A quick look through most classified ads or a glance at the bulletin boards in pet stores and vet clinics usually provide plenty of opportunities to buy pit bulls puppies and dogs. The prices usually range from about $200 to well over $1000. But why buy a pit bull when there are thousands sitting in shelters all over the country just waiting for their chance at a home? Below are some of the benefits of adopting versus buying a pit bull.
But I Want a Puppy!
While it may be difficult to find puppies of certain breeds in shelters, that is not the case with pit bulls. There are very often multiple litters of pit bull puppies just waiting for a home. Call your local animal shelters to see if they have any pit bull puppies. If they don’t, they will likely be happy to take your name and call you when the next litter arrives, which it inevitably will.
Temperament Testing
Breeders, especially unethical breeders, just want to sell dogs. They do not bother with temperament testing that could help you decide if a certain dog is a good fit for your family.
When you adopt a pit bull from a shelter, it will most certainly have undergone temperament testing. This testing will help ensure that the pet will be a good fit in a home with children or other dogs or cats.
Pit bull rescue groups usually have their adoptable bullies living in home environments, which provide another great opportunity to get to know their personalities. If you apply to adopt from a pit bull rescue group, they will take all the factors of your home life in to consideration when matching you with the perfect pittie for you.
Cost
One of the most obvious benefits of adopting instead of buying is the cost. The cost of buying a pit bull from a breeder was mentioned above. The cost to adopt is, on average, from $75 to $150. This often includes the dog’s first shots, spay or neuter and a microchip.
Unethical Breeders
When you buy a pit bull there is a chance that you are supporting an unethical breeder, commonly known as a puppy mill. There are certainly ethical breeders, but unless you plan to show your dog, there is no benefit to buying over adopting.
If you do buy a dog from a puppy mill, then you are supporting the abuse and neglect of animals. When you adopt, you never have to wonder about the integrity of a breeder.
Save a Life
All of the above reasons to adopt instead of buying pale in comparison to this: You will be saving a life. Some estimates say 4 to 5 MILLION animals are put down in shelters each year simply because there are not enough homes for all of them. Up to 1.5 million of these alone are pit bulls and pit bull mixes.
When you adopt, you do your part to stop this tragedy and give a pet a richly deserved second chance.
Some Resources for Adopting In the Atlanta Area:
Friends to the Forlorn Pitbull
