Pet shops or Breeder: Which is the best choice?

Often times we walk into a pet shop and see the cute little birdie or the awesome lizard and right off the bat we want to take them home without even considering any other options. Truth is, this is the worst place to buy your new best friend. While there are exceptions to every rule of thumb, most pet shops care more about the price of the pet than its overall well being. That cute little puppy will be sold to anyone who walks in the door with a dollar in their pocket. Without regard to the animal itself. 

Blue, the Blue and Gold Macaw.

While there are a few out there that does show some concern about their animals, most of them don’t even take the time to know the animals scientific name. If your not update to date on the science of a particular animal how can you even give husbandry advice about it. Why would you take the time to learn such basic and fundamental information, after all the only thing that is in the pet shop proprietors mind is if there is a societal interest in an animal as a potential pet. Most see a pet as a source of revenue much like cattle are to the fast food industry. The whole image of the pet shop is wrong.

The idea is to sell pets instead of inform about the animals in an accurate way. The animals in a pet shop are viewed as products over living breathing creatures. In most instances that animals are kept in bare minimal conditions. Most are stressed, unhappy and at time unhealthy. Next time you go into a pet shop take an actual look around. Look past the cosmetics and assess the real situation. Are there too many animals in cages? Do the animals look happy and stress free? Is there enough toys in the cages to accommodate the number of animals in those cages? How does the size of the cages compare to the size or amount of animals in those cages? Are the heating and lighting requirements met in the reptile terrariums? With these questions in mind, you’ll at least find a few of the answers unsatisfactory. Pet shops should sell pet products only and not pets. Pets should be adopted from a breeder or rescue.

Breeders spend time with the animals and make the pets happy and content enough that they choose to breed. They’re the most knowledgeable about the various species that they breed. They also know the age, gender, birthdate, and parents of the animals. Most pet shops barely know where their animals come from let alone the age or temperament of the parents. In most cases breeders can tell a little about your pets personality such as activeness and likes. A breeder can help troubleshoot any potential problems that may come up. They’ve most likely hat to deal with the problem before as well. Breeders take pride in their animals and care about where their animals go. They take time to get to know the potential pet owners and determine if their animals are a good fit for that person. The animals are fed the correct diets to insure their health. For certain types of animals, the breeders will take the newly born babies to a veterinarian for a check up determining the babies overall health. 

Creature, I adopted her as a kitten from a neighbor.

 

While not all breeders treat their animals the same, from my experience most care for their pets far better than pet shops do in general. Pet shops are a great place for supplies but, aren’t the right place to get a new best friend. Due to the vary nature of supply and demand pets don’t belong in shops. They belong with the people who love them. The breeders. Not in a cage barely getting by. Living every single day in minimal conditions, hoping someone walks in buys them and takes them home, away from a dreadful place. The thing is, if they’re lucky they could find someone who will love them throughout their entire lives but, in a pet shop, who knows.