23 million Americans decided to get a pet during the pandemic because they were home so much. These were called “pandemic pets”. But now since people are back to work and school, they don’t have the time to take care of their pets, so they bring them to a shelter. The problem with this is that overpopulation and overcrowding of pets in shelters leads to no space which then means they will be put down.

Adopting Pets From Animal Shelters

Shelters have animals suitable for everyone’s needs. Even though most aren’t sure of the age or breed they allow you to meet the animal unlike pet stores. They inform you about any health concerns, any special needs, whether they’re good with kids and other animals, how active they are, and how much attention they need. Animal shelters also provide animals with food, shelter, medical care and a caring human environment unlike puppy mills and backyard breeders.

When you adopt pets, you are giving them a second chance to have a better life. Animals in shelters have been abandoned, lost or given up on. Lots of older animals in shelters have been there for years. Sophomore Gabriella Castello says, “I got my king charles from an animal shelter when he was 2. He was there for about a year before we got him.”

Buying From Puppy Mills

When people get dogs from breeders and puppy mills, they don’t exactly know what they are getting. Puppy mills are mass-breeding facilities that are loosely regulated. These minimal regulations give them the opportunity to get away with things they shouldn’t. They get away with animal abuse, un-vaccinated animals, and animal behavioral issues. Sadly there isn’t much people can do because of such minimal regulations.

Puppy mills tend to inbreed dogs. Inbred dogs have many health defects like shortened life, poor growth, joint problems, fertility issues, and serious future health problems. Due to the lack of information given to pet owners dogs end up going to the vet for things that cannot be fixed. Owners will be drowning in medical bills which then leads to the decision on giving up your dog.

Breeding English Bulldogs

English bulldogs are one of the many inbred dogs that are prone to health problems. They cannot be bred by themselves, they need some sort of human help. They are prone to respiratory issues caused by their flattened faces which sometimes require surgery. Bulldogs are so inbred that there isn’t enough genetic diversity to fix some health problems within their breed. This also means that bulldogs can only be bred with other english bulldogs. If they are bred with another dog they can face serious health problems early on in their life.

Sophomore Olivia Roginski says, “I got my English bulldog from a breeder in Pennsylvania who lived on a farm. There were a bunch of puppies all spread around and we never got the chance to meet the parents of the puppies. My dog tends to get ear infections a lot too. I just wish they told us a little more about the breed before giving it to us.”