Where's the Best Place to Get a Dog?

With everyone from news announcers to next-door neighbors weighing in on the Obamas' quest for the First Dog, we're not surprised to hear from folks who want to know where to find their own perfect pet. Here's just one of many queries we received:

I'm always hearing from naysayers who want to get their dog from a breeder or pet store because they're worried shelter dogs won't be healthy. What can I tell them?
—Carol N.

We turned to our ASPCA veterinarians for an answer.

The ASPCA recommends avoiding pet stores because so many get their puppies from puppy mills—commercial breeding facilities that keep animals in terrible conditions and use canine parents for breeding purposes only.

As a consequence, many pet store animals suffer from congenital health problems, not to mention poor socialization and numerous other issues. Well-run shelters, on the other hand, examine the animals carefully, then vaccinate, de-worm, spay or neuter, and perform a behavioral assessment on each adoptable pet. That information is then used to try to match an adopter with an animal who meets his needs and fits into his lifestyle.

Many shelters also provide follow-up health care and behavior advice, and will even take the animal back if things don't work out. Adopting from a shelter turns out to be a much better deal!

http://www.aspca.org/news/national/04-17-09.html#4

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AdminPermalink Reply by LM Fowler - Admin on April 17, 2009 at 9:53pm

I think a big part of it, too, is that to be sold as puppies, they are taken away from mother's milk way too young. They should be with her at till 12 weeks. But I have been seeing more stories of people getting 8 and 9 week old pups. They are not getting the antibodies and all the other things that only comes from the mother. You know if they are being sold in a pet store, they are probably a week or two away from the mother and if they are 8, 9, 10, 12 weeks old they were taken away 2 weeks earlier.