I hate the whole adopt don’t shop mentality and the “my breed is rescue”. I get that we shouldn’t support shops and give them business but the dogs ARE there and they will be killed if they’re too old, and they’re living in horrible conditions. Getting them out of that is rescuing them.
I’d like to add a thing here. Many animals make a full recovery with little or no lasting significant emotional or health issues. Not all though- some will have long term or life long battles and getting them to a point of “recovery” on any scale can be time, dedication, knowledge, work, and money that many can’t have. Many people can’t rearrange their lives and homes and routines and surroundings to match what an animal requires to recover. You may get a dog with a few “cute quirks” or you may get a wonderful dog that is dangerous around kids, other animals, strangers etc. you may get a dog with severe separation anxiety that messes up your house of left alone... or one that self harms or pretty much cannot be left alone.
In other words- if you have the resources and dedication for that- an elderly, abused, sick, or neglected animal can be a wonderful companion- and you could potentially transform their life which is not only noble- but a good feeling. If you do not have those things you could end up with a horror story, you could hurt the animal worse and do more damage or it could hurt you or someone else. You could end up giving it up to adoption or even having it put down.
If you want you and your new animal friends to have the best chance at a happy ending- try to select the animal that you can best care for and who you both best fit each other’s lives.
It’s sad but it is best to avoid unethical breeders. An ethical breeder will care for or home dogs that aren’t bought as puppies from a litter. An unethical breeder may kill, abuse, or possible send “leftover stock” to a shelter where they may become dogs like this that need recovery.
But as sad as the thought is- buying from unethical breeders only incentivizes the practice and thus ensures the cycle continues. Much like with humans we can’t ever likely fully stop the cycle of “disadvantages births” since even outside of intentional breeding... anywhere two fertile animals meet there can be accidents. We can try to make sure we are buying “accidental miracles” or ethically bred dogs and not dogs from a breeding mill that puts profit ahead of the animals.
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