How to Shop for a Dog
Leah Christian
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We American's expect a lot from our companion animals, especially our dogs. We entrust them with our own safety and that of our families. In return we give them a lot. We dress them in clothes and car 
ry them in designer bags. We spend fortunes on medical procedures once reserved for humans to give our dogs healthy lives. Despite our obsession with our dogs, however, we pay remarkably little attention to where they come from. The proof of this lies in where we find our dogs. In this article I hope to show you how to search for a dog, as well as why it matters where your dog comes from.
The Shelter Dog
According to the Humane Society of the United States every year three to four million dogs and cats are euthanized because there is no room for them in shelters. Assuming equal percentages for ease, the number could be estimated to be approximately two million dogs. Two million. Most of these dogs are mixed breeds, although twenty five percent are said to be purebreds.
The shelter should be the first spot for an individual searching for a lifelong companion. The first reason is simple. These dogs need a home. By adopting a homeless dog you will be saving a life, as well as not supporting a market that has carelessly saturated our communities with un-owned companion animals.
Additionally, shelter dogs have been evaluated for their fitness before being adopted out. Volunteers trained in canine behavior judge the dogs based on different scenarios such as an introduction to cats, children and unexpected events. In some cases the shelter even knows something about the dog's prior life. This allows you to know that what you see is largely what you will get, especially if you chose an adult dog over a puppy.
The Rescue Dog
If you don't find any dogs in the shelter that are prospective companions, next look at rescue groups. Rescue groups are non-profit organizations that employ a large volunteer network in the form of sponsors and foster homes. Sponsors assist the rescue in paying for the maintenance of animals they pull from shelters while the fosters do the daily work.
The Shelter Dog
According to the Humane Society of the United States every year three to four million dogs and cats are euthanized because there is no room for them in shelters. Assuming equal percentages for ease, the number could be estimated to be approximately two million dogs. Two million. Most of these dogs are mixed breeds, although twenty five percent are said to be purebreds.
The shelter should be the first spot for an individual searching for a lifelong companion. The first reason is simple. These dogs need a home. By adopting a homeless dog you will be saving a life, as well as not supporting a market that has carelessly saturated our communities with un-owned companion animals.
Additionally, shelter dogs have been evaluated for their fitness before being adopted out. Volunteers trained in canine behavior judge the dogs based on different scenarios such as an introduction to cats, children and unexpected events. In some cases the shelter even knows something about the dog's prior life. This allows you to know that what you see is largely what you will get, especially if you chose an adult dog over a puppy.
The Rescue Dog
If you don't find any dogs in the shelter that are prospective companions, next look at rescue groups. Rescue groups are non-profit organizations that employ a large volunteer network in the form of sponsors and foster homes. Sponsors assist the rescue in paying for the maintenance of animals they pull from shelters while the fosters do the daily work.