue doesn't have a main facility, but instead uses volunteers that foster dogs in their homes until they are adopted. A shelter has a main facility where they take care of their dogs. Both rescues and shelters provide medical care for the dogs while the dogs are in their possession; for example, spay/neuter, vaccinations, and other more serious conditions. Sometimes the cost of the medical bills are higher than the cost of adoption, which is where donations come in. In any case, unlike puppy mills, these dogs are well taken care of and their well being in a priority.
I know what you are thinking. If puppy mills are really that bad, then I should buy a dog from them to save that one dog. However, that is just the thing. The only thing that buying that ONE DOG is doing is give the puppy mill more money to REPLACE that dog with ANOTHER puppy and maybe even MORE. Under these circumstances, the decision is very difficult, even for me, but in the long run if puppies are not bought from puppy mills, then they will go out of business. Given these points, adopting from a rescue or shelter is the better option when considering where to get a dog.
I know what you are thinking. If puppy mills are really that bad, then I should buy a dog from them to save that one dog. However, that is just the thing. The only thing that buying that ONE DOG is doing is give the puppy mill more money to REPLACE that dog with ANOTHER puppy and maybe even MORE. Under these circumstances, the decision is very difficult, even for me, but in the long run if puppies are not bought from puppy mills, then they will go out of business. Given these points, adopting from a rescue or shelter is the better option when considering where to get a dog.