Adopt, Don’t Shop.
If you’ve looked at buying a puppy recently, you’ll have been gobsmacked by the prices! A combination of an increase in demand and a lack of supply has been some unscrupulous breeders charging thousands of pounds for a puppy that would cost a few hundred in more ‘normal times’.
In 2017, the RSPCA alone rescued and collected over 100,000 animals and re-homed around 45,000. This year, these numbers are expected to sky rocket as puppies that were bought on impulse are being sent to rescue as their owners reassess their priorities now that they’re getting back to normality.
At Rooke’s, we highly recommend that anyone considering owning a pet first considers adopting one before buying from a breeder.
1. Avoid Puppy Farms
Whilst there are a large number of registered and responsible breeders in the UK, and puppy farms are now illegal, there are still far too many breeders that have little regard for the welfare of the breeding animals or the offspring and are only focused on profit. Often conditions are poor and, usually, the health of the animal is at risk both in the short term and long term.
2. By adopting, you’ll be saving a life.
Space at Rescue Centers across the country is limited – especially at the moment, and by adopting you are making room for another in-need animal to come into the centre.
Plus, your newly adopted pet is going to have a fabulous life at home with you and soon forget all about the days in the kennels.
3. You’ll save £££
Rescue centres do require a donation fee per animal you re-home, but this is much cheaper than the cost of buying a puppy or kitten from a breeder. Normally the animal will have been vaccinated, micro-chipped, neutered/spayed and given a health check so those are all costs you get to avoid!
4. Get yourself a fully trained pet
You get to pick yourself a fully-trained, happy chappy! Avoiding those toilet training months is a big plus and, although every pet needs plenty of your time, it’s not as much as a puppy or kitten needs during those critical first few months.
5. Pick the pet that’s right for you
It’s really difficult to tell what kind of personality your pet will have when picking at a few weeks old, choosing a rescue animal however means that the rescue center staff will be able to tell you all about each animal in detail and you can take home the purrfect pet!