When thinking about getting a new pet, the benefits of adopting from a shelter completely outweigh the ones from purchasing in-store or online. Shelters provide a much safer way for animals to find a new home.

The one and only benefit of purchasing an animal in-store or online is that the process is quick and easy, but the dangers are not worth that one benefit.

Buyers are often so blinded by the cuteness of an animal that they aren’t even concerned about the harm they are causing to other animals across their city or even across the country. When people don’t adopt from shelters, the number of animals put in danger increases to disturbing highs.

Overpopulation of shelters causes an obscene amount of euthanizations to take place. The number of euthanizations can be put to a halt if people stop supporting unethical ways of buying and selling animals.

An article from Humanesociety.org said, “The number of euthanized animals could be reduced dramatically if more people adopted pets instead of buying them.” Shelters give people the opportunity to become heroes to their pets and make a large difference in the lives of others.

One of the most common problems of buying puppies from stores is that they typically come from puppy mills. Humansociety.org also said, “Most puppies in pet stores and sold online come from puppy mills. The dogs are sold to unsuspecting customers in pet stores, over the internet, and through classified ads. Puppy mills will continue to operate until people stop supporting them.”

By paying for a puppy in a store and not adopting from a shelter, you are guaranteeing that puppy mills will continue, and more animals could lose their life because of it.

Not only will you be saving an animal’s life by adopting from a shelter, but you will also save your wallet. The costs of adoption compared to the costs of in-store purchasing are drastically different.

Animalleague.org said, “You can usually adopt a pet from your local shelter or rescue group for a modest adoption fee which will include vaccinations and spaying or neutering. Most shelters and rescue groups offer support services such as training and medical care for the adopted animal.”

One of the greatest perks of adoption is you know that you are saving a life and developing a bond with an animal that will never be broken. 6abc.com revealed that Raymond Little, executive director of the “Saved Me” program, said, “This is not only about animals, it’s about people creating that bond.”

Adoption puts people in a position to not only better an animal’s life, but to better their own.

Brittany Pumphrey, psychology teacher and owner of a 2.5 year old Silver lab named Bill, said, “Bill has such a positive impact on my life. It is such a phenomenal feeling to come back after a long or difficult day, and Bill is there, super happy to see me, no matter what. He is just always so happy, and just puts everyone in a good mood.

When a shelter animal is rescued, their life is forever changed. They are given the opportunity to live a life that is positive in all aspects. If people work together to make a difference in an animal’s life, the harmful occurrences would no longer take place.

When communities come together and work for a change to be made, the future for shelter animals can be much brighter. The River City News reported that Becky Reiter, Director of Boone County Shelter, said, “The old mentality was to warehouse and euthanize. That’s just the way it was. But our communities have proven, through donations and adoption, that that’s not what they want from us.”

A change has to start with the people, a change in how pets are sold now needs to happen.

Rescuing animals starts with you. Whether you donate, foster, or adopt, shelters need the help to make a positive change in the fate of animals lives. Choose to make a difference in the community and become a hero by rescuing an animal from a local shelter.