Many pets are in shelters just waiting to be adopted.
If you are considering bringing a new pet into your home, one of the first decisions that you will have to make is whether to adopt from a shelter or buy from a breeder. There are some costs associated with both choices, but it typically is less expensive to adopt than to buy.
Costs
When you buy a pet from a breeder, the cost will depend on many factors such as the breed and pedigree of the pet. If you want a show dog with a proven lineage, you can expect to pay more than if you just want a family pet.
When you adopt from a shelter, the fee will not vary based on breed and you will pay one price whether you adopt a mixed breed or the rarest of purebred pets.
The cost to buy a pet from a breeder can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. The cost to adopt from a shelter is typically between $75 and $150.
Considerations
While there is usually a significant cost savings when you adopt rather than buy, you will rarely be given any type of papers when you adopt, even if the animal is a purebred. Also, you will usually not be aware of the animal's lineage.
When you buy a dog from a reputable breeder you will receive papers and will know the history of the parents and sometimes even a few generations back.
Misconceptions
Some think that because it costs so little to adopt from a shelter as opposed to buying from a breeder that the pets available at a shelter are always mixed breed animals. This is not true and most shelters are full of purebred animals that are in need of a loving home.
Even if you want a certain breed that may be hard to come by in a shelter, if you are patient you just might find what you are looking for without going through a breeder.
Another misconception is that if you buy a pet from a breeder the animal is sure to be superior in various ways. While it can be somewhat helpful to know the lineage of the animal, there are no guarantees about how the animal will look, behave or perform later in its life.
The truth is that some breeders do not have any type of screening process for the pets that they sell. Most shelters, however, make sure the pets they put up for adoption are healthy.
Benefits
It is important to weigh the benefits of each choice when considering the cost of adopting vs. buying a pet.
If you plan to show or breed the animal, you will certainly need the papers that will come with a pet purchased from a breeder. If not, those papers do not have much value.
If you adopt from a shelter you are quite literally saving an animal's life and giving it a second chance to have a loving home.
Decision
The ultimate decision about whether to adopt or buy usually comes down to more than just money. Hopefully, having an understanding about the costs of each choice will be one piece of the puzzle to help you come to the decision that is best for you.
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