Rescue and Shelter Animals are Better Than Purebreds Journalism December 4, 2018December 7, 2018 Rescue and Shelter Animals are Better Than Purebreds Sophia Albert December 4, 2018 Approximately 3.2 shelter animals (1.6 million dogs and cats) are adopted every year, according to ASPCA. Dogs and cats are left abandoned in shelters every day and people around the world are on the search for a new pet. Many people just go straight to breeders for a purebred puppy or kitten and don’t think about the other options. First off is the purebreds, an animal bred from parents of the same breed or variety. They are stereotyped to be the best type of pet for many different reasons, but it is really a personal opinion. There is pros and cons of having a purebred. The pros start off with their physical traits and characteristics. Pet owners will usually have a good idea of what they are getting when they buy a purebred puppy or kitten. One more big pro and sometimes a game changer for some people is that purebreds are allowed to compete in shows and rescues are very rarely are allowed to participate. If the owner of the dog or cat wants their animal to compete in shows, the only way to go to be guaranteed into the shows is by being a purebred, which basically makes the decision for them. There is a couple of cons of purebreds that are pretty strong and tend to repel people away from them. The first is the expense of a purebred puppy or kitten, the price can be in the thousands whereas when adopting the price is usually ranged between one hundred and five hundred dollars. Lastly, purebreds have more health problems. They are prone to more diseases and illnesses due to being interbred by the breeders. Purebreds are great animals regardless of their price or health and are the right choice for certain people, but some prefer adopting a mixed breed dog or cat. Rescue dogs from shelters are more of a struggle and hardship for some people. Though the process of getting a purebred might be easier, the outcome of adopting is usually better and more successful. There is countless pros of rescuing a pet from a shelter. The big thing to keep in mind when adopting a pet is that you are saving one of the millions of animals that are being euthanized and are giving them a second chance to have a healthy life and a welcoming home. Pet owners can get a puppy, dog, kitten, or cat from rescues and on the other hand, puppies and kittens are usually only available from breeders. In addition to the last pro of adoption, people might think they want a puppy or kitten, but will realize a older and more mature dog or cat might be a better fit for them and their family. As stated before, the price for adoption is very low, the fee only being around a hundred dollars. There is cons to everything including adoption, the cons being that you won’t always be able to find the exact dog you are looking for and if you do then you might not be able to get the dog right away or at all because the shelters take applications into careful consideration and make sure the fit for the dog or cat is right. Many people don’t like giving away their personal information which is an issue for them when adopting a pet because the adoption applications are usually very extensive and they are submitting a lot of paperwork with your private information. There seems to be more cons than pros of adopting a dog or cat, but the pros are stronger. Adoption can be a long process, but the animals are often healthier and live longer. The incidence of 10 genetic disorders (42%) was remarkably greater in purebreds than rescue animals, according to the Institute of Canine Biology. Rescue pets have a higher health rate than purebreds. Having a rescue dog or cat is better than getting a purebred, they aren’t as costly, they’re healthier, and the biggest idea to keep in mind is that you are giving a rescue animal a new life and home!