Each year an estimated eight to ten million dogs are given away to shelters. Dogs find their way to shelters for a variety of reasons; a death in the family, financial reasons of the owner, a family move they cannot join, or they have simply been lost. According to the Human Society, about four to five million of those dogs are euthanized yearly because they don't find homes. With such a large sum of dogs staying in shelters, it should be a unanimous decision to skip the pet store. Many pet stores acquire their dogs from puppy mills, which have recently earned recognition for animal cruelty. Adoption is the obvious choice if you are thinking about bringing a dog into your home. In fact, October is Adopt-A-Shelter Dog month and the American Humane Society is encouraging people to visit their local shelters and pick out the right furry friend for them. Anytime of the year is a great time to adopt a worthy pet, so do some research and visit the shelters in your area to discover that perfect match for you.

Many people opt out of picking their furry friend from an animal shelter because of specific breed or age preferences that they feel a shelter won't offer. These viewpoints are actually quite untrue considering animal shelters take in dogs of all types, ages, and sizes.  It is estimated that about forty percent of the dogs that are found in shelters are actually pure breeds and just not announced as such due to lack of paperwork proof. Puppies are sought after when bringing in a new canine to the family and despite assumptions there’s a great deal of young pups hoping for homes in animal shelters. Families should never rule out all of the adult dogs available for adoption. Animal shelters house many adult dogs that are already trained and lost their homes due to deplorable circumstances. Senior dogs may even be a good fit for an older owner who isn’t capable of going through the process of training a young pup. Just because these dogs have found themselves in animal shelters does not mean they are no good, they are great pals simply in a search for new loving homes.

Puppy mills are a rising concern. These mills mass produce breeds of puppies and have been accused of animal cruelty. It is rumored that they store their dogs in dirty cages with no exercise, respect, or love. Cages rest in tight rows vertically and horizontally, piled high with dogs who receive inadequate food, water, health care, and attention. Female dogs are bred to their limit and then disposed of. Puppy mills have been known to lie about some of their dogs being pure bred and they also promote in breeding. Conditions these mills maintain their pups in often lead to genetic and health issues down the road that will not only promise costly to upkeep, but will also be upsetting to deal with. Puppy mills sell their young offspring to pet stores where they are then available for purchase to the public. By adopting a dog you will not only save a life, but you will be aiding in the battle against puppy mills.

Aside from saving a life and promoting anti-animal cruelty, adopting a loving dog from the animal shelter is also beneficial on your wallet. Purchasing a dog from the pet store can cost a fortune, especially after the vet bills are taken into account. Most adoptions through shelters include medical costs (updated shots, spaying/neutering, microchips) in the adoption price, which is a great financial advantage. Purchases from a pet store are much more than the price of adopting and do not offer all the great inclusions shelters do. Just the initial trip to the veterinarian with your new puppy could cost upwards of a few hundred dollars. Typically adoption fees stay around two hundred dollars or less, which is an unbeatable price!

Those cute puppies in the window may be alluring, but there are endless amounts of animals ridden to shelters that are in need of a new place to call home. Plus, buying a store puppy helps promote the inhumane existence of puppy mills and their cruel ways to make a quick buck. Adopting is also a huge money saver when deciding to bring in that new pet to the family. All dogs are worthy of a great home with a loving family to spend their years, and any pup in the shelter would be grateful for such a chance. Make the right choice and save a life; who knows, maybe your pooch will be the one who saves you.