3 alternatives to buying a pet online or from pet stores

If you’re considering adding a new pet to the family, please consider not purchasing from an online retailer or pet store, unless they are offering homeless animal from local shelters and rescue groups. By adopting from a local animal shelter or breed rescue group, you can do your part to help fight pet overpopulation, save homeless animals from euthanasia, and also ensure that you are not supporting and endorsing the inhumane conditions in commercial breeding facilities, otherwise known as puppy mills.

1. Use the Internet to adopt.
   Visit petfinder.com, the oldest and largest searchable directory on the web of animals available for adoption. Petfinder provides pet and shelter information and adoption services for stray or unwanted pets. The Petfinder database contains information about animals available for adoption, including photos, videos, and descriptions of those animals, shelter contact information, and classified listings.

   Additionally, some online classified websites have done the right thing by prohibiting ads for the sale of pets and animals on their sites, but they do allow people to re-home or adopt out pets. Please be sure that you are able to visit the animal in its existing home and are comfortable with the person who is re-homing the animal.

2. Visit your local shelter.
   Animal shelters have wonderful dogs, cats, birds, and small animals awaiting adoption every day. These groups often screen their animals for health, temperament, and behavior problems. Their adoption counselors are trained specifically to match the needs of the adopter with the needs of the animal. 25% of dogs in shelters are purebred–your favorite breed may be waiting for you at the shelter.
3. Rescue a purebred.
   Every breed and species of pet has dedicated rescue groups that take in and re-home pets. For those with their heart set on a particular breed or species, there is a rescue group out there just for your favorite breed. To find them, use Petfinder, or do a Google search including the breed you want and the word “rescue.”

   Note that most rescues ask for an adoption donation. This is used for the care and feeding of their adoptable animals. It is not unusual and is considered a tax-deductible donation.