This is Why I've stopped saying "Adopt don't shop" (2024)

DISCLAIMER

This article focuses on spreading awareness. It’s about knowing your options (dog adoption or ethical breeding) thoroughly and making an informed choice. The article, in any way, does not mean to discourage adoption. It aims to educate people to not use the term “adopt don’t shop” as a way to attack anyone who prefers other ethical options of getting a dog. Please have an open mind towards all opinions and do not make personal pot-shots at anyone you don’t agree with.

How and why was the term “Adopt don’t shop” coined?

The term “Adopt, don’t shop” was coined as a part of an awareness campaign by Los Angeles-based Last Chance for Animals (LCA), an international, non-profit animal advocacy organization. It was to educate people about the benefits of adopting a pet from a shelter instead of buying from stores and puppy mills.

The campaign was meant to make people aware of the adversity pets have to go through because of unethical breeders and non-regulated puppy mills and encourage them to give homeless pets a chance at a loving home.

However, over time, it started to become more of an attack mechanism on social media and was used against anyone and everyone who preferred a specific breed over a mix.

Don’t get me wrong when I say “I’ve stopped saying ‘Adopt don’t shop’.” I’m still in 100% support of dog adoption. Personally, my first option would always be adopting a dog because as a trainer, I know I have the time, patience and skills to work with the possible behavioural issues that might come with an adopted pooch.

However, I do not expect every dog lover to be a dog adoption enthusiast. Neither do I judge anyone who would prefer a Purebred over a mix.

A lot of rescue dogs and dogs that end up in shelters come with a bad past and are usually abandoned or given up on by their previous owners. It takes massive amounts of time, effort, knowledge and patience to work around with their trust and behavioral issues. Again, not all shelter/ rescue dogs are “problem dogs.” I’m talking about a particular scenario.

Every dog is fit for a certain type of family. A family that barely has the time to walk their dogs and is out working for 8 hours every day is not fit for a high energy rescue dog who has severe separation anxiety issues. A family that has 3 toddlers is signing up for trouble if they end up adopting a rescue dog with resource guarding and aggression issues and have no idea how to deal with it. The wrongkind of dogs in the wrong families can have DISASTROUS results.

Every dog is fit for a certain type of family.

We often see cases where people feel sorry for a homeless dog and end up taking the dog home without giving it a thought if they have the time and resources to turn the dog around. Seldom does anyone talk about the dogs that repeatedly get rehomed or come back to the shelter because the dog “wasn’t the right fit”.

I DO NOT SUPPORT UNREGULATED PUPPY MILLS AND UNETHICAL BREEDERS.

I cannot stress on this point enough. There cannot be a punishment severe enough for despicable people who consider dogs and puppies as money-making toys and ill-treat them. There is a special place in hell reserved for these monsters.

However, I’m not against the concept of ethical breeding. I certainly support and stand with ethical breeders and as a dog trainer, people often ask me to recommend good breeders to them. If I constantly keep throwing the phrase “Adopt don’t shop” in their faces, I’m not convincing them to adopt from a shelter. When I disagree to help them with the contact of a reputable breeder, I indirectly encourage them to go to someone else and increase the possibility of them ending up with a corrupt source of shopping for a Purebred pup.

When I disagree to help them with the contact of a reputable breeder, I indirectly encourage them to go to someone else and increase the possibility of them ending up with a corrupt source of shopping for a Purebred pup.

One can be a breed fanatic and an ardent dog lover at the same time. It is not Wrong to be fond of a breed.

Many people get dogs to suit their lifestyle and sometimes for specific purposes – Hunting dogs, guard dogs, water sport dogs, therapy dogs, service dogs are all such examples.

If I’m working on a project that needs me to select and train a service dog for someone, shelters or rescue organizations might not be the first place I turn to.

A service dog needs to be trained right from puppyhood. Furthermore, not every puppy can be a service dog. It takes high standards of breeding requirement and dog genes to produce a litter that is competent enough. PICK OF THE LITTER is a documentary on Netfllix based on Guide dogs that dwells deeper on this.

It takes high standards of breeding requirement and dog genes to produce a litter that is capable of being trained for Therapy work or be a service dog.

Alternatively, an outdoorsy couple who loves going on treks and mountain climbing every other day may not be the right fit for a low energy rescue dog with joint issues or breathing problems. So, if they end up getting such a dog home out of mere sympathy and because they felt sorry for the dog, they’d be doing more harm than good to the dog and to themselves.

One can support No-kill shelters, rescue volunteers and ethical breeders at the same time.

It’s high time that we bust the myth that one needs to pick either sides of Adopting or Buying a dog. If adopting a rescue dog or a dog from the shelter isn’t an option for someone, they should be free to consider Buying from an ethical and lawful breeder without feeling guilty about it.

Yes, puppy mills and shady pet stores are some of the worst places to shop for a dog. But, when we try to generalize “Adopt don’t shop,” we are invariably attacking reputable, ethical and reliable breeders too.

You can choose to buy a breed, yet volunteer with a rescue group. You can run a shelter, yet work together with a breeder and trainer to make pets more ‘adoptable.’ You can shop from a reputable, ethical breeder, yet stand against puppy mills.

What to look for in an Ethical breeder

• An ethical breeder will make an effort to know you and where you come from
• He won’t hand over puppies to everyone and anyone that walks in
• Get a referral
• Keeps the pets in a clean, safe and open environment and lets you visit it (with an exception during pandemic)
• Knows the importance of early training the pups and focuses on it
• Does not feed all the puppies from a single food vessel
• Does not over breed

Here’s an article written by the Humane Society that serves as an excellent example of how Shelters and ethical breeders support each other.

CLICK HERE to know what expert bloggers and trainers want you to know about raising a puppy.

How can you support Humane shelters and rescue organizations?

• Volunteer
• Spread awareness about adopting the right pet and help prepare pet parents to look after them
• A homeless dog finding a loving home in which he fits perfectly is much more important than a volunteer’s goal to see an empty shelter
• Speak up against unethical breeding of pets and places like puppy mills
• If anyone is looking for a Purebred, help them with the contact of an ethical breeder. If you don’t they might end up going to someone else who might help them with the contact of a puppy mill.
• Consider donating to rescue organizations and shelter homes
• If you’re already volunteering, consider working together with a trainer/ behaviourist to make pets more ‘adoptable’

Having a dog is an incredible experience, irrespective of whether the dog is Purebred or rescued. Supporting adoption and rescuing and embracing a homeless pet is noble and courageous. However, expecting the world to follow your footsteps and mindlessly attacking someone with “Adopt don’t shop” who chooses to ‘buy’ a pet is downright wrong. There is a pet fit for every family out there – Let them reach out and find one! Be a source that helps them in the right direction, and not someone who bullies them for their choice.