The decision for a four-legged friend has been made, but what is the next step? Where do you get your darling from? Nobody can make the decision for you. The pros and cons of the different opportunities.
Animal shelter
Positive
- Various animals (breeds, mixed breeds)
- Different age groups
- Second chance for an animal
- Adult animals assessable in character
- Reduced costs (nominal fee)
- Come visit more often to get to know the animal
- Chipped, vaccinated (are usually delivered healthy, in case of chronic illness one is informed)
- Animal shelter can judge mostly well whether the animal fits to you
Negative
- The past is mostly unknown
- Possibly had bad experiences
- Some habits, even with training, are hard to get rid of.
- Diseases often only break out in a safe environment (at home).
- Behaviour can also change after acclimatisation to prosperity
Animal welfare
Positive
- Foster families know the animals well and can judge whether it would fit
- Second chance for an animal
- Low costs (nominal fee)
- Different ages and characters
- Chipped, vaccinated (are usually delivered healthy, in case of chronic illness one is informed)
Negative
- Travel diseases (diseases imported from abroad)
- Often difficult to recognize which organization is serious
- The past is often unknown
- Former street dogs/cats suddenly be overwhelmed in the city
- Some have traumas from killing stations and have to learn to trust again.
Breeder
Positive
- Origin and previous experience mostly known
- Getting to know the parents
- Should already have got to know some things (noises, underground, …)
- Health certificates and pedigree available
- Chipped, vaccinated
- Breeding association has criteria and requirements for breeding
- Breed characteristics mostly assessable
Negative
- Long waiting times, as puppies only 1-2 times a year
- High cost
- Breed typical diseases due to overbreeding
- Puppies are often delivered too early
- Female animals are sometimes mated too often
Hoppala litter
Unexpected offspring, mostly from private persons
Positive
- With luck lovingly grown up, get to know very much
- Unique puppies (you never know which breeds were involved)
Negative
- Really unintentional or puppy mafia?
- With bad luck they have only seen a box or a stable, do not know any everyday situations
- Were the parents healthy?
Farm
Positive
- Time to get to know each other
- The animals are used to humans (depending on the farm)
- Second chance, since some animals would be killed, because they have so many puppies and become more and more (better since castration obligation)
Negative
- Often overwhelmed in the city
- No veterinary examinations, not chipped, vaccinated
- Diseases may be present
- Cats usually need a free walk and are hard to get house-trained.
Pet shop
Positive
- Selection of accessories articles
Negative
- Often unknown origin (breeding facilities)
- Often long and inappropriate transports
- Accommodation in pet shops, mostly in cages that are too small. These are often overcrowded and not species-appropriate.
- Animal mostly seen as a commodity
- Salespeople have often lack specialist knowledge
- Often insufficient veterinary care
- Lack of socialisation and education
- No time to get to know each other
- Sometimes wrong sex, partly already pregnant animals sold
Internet/”Puppy Mafia”
Private persons may only sell animals via the Internet if they cannot/may not remain with their previous owners and are older than 6 months. Breeders and animal shelters may sell their animals online, just as animals from agriculture and forestry may be offered to the public.
Positive
- Second chance for animals whose owners can not keep them anymore
Negative
- Attention puppy mafia!
- No control, you never know which person you’re going to meet
- Parents usually live as birthing machines in tiny cages.
- Animals mostly sick, not vaccinated or cared for
- Faked pet passports
- Long and inappropriate transports
- Animals know no everyday situations, often not even daylight
- Animal trade has nothing to do with animal love, not even to buy out of pity! (the cycle will never end)
- Often inadequate veterinary care
- Lack of socialisation and education
- Animal mostly seen as a commodity
- Mostly unknown origin
- You Do not get to know them before
- Animals often do not exist or have been stolen.
Open your eyes when you buy pets! It is certainly a deterrent not to know the history of your pet. But if you have a professional trainer at your side, many animals develop into faithful companions. Many animals have lost their homes through no fault of their own and are now waiting to find a loving family. You just have to give them the chance and be aware that this may take a lot of time, patience and empathy. Every animal deserves a second chance, but if you are overwhelmed, you should not you shouldn’t do it to yourself. Each animal is individual and exceptions confirm the rule. Be aware of what you want to do with your pet (sport, leisure, breeding, cuddling, …), which goals, wishes, ideas and possibilities you have, to find the right partner. The next questions will be whether pure breed or mixed breed? Young or old? Male or female?
Summary
Every animal deserves a loving home. There are many places where your new family member is waiting for you. The decision is up to you, consider some points and questions for which animal, with which background you can offer the best possible life. Who knows, maybe you will even be chosen by an animal running into you.