why i chose to adopt, not shop

October is National Pit Bull Awareness Month and Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, which officially makes October my favorite month ever. Since I have adopted a pit bull and a pit bull mix from animal shelters, I thought this was the perfect time to talk about the reasons I chose to adopt and not “shop” for a dog from a breeder or, god-forbid, a pet store.

1.  I got to save a life. Every time I took an animal out of the shelter, it’s life was spared.  In turn, another animal got to take its place for possible adoption. So, really you save 2 lives when you adopt.  The shelter where we adopted our dog Banana from was a “kill shelter” and can take in anywhere from 20-50 dogs a day.  The majority of these dogs are pit bulls who have a hard time getting adopted due to the (unfair) stigma they carry. Lucky for Banana, we love pit bulls and their sweet, silly and loyal personalities.

2. I got a healthy dog.  Many people believe that the animals at shelters are feral, diseased mutts.  This is just not true!  Shelters are filled with healthy animals that just need a good home, even purebreds! Many rescue organizations even specialize in certain breeds, so you can get exactly what you are looking for.  The best part is that when you pay your adoption fee (which will be MUCH less than what you will pay a breeder or pet store) your dog will be spayed/neutered, micro-chipped and vaccinated.

3. Shelter dogs just know.  I love all dogs – whether they came from a shelter or a breeder.  But after being stuck in a cage, alone and afraid for weeks or even months, shelter dogs just seem to be more appreciative of the attention, love and safe place to lay their head that you give them after freeing them from an uncertain future.

** Approximately 1.2 million shelter dogs are euthanized in the US each year. These are healthy animals that have the potential to be sweet and loving companions if just given the chance.  So the next time you are thinking about adding a new furry member to your family, please consider adoption – you could save a life!