Pros and Cons of Rescuing a Dog: Image

Choosing to get a rescue puppy/dog is amazing. You're saving not only one dog, but you're also freeing up spaces in shelters allowing more dogs to be saved. It does however come with a lot of responsibility, arguably more so than getting a puppy, and as such it's not the right thing for everyone to do.

If it's a responsibility that you can handle and you want to take on, go for it! But I really dislike the guilt tripping that goes on around buying a puppy and not rescuing. I've seen several people post online asking about the best ways to go about finding a breeder, and within minutes several people comment...

'Why get a puppy? So many dogs need a home, rescue one!'

While I completely understand the sentiment, I don't think it's fair to insinuate that people are been selfish by getting a 'new' puppy. For a start, if everyone stopped buying puppies, they'd be lots of puppies in shelters needing homes. But I don't think forcing people into getting a rescue would actually decrease the numbers of rescue dogs, I fear it would just mean the dogs would rack up even more owners.

While I don't want to discourage people from rescuing, I just think it's important to really think about the decision. It goes without saying that not all rescue dogs have issues, some of them are given up for financial reasons, or maybe the dog has outlived it's owner. But either way, it's a massive responsibility that needs a lot of thought.

Pros and Cons of Rescuing a Dog: Sports Articles

PROS

YOU'RE SAVING MORE THAN ONE DOG

It's a sad fact, but a fact nevertheless, that if dogs aren't adopted, they are sometimes euthanized. But even if the shelter does not euthanise dogs, by rescuing one dog, you're freeing up the space for another dog to be rescued.

YOU MAY GET A MORE SUITED DOG

When people think of getting a dog, most people imagine getting a puppy, but puppies are HARD WORK. Rescuing a slightly older dog means you bypass the puppy stage and have an instantly more calm and placid dog.

YOUR DOG MAY BE READY HOUSETRAINED

Just like the previous point, adopting a dog could mean you get a ready trained dog- it could save you months of indoor pee and poo clean ups.

OFTEN CHEAPER THAN BUYING A PUPPY

Depending on which shelter you go to, adopting a dog normally costs around £150-£200. Buying a puppy from a breeder nowadays it's often hard to get change from £1,000, with some breeds selling for up to £6,000!

YOU GET A FULL HEALTH CHECK

Most good shelters would have given the dogs a full veterinary exam, spayed/neutered them and have treated them for any worms/parasites. Although it can't 100% guarantee a healthy dog, it's a good start!

MIXED BREED DOGS OFTEN HAVE LESS HEALTH ISSUES

A lot of dogs in shelters are mixed breed, this could in turn reduce the risk of the problems generally associated with pure bred dogs.

Pros and Cons of Rescuing a Dog: List

CONS

YOU DON'T KNOW THE DOG'S HISTORY

Yes you may know the immediate history of their previous owners. But you won't know the family history of the dog and what breeds the dog has in them.

YOU MAY NOT GET THE BREED YOU WANT

When you look at dogs in shelters, you often notice that it is predominantly certain breeds. If you're holding out for a French Bulldog, you'll have a much longer wait than say for a greyhound or staffy.

MANY DOGS HAVE BEEN SURRENDERED DUE TO BEHAVIOURIAL ISSUES

If you're a first time dog owner, taking on a 'normal' dog will be a big enough challenge and learning curve, adding in a behavioural issue could easily overwhelm even more experienced dog owners.

OFTEN DO NOT GET ON WITH OTHER ANIMALS OR CHILDREN

Any reputable shelter will test the dogs to see if they are suitable to go to a home with other dogs, cats and children. When I narrowed the search at one rescue centre down to 'must be okay with other dogs', it eliminated ALL the results. There are obviously exceptions, but if this is a second dog or you have young children it may be a lot harder to adopt.

NOT ALL SHELTERS ARE REPUTABLE

Just like all breeders aren't reputable, some shelters are the same. I suppose it's not a con, more a warning to do your research.

YOU MIGHT BE REJECTED

Reputable shelters will heavily vet you as potential owners and your personal circumstances may rule you out of adopting even more so than a breeders requirements.