North Texas Daily

To preface this article, I will say something first and foremost about owning a pet. Whether you adopt them or purchase them, having a pet is one of the best things you can do, for yourself and for the animal. I believe it’s obvious there is a clear and better alternative to how you obtain a pet, but I do not intend to shame anyone who obtained their pet from a breeder instead of a shelter.

I will say however, if you are looking to add a new furry member to your family, adopting one from a shelter is the better method.

One thing I know we can all agree on is how enriching it is to own a pet. They will love you unconditionally, they are always there when you feel down and their loyalty is more than enough to compensate for any challenges presented with being a pet owner.

Pets are basically the backbone to keeping the human race together, and you can go ahead and quote me on that.

One of the main issues concerning this debate is the irreversible damage to breeds caused by forced breeding. This issue affects certain breeds more horrifically than others, and it needs to be more directly addressed. For example, pug breeders specifically breed the dogs with the flattest faces because this trait is desirable to buyers. This results in worse and worse health conditions for future generations of pugs — and the worst part is humans created these problems for them.

When animals are born with health problems caused by forced breeding, they are then relegated to shelters because the breeder can no longer make a profit from it.

My sister and her boyfriend rescued a bulldog who was a product of breeding. She turned out to have a severe body deformity which causes her to be in pain most of the time. This poor dog now must live with severe health issues and pain everyday because of her breeder’s lack of consideration for animal well being.

On a lighter note however, both of my dogs were actually adopted from the shelter, and I could not love them anymore if I tried. Knowing I saved them from the shelter after they were abandoned makes me so happy, and knowing I was able to save them when I did to prevent their euthanasia makes me even more glad to know I have them as my own.

It is so satisfying and heartwarming to know you’ve saved an animal from a shelter instead of forking thousands of dollars over to someone churning out puppies for money. Bringing home an adopted pet and seeing the joyful, loving emotion radiating off of them is more than enough to fill my heart for the rest of my life. Adopting a pet is one of the best things I’ve ever done, and if you haven’t already, I recommend you all do the same.

Featured Illustration by Austin Banzon