Understanding the Pros & Cons of Pet Adoption in Australia.

Adoption rates of pet cats and dogs has been on the increase over the last 5 years but has not kept up with the 180,000 cats and 210,000 dogs taken into care by councils, either directly or via shelters contracted to care for these pets (2023).
About 130,000 cats are adopted out and approximately 166,000 dogs are adopted (2023) meaning 50,000 cats and 44,000 dogs are killed while being in the care of councils, shelters, and rescue groups.
Put another way, 1 in 4 cats (25%) and 1 in 5 dogs (20%) are put down each year across Australia.

Adopting pets from pounds, rescue organisations or animal shelters is an alternative to buying a pet cat or dog from a breeder, but what exactly are the benefits, and what are the pitfalls?
This article looks at the pros and cons of pet adoption with the goal of allowing you to make an informed decision if you’re thinking about giving a cat or dog a home based on your circumstances.

First, let’s look at why there are so many pets put up for adoption in the first place. This list comprises the main reasons why there are so many cats and dogs are in shelters, so if you are considering purchasing a pet, consider this list to see if you are potentially going to be using one of the following reasons for adding your pet to the statistics.

• Financial reasons
• Owners have experienced a relationship break-up
• Unexpected animal pregnancy
• Owner cannot find pet-friendly rental housing
• Owner moving interstate or overseas
• Owner passed away or is moving into a nursing home
• Owner is allergic to the animal
• Animal is found wandering and is unclaimed

While we cannot predict what will happen in the future, we should take responsible pet ownership seriously to minimise the chances of having to use pet adoption organisations.

The following list outlines what is involved when buying a cat or dog, so you can decide if pet ownership is a good fit for you, given your current circumstances:

• Research and Choose Wisely
  Before getting a pet, you need to decide if you are wanting a cat or a dog. After that decision is made, research different breeds to find one that matches your lifestyle and preferences. Different breeds will command different prices. Some dog breeds can be around $500, while some are over $10,000. Typically, cats are a cheaper option. Consider adopting from a shelter or rescue organisation, where prices will be cheaper.
• Provide Proper Nutrition
  Feed your pet a balanced and appropriate diet based on their age, size and individual health needs. Always ensure access to fresh and clean water. Dog food quality varies tremendously as does the price. Supermarket dog food or cat food options are not the same as the premium pet foods found from pet shops. Smaller dogs eat less than large dogs, so the food bill each week will be less.
• Regular Veterinary Care
  At least yearly check-ups with a veterinarian for vaccinations, preventive care and overall health assessments and advice will be required. Addressing any health concerns promptly will help to avoid any problems escalating and costs for treatment.
• Exercise and Mental Stimulation
  Provide regular exercise to keep your cat and especially dog physically fit. Engage in activities that stimulate their mind, such as puzzle toys and interactive play, just like you would with a child.
• Proper Identification
  Ensure your pet has proper identification, such as a collar with an ID tag and a microchip with up-to-date contact information in the event your pet gets lost. In many states, this is a legal requirement.
• Grooming
  Regular grooming is essential for the health and wellbeing of your pet. Important areas include regular brushing, nail trimming and dental care. Many people buy tools for these tasks from pet shops and do the grooming regularly themselves, or if you prefer you can always find local pet groomers near you for a better result.
• Clean and Safe Environment
  Maintain a clean, safe and suitable living environment for your pet dog or cat. Remove potential hazards, such as foods and house plants poisonous to pets and keep toxic substances (eg cleaning products) out of reach, just like you would a child.
  A kennel, or bedding is required, and you’ll need to decide at the outset whether your pet comes inside or stays outside, even at night.
• Socialisation
  Socialise your pet with people, other animals and various environments, such as busy streets and at dog parks.
• Basic Training
  Pet training classes are held all over Australia to help you gain better control of your pet, especially for example for when you’re out for a walk with your dog.
• Time and Attention
  It’s important for the health and wellbeing of your pet to give them your time, energy and attention. Spend quality time playing, exercising and simply being with your pet, after all, why did you get the cat or dog in the first place, and how would you feel without interaction?
  Something else to consider is that 10 years+ is the average life expectancy of pet cats and dogs, so ask yourself if you’re up for a commitment for that long? Older dogs and cats are harder to re-home.
• Emergency Preparedness
  Have a plan in place for emergencies, including natural disasters such as bushfires or your unexpected health crisis. In the case of a pet injury, familiarise yourself with the location of the nearest 24-hour veterinary emergency clinic. These are not as common as your local vet.
  In the event of an emergency, or situation where you are unable to look after your pet yourself, what back-up is in place?
• Follow Local State & Council Regulations
  Pet ownership laws vary from state to state across Australia, so always check with your local vet or council and comply with regulations, including registration, lead laws and where pets are and aren’t allowed. Always make sure you carry spare poo bags and pick up after your dog when you’re out and about too.
• Desexing and Responsible Breeding
  Desexing your pet is becoming a requirement unless you are registering as a breeder. Desexing prevents unwanted pregnancies, removing one big reason cat’s especially become part of the pet adoption crisis, as well as having numerous health benefits.
  If you decide you’d like to become a breeder, make sure you do so responsibly and ethically, with consideration of the well-being of the animals to avoid cruelty and also avoid contributing to overpopulation of specific breeds that have become well known at animal shelters across Australia, such as the American Staffordshire Terrier.

