Quote:
Originally Posted by fuzebox
I do know that when you go out and buy a new puppy from someone who raises them professionally (in an animal overpopulated world), you are choosing not to save a dog who is probably going to be put to death.
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And every time you go out for a fancy meal as opposed to spending only what you need on groceries and donating the rest, you're contributing to a child starving to death. How much have you spent at restaurants this year versus what you've donated to fighting child hunger?
The point is, it's not so absolute. I myself have had 3 Rottweilers that came from the side of the road in Costa Rica and rescues in Canada. They cost me a ton of money in heath costs over 12 years. The Rottie I have now I bought from a breeder, because I wanted specific working lines to do dog sport. I also wanted dogs ABSENT of genetic disorders (namely hips and elbows) that I had to deal with in my rescued dogs. My next dog (coming shortly) is a "professionally" bred GSD from a German working line because again I'm doing Schutzhund with my dogs.
I think there's room for buying dogs from responsible breeders and rescuing dogs in need of homes. Arguably, if only responsible breeders sold puppies, there would be much less need for rescue. A breeder that sells a puppy will almost always take it back unquestionably if a home can not or will not keep it. Puppy mills that produce the vast majority of dogs that end up in bad homes never do this.