One thing that several people have in common is owning a pet. Arguably, the most popular pet to own is a dog. Pets dogs are known for bringing family together, and overall providing a more fun and loving environment. They are recognized for their innocence and desire to be loved. Unfortunately, many dogs do not get to meet their forever home. I believe that dog breeding should be cut down to a minimum until the dogs in shelters find homes.

From a personal perspective, my family adopted a rescue dog. We immediately fell in love with her, even my dad who did not want a dog to begin with. It is such a great feeling to know you are rescuing a dog from a bad situation and giving them a happy home to spend the rest of their lives in. My dog was stuck in a hoarding situation, so it makes me feel relieved knowing that she is safe now. Owning a dog has truly brought my family closer. She brings a different kind of glow to the household. Whether it’s funny moments where she goes crazy with her toys, or sweet moments where she cuddles up against us. All the moments create lifelong memories that my family and friends bond over. It has also given me a true best friend.

So why cut down on dog breeding? There is pretty much no point in doing so. Statistics state that 3.3 million dogs are put into shelters each year. That is 3.3 million dogs that already are lacking a home. Approximately 2 million get adopted each year, leaving behind around 1.3 million dogs. The saddest part is that around 670,000 dogs in shelters are euthanized. Innocent dogs have their lives taken away from them when new dogs are being breeded. What is the point of creating new life at the cost of taking away lives that already exist? Every single dog deserves the chance at a happy life, and breeding more dogs is making it harder for the dogs that are already alive to get that chance.

There can be an argument made against cutting down the breeding of dogs. Some people want the option of adopting a purebred dog. But there are still options that fit into that category from rescuing dogs. Statistics as of 2023 state that 5% of dogs in shelters are purebred dogs. This means that there are about 165,000 purebred dogs brought into the dog shelters each year. Those looking for a certain type of dog have a chance of finding the breed they desire. Though the search may not be so simple, it is not impossible and more effort should be put into adopting the purebred dogs in shelters first.

Choosing to adopt a dog can help to fight against puppy mills. Puppy mills are facilities that breed animals, but they prioritize their profits over the well being of the dogs. The dogs in puppy mills sole purpose is to breed. It is an awful system; dogs are left in poor housing conditions. They possess little to no medical care. Female dogs will be rejected once they are no longer deemed as “profitable”. It is truly heartbreaking to know that dogs are treated this way. Cutting down on dog breeding will help shut down these puppy mills.

Many benefits can be found from adopting a dog over buying a dog. The first is that in most cases, the dog won’t have to be trained. Many sheltered dogs are older and are already potty trained and have had social interactions before. They have been around people who work in the shelters as well as fellow dogs in the shelters. Adopting a dog is also much more affordable. Adoption fees are much cheaper and in many cases already cover medical bills such as first vaccinations and spay/neuter. The dog shelters have a lot of knowledge on how to care for a future pet. Adopting a dog from a shelter will make the process easier, because the staff there have gotten to learn the dogs and can give future owners insight about the dog that someone buying a new dog would not receive. Lastly, like said above, adopting a dog is equivalent to saving a life. Dogs are innocent creatures, and all deserve to require a home with a loving family, instead of being stuck in a shelter with a high chance of being killed. All dogs in shelters need a chance at a happy life.