Ten Reasons You Should Not Buy an Animal from a Pet Store
Overall, there are many reasons for not choosing a pet from a pet store and the top ten reasons are:
1.The Animal May Not Be Friendly
Often, animals raised in the atmosphere of a pet store are not as friendly as those reared within a household. This is because they are not socialized as much with familiar people and can become weary of the constant handling by strangers. Animals which are afraid can potentially grow up to be dangerous and can end up with a lot of behavior problems. The puppy or kitten will also take longer to settle into its new home than usual and every noise could potentially frighten them.
2.Do You Know Where the Pets Actually Came From?
Unfortunately, very often puppies and kittens are sold to pet shops through puppy and kitten farms. These puppy farms keep their animals in appalling conditions and they do not care for the animal’s welfare; they only care about making as much money from them as possible. This can cause many problems for the animal including bad health.
Many puppies that come from puppy farms die after a couple of days of being sold. This is because they have been exposed to a number of illnesses and they have not had the proper treatment from veterinarians. It is sad for an owner to pay so much money for a cute little puppy, only to lose them a couple of days later. So it is always worth asking the pet store where they got the puppy from and if they cannot give you a satisfactory answer, it is best to just walk away.
3.Are the Animals Exactly What the Pet Store Says They Are?
While some pet stores are completely genuine, there are unfortunately others which do not care too much about the animals that are in their care. This means that they don’t always know what breed of puppy or kitten they have for sale, and they often can not provide the pet’s true lineage. This can cause many problems as not only will the customer end up with a breed which they may not have wanted, but they could also end up with one which they cannot look after in the long run. The problems with not knowing which breed you are getting mainly relates to puppies, though you would still be upset and frustrated to find out that the kitten you bought was not really a Bengal, but a crossbreed.
4.False AKC Papers
Many pet stores advertise the fact that their puppies and kittens come with AKC papers. While puppies which come with AKC papers are often genuine, pedigree puppies, it cannot always be proven as an owner could register more puppies than were actually born and give the papers to somebody else who has non-pedigree puppies. This may not be a common occurrence, but it can and does happen occasionally. The other myth about AKC papers is that they guarantee the health or the temperament of the puppies. This is not true, the papers only guarantee that the puppy is of a certain pedigree.
5.The Amount of Space Available
While it may seem understandable to find small animals in pet stores, bigger animals such as larger dogs should not be kept there. This is because there is simply not enough space for them. It is cruel to keep a dog in a confined space for long intervals of time. Some pet stores do provide larger areas for their animals, but others simply keep them as cramped as possible in order to fit as many in the store as possible. This again can lead to health problems as they are not able to thrive in these conditions.
6.It Will Be Hard to Housebreak Them
Puppies and kittens bought in a pet store are not usually house trained. They are used to going to the toilet whenever and wherever they feel like it. The pet store workers simply clean up after them. So, when you get the animal home, it is not going to know that it cannot urinate on your nice clean carpet, and it certainly won’t know to go to the door every time it wants to go out. So, a lot more patience and training is needed with pet store animals.
7.They Are Often More Expensive
Pets bought in a pet shop are often a lot more expensive than anywhere else. This is because they can basically charge what they want to as they know their customers will pay the high prices in the hopes of owning a healthy, happy puppy. However, just because they are more expensive does not mean that they are healthier. It is always worth looking around for better prices or adopting a shelter pet.
8.Impulse Purchases
Often when you buy a puppy or a kitten from a pet store, you are buying on impulse. There is no denying that puppies and kittens are cute, and when you walk past that pet store window with a cute little face looking up at you, you just want to take them home. Pet stores rely on this method and that is why they often place their puppies and kittens in the window; they know that children simply cannot resist. However, beware of impulse purchases and take your time when deciding to purchase an animal.
9.Vet Bills
Due to the fact that many pet store bought animals have health problems, the cost of vet bills is usually double compared to what it would be if you bought directly from a breeder. You may need to spend more money in order to ensure that your pet remains healthy.
10.It is Better to Adopt
Every day, hundreds of pets are abandoned or rescued and they are in desperate need of a good home. Animal shelters are inundated with animals and they often find it hard to find homes for their older dogs and cats. Adopting from an animal shelter is a lot cheaper and a lot more rewarding than buying from a pet shop. Surprisingly, the dogs and cats in an animal shelter can often have less behavior and health problems than a pet store bought animal.
So before you rush out and buy your next puppy or kitten, take into consideration the points made above. Why not adopt an animal instead of buying one from a pet shop? You really will find it a rewarding experience!
