So, you’re thinking about adopting a new pet. There might be a lot of things on your mind like where you’ll put it, what you’ll feed it, and many other things. But one important thing you have to ask first: where are you going to get it?
This article is a general guide and should be able to help you regardless of what kind of animal you are looking for. We’ll go over your main options, the pros and cons of each, and how the type of animal should play into your decision.
But before we do this, let’s go over some important things.
Legality
Before you purchase or adopt any animal you should be aware of the laws surrounding that animal in your area. In the USA, the laws for selling, owning, and transporting animals vary significantly between states, and even between specific counties and cities.
If you are looking to adopt an animal from a source that’s one state over, research the laws in that state. You should also research the laws of transporting that animal. For example, the laws about transporting livestock animals can be very strict.
This may be less applicable to you if you are adopting a dog or cat, but there can still be restrictions to certain breeds. Make sure you are aware of any restrictions that might apply to you.
Qualities We’re Looking At
There are a few aspects of each option that we’re going to be assessing.
- Price: how much does this option cost?
- Ability to Find: How easy is it to find this option?
- Quality: How likely is the animal to have health of behavioral issues?
- Reliability of Information: Are they transparent about their sourcing? Will they provide guidance on care?
- Ethics: Where do they get their animals? How are they cared for?
Option 1: Chain Pet Stores
Chain pet stores are everywhere, and many peoples’ first thought when they’re thinking of purchasing a new pet. They’re also usually a good option price-wise. However, they are known to be unreliable in terms of quality and ethics. Be sure to look at all of your options before purchasing an animal from a chain pet store.
Price: Good
Pet stores will often be one of the cheaper options you have, in terms of purchasing the actual animal. However, they will not be much cheaper in the grand scheme of things. The cages and accessories they sell will often be very overpriced.
Ability to Find: Great
A chain pet store will often be your closest option, especially if you live in a rural area. They will sell most common pets you might be looking for. However, if you’re looking for a pet that is less common, this will probably not be the option for you.
Quality: Poor
While plenty of people get a pet that they adore from a chain pet store, their quality is not reliable. Their animals are often from large-scale breeding farms where they pay little attention to genetics and health. This means that you are more likely to get a sick animal, or an animal with a shorter lifespan. They are also usually not very well socialized and can have behavioral issues.
EXCEPTION: If you are adopting a dog or cat from a large chain pet store there is a high chance that this animal is actually from a local shelter partnering with the store. Be sure to ask!
Reliability of Information: Okay
Chain pet stores will often provide information on how to take care of your new animal. However, this information is not always reliable. Most chain pet stores sell items that are dangerous for the animals they are marketed for. Chain pet stores also provide little information about the sources of their animals. This makes it difficult to assess the ethics and potential health problems of your pet.
Ethics: Poor
Ultimately, it will be up to you whether the store is up to your own ethical standards. However, compared to the other options chain pet stores have much more questionable ethics. They commonly source their animals from large-scale breeders, which keep their animals in cramped, dirty conditions. The lack of transparency about their sources of animals also makes it difficult to trust their sourcing. There is always a chance that the animal is wild-caught.
Option 2: Small Pet Stores
Small pet stores can be a great alternative to a chain pet store. Purchasing from a local pet store is a way to support small businesses and engage in your local community. They can also have much healthier animals than you’d get from a chain pet store. However, not every small pet store is the same. Be sure to ask questions and get a feel for how they run their operation before you go through with your purchase.
Price: Okay
Small Pet stores might be more expensive than chain pet stores. However, that price can be indicative of higher quality. The higher price may be because they spend more on their animal care and breeding their own animals. However, this will depend on the individual store.
Ability to Find: Okay
Small pet stores will definitely be more difficult to find than a chain pet store. If you live in a very rural area you might have to travel a ways to find one. There are also many small pet stores that don’t actually sell animals. You might have to get your animal elsewhere if this is the case, but they can be a great place to get pet supplies!
Quality: Varies
The quality of the animals and other products of a small pet store will depend heavily on the individual store. Be sure to ask lots of questions about where they get their animals and the conditions they are kept in. Be especially cautious if they are selling dogs, cats, or small mammals such as rats, hamsters, or guinea pigs. These animals often come from mills, which are likely to give you unhealthy animals.
Reliability of Information: Varies
This will again depend on the individual store. Some small pet stores will be very upfront about their sourcing and will be very happy to give you guidance. This is generally a good sign for the quality and ethics of the store. If they hesitate or refuse to give information about where they source their animals, be cautious.
Ethics: Varies
As mentioned earlier, some small pet stores will breed their own animals. Others will source their animals from mills, where animals are kept in cramped, dirty conditions. Make sure to ask about where they get their animals from to make sure the store is up to your own ethical standards.
Sometimes small pet stores will require you to prove that you have the knowledge and equipment to take care of the animal you are purchasing. This is generally a good sign that they take the welfare of their animals very seriously.
Option 3: Private Breeders
Private breeders are a great option for those who are looking for a healthy, well socialized animal. A private breeder often means that you know exactly where this animal is coming from. However, beware of “backyard breeders” who are looking to make quick money without caring about the health or quality of their animals.
Price: Okay
Private breeders will usually charge more. This is because they breed their animals themselves and put a lot of time, money, and effort into them. The price will vary for each seller. If their prices are very low, this is often a red flag.
