The hashtag that created a storm across animal media: #adoptdontshop. The slogan was originally used by animal rights activists to promote adopting rescue dogs over buying them from pet shops. Since then, the hashtag has been plastered around mainstream media, causing controversy in some cases. So if you want to find out a bit more, I’m here to try and clear up the matter for you.  

Personally, the most important point to clarify is that supporting rescue shelters does not mean that we should condemn all breeders. This misunderstanding underpins a huge proportion of the controversy surrounding the school of thought. Put simply, the idea is to encourage rehoming of rescue dogs, therefore putting problematic over-breeders out of business, and in turn, there will be fewer dogs ending up in shelters. However, the targets here are specifically puppy mills and backyard breeders who prioritise quick profit over welfare. I’m talking about the ignorant breeders who separate pups from mums too young; who sell dogs over the internet without the owner and pet meeting; who fool well-intentioned owners by showing them false pictures of a healthy mother and many more harrowing issues. The problem spirals when these shady sellers continue to overbreed popularised breeds with genetic health issues and are subjected to unsuspecting buyers. So that’s the target (although they may be more common and harder to spot than you think ) - not the breeder with decades of experience who personally provides high welfare and continued life-long support to pet parents.   

Rescue shelters have a special place in my heart. My Dad and I are both level 4 Open Paw trained by the National Animal Welfare Trust and we have had some exceptional experiences volunteering at the Hertfordshire NAWT shelter. Open Paw was founded in the US in 2000 by Kelly Gorman Dunbar and aims to make rescue dogs more rehomable, with a set Minimum Mental Health Requirement. They have revolutionised thinking around rescue shelters: dogs are not inmates in cages, but rather students learning the skills they need to find a happy forever home.

Research has shown that potential owners only spend one minute in front of a rescue cage before deciding to move on. People are more likely to engage with a dog if they are near the front of the kennel facing forward, do not bark, and are calm. Open Paw training teaches these skills and so much more so dogs are more likely to be chosen. While the process of adopting a dog from a shelter may take a little longer, it is so much more rewarding in my opinion. And yes, you can still find puppies and dogs of all kinds of breeds with a little patience and research. NAWT is determined to make sure both owner and pet are the perfect match with enrichment, training, and social skills. They have even extended the program to train cats too! I highly recommend reading more about this on the NAWT website if you are interested. 

So, why is this so relevant right now? 

Well, according to the PDSA PAW report 2022, 5.4 million pets have been acquired since the start of the pandemic in 2020. In the first month of lockdown, Dogs Trust released figures to say that internet searches for “buy a puppy” increased by 120%. Clearly, some quarantine company had been on everyone’s minds and led to the puppy boom. While having some unconditional company would be a therapeutic haven for many, it is key to remember that these dogs may have been subjected to overbreeding and poor health in this respect. We’ll discuss the implications of the puppy boom in greater detail soon, and we will continue to speak with more shelters and learn how to best adopt a dog. We are pleased to see more attention given to raising awareness of the harms of puppy clinics and puppy farming through prime-time television documentaries too (more info on this to come so keep an eye on Blogs4u). It is important to consider both pet and pet parent needs and match an animal to a happy forever home, but we hope this blog begins to shed a more positive light on rescuing dogs!