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Drake Rose

Prof. Toole

ENC1102

12 Feb. 2017

In Favor of Animal Shelters: to Adopt Rather Than Shop

Humans and canines have developed an interdependent relationship since the first

domestication of the dog. Although most companionships today are no longer marked by long

stretches of hunting, the loyalty and protection that dogs were selected for remain present in the

contemporary era. The affectionate phrase Mans best friend holds true to the testament of a

dogs place in human society. With this idea in mind, it has become essential to understand the

source a pet owner receives his or her dog. Potential pet owners should adopt from a shelter

rather than a store in order to allow disadvantaged animals to receive a second chance at life. By

rescuing an animal from a shelter, the owner will not be supporting businesses that profit from

the commerce of beings while saving a substantial amount of money for happier and healthier

pets.

If enough adoptions do not take place, many animals left in shelters will be euthanized as

a result of strains in overpopulation. An animal shelter volunteer with ten years of experience

corroborates this idea, Since Seminole County Adoption is a tax-funded shelter, we are required

by law to house any dog that is given to us. Overpopulation becomes a problem if there is not

enough space for the growing number of animals, so we are forced to put some to sleep

(Mitchell). It is a misconception that animal shelters choose to conduct euthanasia, so it is

important for the public to understand the situation: county shelters are legally placed on the
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kill side of the animal euthanasia debate. By rescuing animals from a shelter, the pet owner

reduces the stress on the possible overpopulation that may be occurring. This reduction in

inhabitants would allow more animals to be accommodated without the cost of taking anothers

life. While animal shelters house abused or neglected animals without the aim for profit, pet

stores contrast in that they source their animals from puppy mills in order to make money.

Pet stores create an industry that profits from the transaction of living creatures. The

economic laws of supply and demand are integral to the success of any company, and pet stores

are not the exception, There are puppy mills, or places in rural parts of the state where cages

and cages of dogs are used to breed. Pet stores develop relationships with these mills and order

puppies very much like a buyer does to a supplier (Mitchell). Pet stores view these animals as

commodities, with the ebb and flow of the market dictating which breeds are kept in stock. The

degradation of the value that dogs hold transform them into being seen as objects instead of life.

This mindset of treating dogs as merchandise rather than living organisms is in stark contrast to

the altruistic nature of animal shelters. The goal for the animals in a shelter is to care and find a

new home, while the goal for animals in a pet store is to sell and make a profit. This fundamental

difference in the ideologies of each creates an ethical divide that forces the potential pet owner to

choose between adopting from a haven and buying from a business. With this purpose for

achieving a financial gain in mind, pet stores also charge an exuberant amount of money for each

of their animals.

Pet stores charge an enormous amount of money to buy an animal, and many fees do not

include all the elements needed for a new companion. As part of my research, I took

observations during a visit to Just Puppies, a popular pet store in Downtown Orlando. The store

consisted of rows of baby cribs with multiple puppies living on thin beds of shredded newspaper.
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The wall hung a sign that gave a monetary amount for each breed, with prices ranging from $699

for a Maltese and Poodle mix to $2,199 for an English bulldog. With some breeds valued more

than a months earnings at a minimum wage job, the advantages of an adoption from a shelter

become clearer, The fee for a dog at the Seminole County Animal Shelter is $80, which

includes all of the components necessary for a new pet: vaccinations, spaying or neutering, and a

bag of food (Mitchell). The sticker price of a dog from Just Puppies does not cover any amenity

besides the rights to own the animalat a cost of nine to twenty-seven times more than a shelter

dog. Once the new pet owner purchases the puppy, the vaccinations and sterilization become

incurred fees that must be taken care of outside the store. This added cost and inconvenience

give even more reason to adopt, since the medical elements of an adoption are included in the

$80 that occur before taking the animal home. In addition to the pecuniary drawbacks of a pet

store, the animals at Just Puppies have shown to be considerably lethargic and apathetic.

The grand majority of the dogs at Just Puppies were sluggish and overall unresponsive to

stimuli. If picked up, most did not move or even open their eyes to see what was happening. The

puppies emanated a sedative and nearly tranquilized disposition, with some gazing blankly into

space and others drifting in and out of listless sleep. This is a marked departure from the normal

temperament of a puppy, which is characterized by an almost excessive amount of vibrancy and

spirit. A visit to a shelter will result in being greeted warmly by many animals that are thrilled to

get to know the person, So many of the dogs [at the shelter] have so much love to givethere is

an overwhelming amount of joy at each visit (Mitchell). This polar opposite inclination in

character attests to the significant differences between an animal shelter and a pet store. The

personality of the dogs found at Just Puppies are alarming since they exude neither the energy

nor curiosity that puppies are most known for. The distinctions in behaviors give further reason
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to argue the superiority of an animal shelter: a happier group of puppies is indicative to the level

of care and comfort that they receive.

Others argue that the enlarged cost of a pedigreed dog from a pet store is the guarantee

for a healthy animal. By purchasing a purebred puppy, owners may assume that the dog will be

free from ailments since it is not a mutt from an animal shelter. This notion, however, has

shown to be a fallacy, Even though purebred dogs may win best in show, a lot of breeds have

developed characteristic health problems due to hundreds of years of inbreeding. Hereditary risks

like cancer and heart disease are more likely to occur in these animals (Mitchell). Although the

dog may be pure within breed standards, the closed gene pool does not allow for variation and

gives rise to disease. The repeated instances of inbreeding have garnered congenital diseases and

become attributes typical for the specific breed. This is not conducive for a happy pet and may

significantly decrease its quality of lifefurther highlighting the benefits of a rescue from an

animal shelter. The perspective that gives superiority to purebred dogs exacerbates the harmful

practices of inbreeding and selling.

Animal shelters should be the preferred destination for potential pet owners because

adoptions reduce the stress of overpopulation while allowing for less instances of euthanasia and

more room for other animals. Adoptions from shelters consequently do not give support to

businesses that treat animals as commodities, and the amount of money saved for happier and

healthier pets gives reason to avoid purchasing at pet stores. Rescuing a dog from an animal

shelter will allow the animal to have another chance at life as many come from abuse or neglect.

By becoming mindful of the lucrative enterprise that breeding and selling purebred puppies has

created, pet owners will be able to understand the downsides of purchasing from pet stores.

Education on this topic may influence more adoptions to take place, and an increased exposure to
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the pet industry may institute a change in the view on purebred dogs. Breed standards that have

become harmful to the health of the animals are conditions that pet stores profit from, and a

reform in this sentiment will reduce unnecessary illnesses. A shift in the mindset that purebred

dogs are inherently superior to mixed-breeds will result in healthier animals that are not sold for

their genes, but instead adopted for their love.

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Works Cited

Just Puppies. Observation. 1 Feb. 2017.

Mitchell, Renee. Personal Interview. 29 Jan. 2017.