Ability to find: Poor
Depending on the animal you are looking for and where you live, it can be hard to find a private breeder. On the other hand, sometimes you’ll get lucky and be able to find one nearby. Some breeders may also be willing to meet up if you live far away. If you’re having trouble finding one, try looking on pet forums for people’s recommendations, or searching on Facebook or Craigslist.
Quality: Varies
The quality of the animal is going to be entirely dependent on the breeder and their standards. A good breeder will give you a healthy, well socialized pet. They will also often take the animal back if there are any issues. On the other hand, if you get one from a backyard breeder, or someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing, you might end up with a sick animal. It’s important to pay close attention when looking for a breeder.
Reliability of Information: Varies
A good breeder will be very open about how they breed and care for their animals. Be sure to ask lots of questions and look through the information they have on their website/social media. If they are reluctant to talk about their animal care or show pictures, be wary. Some breeders will be very happy to help you out with your new pet. Having an established relationship with a breeder can be a great way to get advice when you have questions down the line about your animal.
Ethics: Varies
The ethics of private breeders depends on the individual and their methods, as well as the type of animal you are getting. Backyard breeders are very ethically problematic, but a good breeder is very invested in the welfare of their animals.
There is also the popular idea of “adopt, don’t shop”. This is especially true for dogs and cats. Because there are already so many animals out there that need a home, it can seem unethical to buy a new one from a breeder. However this depends on your particular situation: for example if you are looking for a service dog, a breeder might make more sense.
Some species also have much fewer animals available to rescue. If this is the case, then a breeder is a perfectly good option.
Note about online sellers:
Some private breeders and small pet stores will have an online store. This is most common for reptile/amphibian stores, because these animals can sometimes be shipped.
If you cannot find any reference to the a physical store location or any pictures of their facilities, this is a major red flag. Be highly skeptical of online sellers, as there are many scams out there. Even if they are actually selling the animals they claim they are, they may be wild-caught or from a large breeding farm.
Be careful, and only purchase from sellers who you have thoroughly researched and who are upfront about their operations and sourcing.
Option 5: Pet Expos
Pet expos are held every year across the world. They are a place where many vendors come together to connect and sell their products and animals. They can be a great place to find some harder to find animals, or breeders that you haven’t heard of before. However, each expo and each vendor is different. Be sure to make informed purchases. Expos are an easy place to make an impulse purchase.
Price: Varies
The price is going to depend on who you buy from. It can be nice to walk through and compare the prices at different vendors. It will also depend on what vendors that particular expo brings in. Some expos will have stricter rules for who is allowed to sell there.
Ability to find: Okay
Pet expos are held across the world (though mostly in the U.S, Canada, and Europe). There are hundreds held annually, so you are likely to find one near you. However, they are mostly held in big cities so you may have to travel a bit to get to one. You will also probably have to wait a few months before the next one is held near you.
Quality: Varies
Like the price, the quality is going to vary highly depending on who you buy from. An expo is likely to have some very high quality breeders. They also may have some breeders who are much less interested in the health of their animals. Do as much research as possible on each vendor before making a purchase.
Reliability of Information: Poor
Because of the format of an expo, it can be much harder to find information. There is only so much information that a vendor can give you in the moment, especially if you get there at a busy time. Try to do research before you go to an expo. Many expos will have a list of the vendors who will be there that you can view ahead of time.
Ethics: Varies
The ethics of an expo is going to depend on that particular expo’s rules and regulations, as well as the particular vendors that attend. This may also depend on your country or state and the laws in place there. For example, the U.S. has little federal regulations on pet expos. Once again, make sure that you know all the information you can before buying from any vendor.
There are some larger ethical concerns about pet expos and the way that animals are housed and sourced.
Here are some videos from reptiles keepers on the good and bad of reptile expos (which make up a lot of pet expos):
Wickens Wicked Reptiles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wkgd2QgrPQc
GoHerping: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqs-oeJc61E
Option 6: Rescue/Rehome
Taking in a rescued or re-homed animal is a great option. There are many amazing animals that need homes. There is hardly an animal species out there that doesn’t have rescues available for adoption. Of course, you should make sure that you know what you’re getting into when taking in a rescue.
Price: Good
Most animal rescues will have an adoption fee, but it is usually a small amount. This is usually to prevent people from adopting and then reselling their animals, as well as to cover the costs of running the rescue.
Ability to find: Varies by species
If you’re looking for a dog or a cat, there are thousands of rescues to choose from. You will not have any problem finding a shelter. However, if you’re looking for something other than a dog or cat you may have a harder time finding a rescue. However, there are rescues out there for any species if you’re willing to do some research and travel a little bit.
Quality: Varies
If you are taking in a rescue, there is always the chance that your animal will have health or behavioral issues. There is often little information on a rescue animal’s past. However, many people get loving and healthy animals from rescues. It simply depends on the individual animal and the situation it comes from.
Reliability of Information: Varies
An animal shelter will try to provide whatever information they can about an animal, but there is often not much available. Sometimes you will adopt a rescue and discover behavioral issues or health problems that the rescue was unaware of. This is just part of the risk of taking in a rescue, but it won’t happen every time.
Ethics: Great
Rescuing an animal has very few ethical downsides. By adopting an animal, you give the rescue you adopt from a chance to help another animal. Taking in a rescue animal can sometimes be difficult, but it is very rewarding.
As well as adopting from a shelter, you can also take in an animal that is being re-homed. There are many facebook groups dedicated to finding new homes for pets that people can no longer take care of. Craigslist and Petfinder/Adoptapet are also great places to find animals that need homes.