It is preferable to buy a pet from a breeder than from a shelter

I have already learned much about some of the reasons why people go to breeders. I would like to take this opportunity to explain why her reasons would not keep me from rescuing my next pet from a shelter. I have never gotten an animal from a shelter that was not checked for healthiness by a licensed veterinarian. I have, however, gotten a kitten from the police station that had health problems. The kitten had been orphaned at four weeks, and had a wolfworm infection in her neck. Had I not rescued her, she most certainly would have died. Likewise, I might get an animal that has been abused. My cat, Farley, most certainly had a harrowing youth, and he still is quite skittish. My heart breaks when I see the way he reacts to sudden noises or even quick movements. While I did eventually tame him, and now he will even get up into my lap if I am sitting quietly reading, it was more difficult raising him than some of my other furry friends. But the difficulty to me is nothing in comparison to what his life may have been like if we did not choose to share our home with him. Granted, rescuing a cat that had been abused is not dangerous to me or local children as, perhaps, rescuing a pit bull from Michael Vick. But even government pounds can identify aggressive animals, and will usually not let them be adopted[1]. Aggression can be either hereditary or environmental. Let us be clear that if a dog has been bred to be aggressive then it is the fault of the geneticist breeder, not the dog. And if a dog is aggressive because he was abused, it is also not his fault. A dog that is genetically aggressive may or may not be successfully trained against this aggression. If it cannot be trained out of the aggression, it is the breeders who are to blame. Who among us has not had to overcome natural tendencies in order to be the best person they can be? Just because a dog has certain tendencies does not mean it shouldn't get the benefit of good training that can help it overcome them. A dog that has been trained to be aggressive (or, more likely, became aggressive because of poor training) can always be trained away from this tendency[2]. Like all training, it requires consistent, well researched training. Any dog that one brings into the home needs to have excellent training, or else it can become aggressive. So if one needs to train an animal anyway, then this does not give a good enough reason not to save an animal from the hell it is in that has caused it to be aggressive. On the contrary, if you can train an animal, there is nothing more rewarding than to bring it back from the wild. The argument that an animal is a mix is not sufficient to cause someone to choose not to rescue an animal. A good checkup at a veterinarian will give a new owner knowledge of the health of their animal, first-hand knowledge of the vaccinations it has received and will need in the future, as well as care and feeding advice. In addition, one has the satisfaction of knowing that the pet will be GOING to a stable, loving home. Certainly that is more important than knowing from where it came. If people would be more concerned with that commitment, there woud be less animals in shelters to begin with. I concede that being able to visit with the animal and getting to know it is a major plus in choosing a pet. This is not the sole venue of a breeder, however. Many rescue groups (including one with which I was involved while stationed in Oklahoma) do not house their animals in a central facility but rather the animals are housed with volunteers. We were happy to let prospective families come and meet the animals and spend as much time as they wanted getting to know them. It was a win/win situation, because the animals were getting attention they craved and the families were getting to know the animals. The point that shelter animals live in less than glorious conditions and are often on a timeframe is aptly made. Perhaps it is a matter of preference, but these facts make me more likely to rescue an animal from a shelter. Shelters don't breed these animals. Shelters do their very best with the funds made available to them from the state and local government as well as volunteers and donations to do right by these animals that society has thrown away. There is no argument that can be made that says one animal is more worthy of a loving home than another by virtue of its breeding. I agree with my opponent that any person makes an emotional commitment (or should) when bringing a pet into the home. The level of that commmitment has nothing to do with the pets pedigree. Mutts are as worthy of our love as thoroughbreds, and those in shelters need it more. As my opponent points out, their very life may depend on it. Mutts might never win a ribbon, but they will win your heart. If you let them in the race. [1] . http://www.petfinder.com...[2] . http://www.dogbreedinfo.com...