File :-(, x, )
Adoption Anonymous
So i recently decided to Adopt a Dog at the local shelter. The problem is that I'm not too sure the overall cost of adoption, much less how much can having a pet end up costing in the long run. So anyone have any experience in adopting? If so, what's your story?
>> Anonymous
yesss
adopt a mutt

adopt the muttiest mutt you can find
and love him because he is unique unlike those shitty purebreeds
>> Anonymous
>>156443

If you're going to adopt a dog at the shelter, keep visiting the shelter until you see a dog you like. There is no point in pretending to be a charitable person and picking up a mutt you'd grow to be indifferent to or even hate. Personally, I'd look at the classifieds of local newsapapers before trying out the shelter.

The overall cost of owning a pet in the long run is pretty much the same, mutt or purebred, adopted or raised from a puppy. However, the problem with adopting at the shelter is that these dogs are sometimes disturbed, and are rarely properly trained to do things. On top of that, you're not sure of their actual age.

As much as I love dogs, I can't honestly recommend a shelter dog to someone who hasn't had a dog before.
>> Anonymous
>>156462

Oh yeah, I'm aware that some of them can have Behavior problems, and yes, the plan is to keep looking for the right Pet for me, but from what I've read, a lot of those animals from the Pet stores tend to either have just as much problems, or maybe more. I'm also not really too picky on the age of the Dog (although raising it from a puppy is preferable), all I'm really looking for is just that it's a good dog, and it's disease free. But the main difference here is that while i hear that Pets from the Pet store end up costing as much as $600 (or more) overall during the day of purchase (with having it spayed or neutered, and with shots and given a tracker all in one day), Animal shelters tend to vary drastically in price, with some ranging from $60 to $600, depending on certain factors for example; how much funding the Animal Shelter gets from the county or state, or if it's public or privately owned, often with the same ending result. I'm also bringing a friend who knows a lot about adopting, and has experience with shelters, as well as Animals in general (since he was an assistant to a vet), just in case.

So anyway, should i still consider going to a shelter, or am i still better off heading to the store, and supporting these puppy mills that are causing this pet overpopulation problem? I mean, i don't mean to antagonize breeders, but from what i do hear, they tend to do more harm than good, but that's another argument for another time.
>> Anonymous
>>156466
I've had 6 dogs in my entire life, all adopted or ones I found on the street. Best dogs ever, all except the beagle 'cause she's annoying as hell.

Just go to a shelter and look in ads for dogs. If you find one you like, ask if you walk with it around the property, or play with it in a room. Test the dog out.

And dogs you get from puppy mills will probably have more diseases or issues than the ones in the shelters(putting aside severely abused dogs). The pet store by me got in trouble for getting sick puppies from mills and selling them.
Purebreds are bound to have more genetic problems anyway, which is why mutts are better.
>> Anonymous
Somebody gave me a cat for free..

Recently I paid over 700 bucks for something that the doctor couldn't even identify. My cat almost died and I willingly paid for it. Make sure you have a shitload of money set aside for your pet, or at least enough money to have him put down should something come up. I am thankful I had a credit card - that I'm still paying off (I'll probably end up paying twice to three times as much as his vet bill - but he's worth every penny. I can't imagine life with him leaving before his time..)
Pets are expensive.. pets last for years... Make sure you're ready for it.
>> Anonymous
>>156466

That's why I said I'd personally keep an eye out on the classifieds of your local newspapers. A lot of families have new puppies that needs a good home, and you'd be able to visit them firsthand to see what the puppies are like.
>> Anonymous
I had a lab that i bought at the store once. Didn't last too long. The vet said that he had Heart worms, and had to be put down. Usually pet stores are the biggest breeding ground for diseased animals, so it's best to go to the pound, since they at least give the dog a checkup and all it's shots before they give it to you.
>> Anonymous
All of my dogs have been strays that showed up at my house. I live out in the middle of the woods, so there's no chance that they're somebody else's dogs. After my last dog died, another one showed up in a few weeks, we took her to the vet, had her spayed and got shots, etc. I'd never buy an expensive purebred dog, or worse, one from a store. Adopting your dog is the best way to go.
>> Anonymous
I've had a variety of strays and mixed breds. Their personalities ran the whole range from unsociable/unapproachable to very needy. But after getting to know other people's Labrador Retrievers in recent years, that's the breed I'd choose if I ever get another dog. I used to think I'd try a Border Collie for their IQ, but lab personality trumps IQ.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
I adopted a cat in June after mine went astray. She was more interested in me and talkative, and is a great candidate.
She's the perfect clumsy kitten and seems to be growing in to it (not changing as she becomes an adult)

I have yet to become attached to the new cat. The adoption process itself was uneventful, relativley smooth, and worth the money for the fees.
Soon after I bought her, she came down with a full-blown respiratory infection. When I confronted the adoption people they said it was easier to treat the animals that leave the shelter for their "kennel cough" than it is to keep all the animals in the shelter healthy!
So, by being in that shelter, they are bound to get sick..
.. and it was a kill-shelter, so they freely and regularily killed the sick animals.
Thats pretty twisted.. and giving my cat her medicine every 12 hours against her will for 10 days wasn't exactly pie either. But now she's fit and healthy and I'm content.
Cat in picture is not her
>> Anonymous
mutt=win
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
If you have the patience and clean record for it (havent given up any pets in the past, have a good relationship with your vet, etc), I'd say go through a private shelter and get a dog who's being fostered. That's what I did. Pain in the ass; it can take weeks for them to verify all of your references and the like, BUT, they've almost always already housebroken and fixed the dog and can tell you a lot more about them than a regular shelter can. There's not really any "surprises" with a dog who's been fostered because they've usually been with their foster for a few weeks or months, so they know everything about them you'd want to know before taking them home. Regular shelters that just have the dogs in cages all day can't tell you much besides "he's brown, seems nice, maybe 3 years old?"

My border collie mix is a million and a half times better than all of the "special" pedigreed dogs the rest of my family has. They're all neurotic and bark their heads off and never listen; mine isn't any of that. He seems genuinely grateful for everything he gets, while the other animals around the house act like they simply deserve everything they're given. He listens and, I guess because he was abandoned, really just wants to be by my side as much as he can and make me happy. Most shelter dogs will come with some baggage, if only from having lived in a shelter. He also took a while to warm up to me; he kept acting like I wasn't going to come back whenever I left. Eventually he realized I'd always come back, though, and is now the best dog ever. I found him on petfinder.com. It was pretty amazing; he was young, healthy, no serious issues, had all of his basic training, cutest damn thing on the planet yet had been in foster care for several months. This isn't too uncommon, either. Check the listings on that site in your area if you're okay with them checking references and stuff, because it can be really, really worth it.
>> Anonymous
i liek teh kittie...
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
I adopted a cat in June after mine went astray. She was more interested in me and talkative, and is a great candidate.
She's the perfect clumsy kitten and seems to be growing in to it (not changing as she becomes an adult)

I have yet to become attached to the new cat. The adoption process itself was uneventful, relativley smooth, and worth the money for the fees.
Soon after I bought her, she came down with a full-blown respiratory infection. When I confronted the adoption people they said it was easier to treat the animals that leave the shelter for their "kennel cough" than it is to keep all the animals in the shelter healthy!
So, by being in that shelter, they are bound to get sick..
.. and it was a kill-shelter, so they freely and regularily killed the sick animals.
Thats pretty twisted.. and giving my cat her medicine every 12 hours against her will for 10 days wasn't exactly pie either. But now she's fit and healthy and I'm content.
Cat in picture is not her