Jumping Through Hoops

"It's like adopting a kid, for god's sake!"

This plaintive cry can be heard from a wide variety of people who are looking for a pet. They say it when they are trying to buy from a really good breeder, or adopt a homeless pet from a shelter or rescue group. They've said it to me.

They won't say it when they are getting a pet from an irresponsible breeder or from a pet shop, though,  and to many, this is the very reason they want to get a pet from these sources. But consider this first:

Why would you want to bring a living, breathing creature into your home, to become a part of your family, who was born and raised in the hands of someone who doesn't give a damn what happens to that animal?

Sure, there's a downside to giving a damn. From questionnaires to references to home inspections to narrow restrictions on what kind of homes they'll place their pets in, the many requirements of reputable breeders, rescue groups, and shelters not only can seem absurd, they sometimes really are. Some shelters won't place a dog in a home where anyone owns a pickup truck, assuming that at some point the dog will be loose in the back of said truck, flying down the freeway at 80 miles an hour. Others won't place a cat in a home where no one is home all day. Many breeders have strict requirements on how you can feed or exercise your puppy or kitten, including complicated diets, supplementation schedules, and even lists of proscribed veterinary procedures.

It's important to realize that all these requirements, from the most reasonable to the most intrusive, arose from real situations where animals were placed in inappropriate homes. In an attempt to protect the lives and happiness of the animals in their care, these breeders and rescuers have devised tools to make sure the home is a good one – and a permanent one. Although many of the requirements will seem excessive to you, it should be of some comfort to realize that you are getting your future pet from someone who really cares about that animal. Especially in the case of a breeder, it is reassuring to know that they are so attentive to details. This would likely mean they were also very careful in how they bred the puppies or kittens, and how they raised them. It is you who will benefit from this conscientiousness.

However, this isn't the whole story. Some dogs and cats are deprived of perfectly good, loving homes by the overly restrictive policies of some breeders, shelters, and rescue groups. This is especially unfortunate in those situations where the shelters are euthanizing for shelter space, as either this pet or some other will pay with his or her life for these policies. No matter how good the intentions behind these restrictions, they need to be re-evaluated. And if you find yourself blocked by restrictions you can't meet, you really have no choice but to walk away.

But in walking away, do not make the mistake of going to the opposite extreme. You won't be asked any tough questions down the street at the house of the family who let their two dogs have a litter to show their kids the miracle of life, and you won't be asked anything more than to flash your Visa card at the pet store. But in buying a pet from these sources, you are using your dollars to support practices you probably would rather not support.

Puppies and kittens sold in pet stores are mass-produced in circumstances that range from truly hellish to sterile, lonely, and boring. The mothers and fathers of those puppies and kittens spend their entire lives in cages, bored beyond belief, sometimes kept in filth and misery, having litter after litter until they can't produce anymore. Stop and think hard before you support these practices with your dollars.

Pet store staffers will tell you, and probably believe, that their puppies and kittens come from "private breeders," and not "puppy mills," but this reassurance is meaningless. Reputable breeders, those who are committed to improving and preserving their chosen breeds and bringing the healthiest possible puppies and kittens into the world, would never in a million years consider letting a third party, such as a pet store, place them in new homes. Those frustrating restrictions and contracts and those intrusive questions are your guarantee that the breeder of your pet is a good one. The easier it is for you to get that puppy or kitten, the less careful the breeder of that puppy and kitten is.

While condoning breeding the two pets down the street together to show the kids the miracle of birth isn't as bad as supporting the mass production of pets in puppy and kitten mills, you might still encourage these casual "backyard breeders" to produce more little warm, wiggly bodies to go out into the world without a safety net, without health guarantees, without genetic testing on the parents, without any of the basic hallmarks of reputable breeders.

Some breeders will assure you that they are not "backyard breeders" and aren't "snobby show breeders" either. They just want to produce happy, healthy pets. It can be extremely difficult to evaluate this type of breeder, as they may in fact produce lovely pets and their breeding animals may live the happy life of family members. The best advice here is to judge the breeder on how hard it is to get a puppy from them, as well as the answer to one single question that I call the acid test: If I cannot keep this puppy or kitten down the road, will you take him or her back?

All reputable breeders will screen their buyers and will guarantee a lifelong home for that pet if the buyer cannot keep them. If the breeder does not meet those basic standards, look elsewhere for your pet.

There are two good sources for family pets. One is an animal shelter or rescue group. The other is a reputable breeder. While you may need to do a lot of homework, and yes, jump through some hoops, you'll sleep better at night.

Comments

[Renee]

Thank You for that thoughtful entry.I have "jumped the hoop" and gladly! I had a lovely golden retiever Seseme. I drove 600 mile for her. From a golden retriever rescue.
I lost her last year at the age of 16 years/old age.
My other golden from a very good breeder. I just lost her, Annie to Lympoma Cancer1-3-06.
It can not be stressed enough that the pets we purchase must become a family member in every way.IT IS an Adoption.That pet will depend on it's people just as a child would. Dogs are not things to be obtained.They must become a part of the family dynamics. I am on the list for a pup in the fall, August2006.I'll fill out anything they want me to.my heart and my home they are empty with out my dogs!