3 Pros of Pet Adoption

So you’ve decided you do want a dog or cat, you now have to decide whether you buy from a breeder, or whether you want to adopt a pet. Let’s look at what the advantages are if you adopt a dog or cat:

• The satisfaction of saving an animal’s life, or at the very least, giving a pet a second chance at a forever home is certainly a noble thought and perhaps something that will create a strong bond throughout your lives together.
• Choice of age, breed and size is something of an advantage with animal shelters and rescue organisations. Breeders generally sell puppies and kittens, so if you prefer to get a pet after it’s gone through that stage, adopting a pet makes sense.
• Adopting a pet will save you money, because apart from the cheaper purchase price, they will be vet checked, desexed if not already, vaccinated, wormed and microchipped before you take them home.

Kittens and puppies go through the same issues as children do. Teething, toilet training and basic command training takes patience and time, so if you want to avoid that period in their life, getting a cat or dog 12 months old maybe for you.

3 Cons of Pet Adoption

So after listing the top 3 reasons why adopting a pet is a good idea, now let’s turn our attention to 3 of the disadvantages or challenges you could face when adopting a cat or dog.

• Lack of historical knowledge about the pet’s behaviour. Because you have not seen how the dog or cat reacts to other people or animals, you’re going to have to find out issues as they unfold and deal with them, either on your own or by engaging help from pet behaviourists.
• Limited choice of breeds. If you have your heart set on a specific breed of dog or cat, waiting for the right one to become available may take longer than you’re prepared to wait. This could become even longer if you want a specific sex or age minimum/maximum too.
• The adopting a pet process has become bureaucratic in its approach and paperwork, so unless you don’t mind the arduous over intrusive invasion into your personal life with pages of questions and waiting periods, you’ll be Ok, unless the organisation rejects you that is.

There is a stigma that dogs end up in shelters because they’ve been neglected, abused or have been aggressively bad dogs. This is simply not true. As you learnt from the above reasons why pets have been put up for adoption, the pets themselves were not the reason, it was all human circumstances that changed.

3 Pros of Buying from a Breeder

There are breeders and pet clubs for just about every breed of cat and dog in every state across Australia. If you have made your mind up and are determined to have a specific breed of pet, take a look at local pet breeders near you.

• Reputable breeders provide genetic health testing, ensuring the pet is not likely to carry any inherited genetic problems.
• There is greater information available regarding the breed, to ensure they are the perfect fit for family and household. You can be certain of its look and size. Knowledge of the pet’s parents and lineage comes with health clearances and assurances. Without this knowledge, you do not know what your pet could have in its lines, what illnesses it could develop later in life, or what it could pass on if you decide to breed.
• Breeders have a wealth of information and are only too happy to pass on tips regarding how to care for that specific breed.

Due to the large number of breeders, breeding the popular breeds, chances are you won’t have to wait long for a new litter to be ready. in the meantime, most breeders’ welcome newbies and will be happy for you to visit the parents and newborn dogs or cats prior to you taking ownership of your favourite.

3 Cons of Buying from a Breeder

After looking at 3 good reasons for buying your pet from a breeder, let’s now look at some of the disadvantages.

• Pets bought from breeders will be expensive compared to going down the pet adoption path. Certificates and proof of pedigree is an added cost, which can for most pet parents be unnecessary.
• A large number of breeds will have hereditary diseases, associated with desired physical traits. French bulldogs for example are known to have respiratory issues. It’s important you do your own research into the breed you’ve narrowed in on to be prepared for such issues as these issues will come with vet bills, which are often expensive too.
• Lastly, you’ll be buying a dog or cat at about 8 weeks of age, so be prepared to devote time to your ‘fur baby’, because just like human babbies, they are helpless at that age and will rely on you for everything. You will probably experience some separation anxiety from your new pet too, until they become comfortable calling you Mum or Dad!

Summary of Pet Adoption: Adopt or Shop?

In summary, deciding on whether to adopt a pet from a rescue home or shop from a breeder is your choice, based on your unique set of circumstances. You, and any family involved, including children must weigh up the pros and cons of each to make an informed and agreed choice as to which avenue you’d like to go down. If you’re considering getting a new pet after the loss of a recent pet, make sure you’re really ready for this next step and you’re not acting out from grief of loss, then rush into a potentially bad choice.

Isabella (Editor In Chief)

Hi, I’m Isabella, the new Editor In Chief at PetsBook. Apart from writing some articles myself, with over 25 years pet experience, i am responsible for making sure you receive up to date information to keep your dogs and cats healthy, happy & wise.