The Price of that Puppy in the Window

When I was a kid, my dad would take me to the local pet shop, and we would obsess over the tiny puppies they had for sale. I would see the $400 price-tag and be amazed at how expensive they were ($400 is basically $1 million to a kid and, like, at least $1,000 to an adult Millennial). What I didn't know as a kid was that, at the Humane Society or Animal Services, we could adopt a dog for less than a quarter of that price. The difference between Child Me and Adult Me, then, is not only a difference in how we perceive the value of money but also a knowledge of why adoption is far superior to purchasing from a breeder.

Until recently, I had blissfully assumed that most people preferred adoption over purchasing from a breeder. After all, it's cheaper, it's more convenient, and, well, you're saving an animal's life. However, within the last year or so, at least two of my friends on social media have purchased a dog from a breeder, and many of my other friends consistently glorify dogs that are being sold via social media by breeders. These dogs aren't just in the $400 range anymore, but can go for thousands of dollars. For instance, a Husky mixed with a Pomeranian (a Pomsky, if you will) can go for upwards of $2,000.

We rescued our dog, Lily, from the Kentucky Humane Society.

I'm certainly not saying that you're inherently a bad person if you purchase a dog from a breeder, but recently I've seen many articles and posts defending the dog-breeding industry and demeaning the #AdoptDontShop movement. One such defense comes from Lindsay Stordahl, a blogger for ThatMutt.com, who says, "The reason I don’t use the phrase 'Adopt Don’t Shop' is because it’s OK for a dog lover to responsibly get a dog from a breeder OR from a shelter. It’s also extremely important for good breeders and good rescue groups to work together. Rescue groups need good breeders."

The issue with Stordahl's argument is that there are not any "responsible" breeders, and I honestly don't think any legitimate rescue group believes there are either. For example, the Humane Society doesn't seem to agree with her point. They even have a page on their website entitled "Top Reasons to Adopt a Pet." What's the number one reason, you ask? Because you'll save a life. It's entirely irresponsible for someone to breed animals when our shelters are already overcrowded. The shelters here in Louisville are consistently exceeding their capacity, just as they are across the United States, with 6.5 million animals entering shelters each year. Of those 6.5 million animals, 2.7 million are euthanized while 2 million puppies are bred every year. While not all of the 2.7 million euthanized are dogs, the majority of those lives could easily be extended if people chose to adopt rather than purchase.

After we adopted Lily, I was set on naming her Ezra Fitz (after a character from "Pretty Little Liars"). Yeah...no one else liked the name.

Some of you still might not be convinced that supporting breeders is dangerous and irresponsible. Maybe the fact that you're about to drop a minimum of $1k on a puppy that will be wrought will health issues will give you pause. According to PBS, breeding "can increase the frequency of normally rare genes that cause diseases" and "put purebred dogs at risk for a large number of health problems, affecting both body and behavior." Now, maybe that's what Stordahl meant by "responsible breeding"- breeders who know which breeds to mix and which to avoid. However, as long as breeders exist, so will "irresponsible" ones who create dogs that are particularly prone to illness. Essentially, if someone really wants a Pomsky, they're going to buy one, no matter the reputation of the breeder or the health issues associated with that breed. Therefore, we need to take steps to ensure that these "designer dogs" are not bred in the first place.

As I said earlier, this post is not meant to shame anyone, even those who choose to purchase dogs from breeders. What I hope to do is educate people on why the breeding industry is so harmful, even if you believe your breeder is reputable and responsible. A lot of people aren't going to have their minds changed by a single post, or even multiple posts, but I want to at least try to spread awareness. We could save millions of animals' lives if only we chose adoption over breeders, mutts over designer breeds.