In the United States, 47% of households own at least one dog and 46% of households own at least one cat according to The Humane Society. Despite a large number of cat and dog owners, it is estimated that 70 million cats and dogs are homeless. Every animal deserves a home and that is why adopting an animal instead of getting it from a breeder is important.

  Every year in the United States 7.6 million animals enter animal shelters nationwide approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats according to ASPCA. Approximately 2.7 million cats and dogs are euthanized in the United States every year according to a study by The Humane Society. These animals are euthanized because shelters are packed to max capacity with animals that don’t have a home. 70 million cats and dogs are stray despite the best efforts of shelters to help them. There is simply not enough room to give the animals protection in shelters. Only 30% of cats and dogs come from shelters or rescue organizations according to The Humane Society. 

There are several reasons to adopt rather than get a cat or dog from a breeder, the main reason is that animals in a shelter need a home. The sheer amount of animals who enter a shelter every year is staggering. Adopting an animal means an animal in need can get a home. Adopting not only saves an animal’s life but makes room to help other animals in a shelter. There are so many stray and homeless animals that need a home that adopting animals instead of getting them from a breeder could make a real change.

There are a wide variety of reasons people get animals from breeders that stem from the misconception that bred animals are better than adopted animals. The main reason people get dogs from breeders is that they can shape them to be the perfect pet. The people that work at shelters are trained in helping find the right fit for a family and this is possible because there is a wide array of animals to choose from that it is almost impossible to not find a compatible animal. There are also a wide variety of mixed breeds and pure breed animals at a shelter so there are a variety of breeds and animals that can be a perfect fit.

Breeders can treat their animals horribly and make them live under conditions that are bad for their health. Breeders goal is to make the most money possible so they will often keep their animals in cages that are too small and unsafe, kill the mothers after they are unable to breed, spend the minimum amount of money and time on the animals and give away or kill the animals that don’t meet their standards. Breeders can pretend to be reputable when in reality they are harming the animals. The system that many use to identify a reputable breeder AKC (American Kennel Club) is flawed. Their inspection program is not always accurate many  “reputable breeders” identified on ACK make their dogs live in horrible conditions. Buying from a breeder continues the harm that breeders cause to animals. Breeders can also contribute to the amount of stray and homeless animals. If an animal doesn’t meet a breeder’s standard it is given to a shelter and when people get their animals from breeders they aren’t helping that many animals who need a home. 

Although most people are getting their animals from a breeder they should be adopting their animals from shelters. By adopting an animal you are giving an animal a home that previously didn’t have one. Adopting an animal also means you are fighting against the horrible conditions animals are put in when they are bred.