For many animal lovers, adopting a pet from a shelter is the gold standard. It gives the pets another chance at a happy home, and in some cases, can save the animal from euthanasia.
In recent years there has been a huge increase in the number of animals adopted from shelters, as the “adopt don’t shop” mantra takes hold: according to preliminary data from Best Friends Network Partners, 2024 showed a 3.9 percent increase in overall animal adoptions.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), around 4.1 million shelter animals are adopted each year, including 2 million dogs.
Still, many owners are turning to breeders when it comes to finding a dog, and often face judgment and stigma as a result. But they told Newsweek overly strict rules and a lack of certainty about the animals leaves them with no choice but to buy.
Adoption Doesn’t Work for Everyone
Animal shelters and rescues are not subject to blanket regulations in the United States: some are small and independent, and others are part of a huge network. Others are government-operated, with most municipalities required by law to have some form of “animal control.”
They work in different ways, and many have strict guidelines on who can adopt, especially when it comes to dogs, rejecting applicants based on age, whether they have children or other pets, where they live, and whether they work.
Shannon, 48 and from Mississippi, is a retired veteran and the owner of a home that sits on a fenced-in two-acre yard and three pastures, and is the owner of multiple animals, including four horses—two of whom are rescues—and two indoor rescue cats. She says her small animals are all kept indoors except when she’s outside with them, apart from two feral barn cats.
Despite this, she tells Newsweek that after the death of her German shepherd, she was rejected from adopting a dog from multiple rescue organizations “for working full-time, for my fencing, and even for owning purebred dogs.”
“Despite offering a high-quality home and full transparency, I was dismissed without consideration,” Shannon said.
Various shelters state on their websites that they do not accept certain applicants in order to give their dogs the best chance at settling in to the new home—full-time workers who do not work from home may not have the time to train and socialize the dogs. It could also lead to destruction or toilet issues in the home. Homes without high fences could allow a dog to escape.
Previous Bad Experiences Make Owners Wary of a Dog’s Genetics
Jay, 23 and from Indiana, had previously adopted two dogs—not from a shelter, but from a friend—who both came with “tons of issues,” including “major anxiety, aggression, and even health issues.”
She had raised the first dog from puppyhood “the exact way you should: lots of positive reinforcement, hours of training, and nothing fixed it. She ended up needing to be medicated to manage the issues, a lot of it being genetic issues.”
Hailie, 22 and from Missouri, had similar issues with her rescue dog, who “turned aggressive around 18 months old,” and despite multiple trainers and behaviorists, must still be muzzled in public as he is a “bite risk.”
“He was socialized no differently than my dog from an ethical breeder, genetics are what played a major role in these behaviors,” she said, adding that she also chose a breeder to protect her cats from any potential aggressive lineage or background.
‘Ethical Breeders’ Often Step In To Fill the Gaps
Shannon, who was rejected by a shelter, said it was her veterinarian who advised her to go to an ethical breeder instead.
“After facing repeated judgment and assumptions, I’ve chosen to work only with ethical, vetted breeders who value responsible ownership and the long-term welfare of animals—just as I do,” she said.
A responsible dog breeder is described by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as experienced and reputable, with a network of peers to rely on for guidance. They ensure the dogs in their breeding programs are as healthy as possible with health screenings and genetic tests to check whether a dog is a carrier for a disease or disorder. Organizations like the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals maintain a database of the tests ethical breeders do on their dogs, and buyers should be able to find the puppy’s parents, siblings, and ancestors on the database.
They should produce healthy, stable dogs that meet the breed standards. Their dogs should be kept in comfortable, clean spaces, with buyers invited to meet the litter and the mother, and should ask the potential buyer plenty of questions about themselves and how they will care for the puppy.
After her previous experiences, Jay, who required a service dog, went to an ethical breeder, “because they have the dog’s entire lineage known, and [the dogs] are less likely to have health and behavioral issues.”
That said, she would “still recommend adopting from a shelter,” as “I still believe you can find a lovely pet or sports dog in the shelter.”
Like Jay, Hailie got a dog from a breeder as she needs a service dog with a predictable temperament.
“My breeder does research on their lines and extensive health testing on all her dogs,” Hailie said. “She requires puppy buyers to also do health testing on their dogs, even if there are no plans to breed that specific dog.
“I also never have to worry about the possibilities of where my dog will go if something were to happen to me, because he’d go back to his breeder rather than end up in a shelter.”
“We encounter things on a daily [basis] that most dogs cannot handle. I need a dog that has both a solid, stable temperament and low chances of health issues,” she said, and added that this can be more difficult to predict in a shelter dog.
Hailie says she has experienced negative reactions on social media and in person for getting a dog from a breeder. However, as she put it: “I choose to ignore them cause I know I made the right decision for my lifestyle and my family.”
Jay, hasn’t had the same level of backlash, saying: “I usually explain my reasonings, and most people are understanding.”
Adopting May Still Be an Option for Some Owners, Despite Hurdles
Katy Hansen, director of marketing and communications at the Animal Care Centers of New York City (NYACC), told Newsweek that the goal of rescues should be to “prioritize finding loving homes for animals rather than creating rigid requirements that may discourage or disqualify well-meaning people.”
The NYACC focuses on being open-minded, flexible, and inclusive in placing animals. This, she says, makes the adoption process “more accessible, inclusive, and supportive for potential adopters.”
However, she thinks owners may not be aware of the options available to them from shelters. “With the financial crisis hitting so many Americans, shelters across the nation are seeing an increase in the surrender of purebred dogs. So, I would encourage people to at least check out their local shelters,” she said.
Liz Adams, founder of start-up Pet Connect & Protect, which matches rescue organizations with qualified potential adopters, reassured prospective owners that in her experience, shelters and rescues are often “very transparent: about behavior or health issues before adopting.”
“They are trying to ensure their pets don’t end up back in a shelter or even dumped, which is something that can still happen even with what seems to be a great pet match,” she said. “When it comes to behaviors, it’s also unsafe to adopt out a pet without disclosing any issues.”
Making Adoption More Accessible Could Have Huge Benefits, but Shelters Still Need To Be Careful
Adams, a fosterer herself, acknowledged there are “a lot of the hurdles” with pet adoption, but stressed that this is because “rescues and shelters want their pets to go to the best home, and most important, not end up harmed or in bad situations. People with bad intentions do know how to work the system. Shelters and rescues are working to avoid such outcomes at all costs.”
However, Julie Castle, CEO of rescue organization Best Friends Animal Society, told Newsweek she thinks “too many people have experienced the disappointment of being told they aren’t ‘good enough’ to adopt, despite having loving homes to offer. Meanwhile, during the COVID-19 pandemic, commercial breeders thrived.”
She worried that when shelters “make adoption overly difficult, they unintentionally drive people toward breeders—undermining the goal of ending the killing of pets in shelters.”
Best Friends Animal Society collects insights and analytics from more than 10,000 shelters and rescue groups across the United States, and Castle said their data predicts 7 million people will get a pet this year, and if just 6 percent more are adopted rather than buying, the U.S. could reach no-kill status nationwide.
“We are so close, but only if we stop putting unnecessary hurdles in front of adopters,” she said. “Our country has made tremendous progress in reducing the number of pets killed in shelters, dropping from millions each year to under 500,000. Two key factors have driven this success: strong partnerships between shelters and rescues and making pet adoption the best choice for families.
“Conversation-based, relationship-focused adoptions are the key. People who want to adopt are trying to do the right thing. Let’s make it easier for them to save lives.”
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