As preparation for this story, I googled “Kardashian pets” to see how many pets the various sisters and their families have. One of the suggested searches was “Kardashian pets disappear,” so this is a thing! The Daily Beast has a whole investigative article, published this summer, about the history of the Kardashian pets as seen on their show and social media. One of the plotlines on KUWTK involved a hamster that Khloe gave North which had died. Instead of telling North, 6, that her hamster passed, Kim just found a lookalike and acted like nothing happened. (Although I would chose to be honest to my child, I still hear about Squeaky’s demise occasionally so I understand that decision.)
Journalist Jordan Julian determined that the Kardashians have owned over 40 pets, many of whom were seen or featured briefly and then “mysteriously disappeared.” This sounds ominous, but I don’t think it’s “starving chihuahua in a closet”-level bad, I think they gave them away to friends and staff and didn’t want the negative publicity. We know that Kim gave away one cat, it sadly passed shortly after, and that Kylie and Kendall lost a chihuahua to a coyote attack. (My girl Hecate’s sweet cat got taken by a coyote! I don’t envy you pet owners in California.) The fate of so many other pets isn’t as clear. As Julian points out, Kylie seems to be the most responsible dog mom in the family, although that bar is set quite low. What about Kourtney though? Kourtney posted the photo above with the adorable new golden retriever puppy her family got for Christmas. Commenters were quick to ask what happened to their other dog, the Pomeranian Honey, which was given in Penelope in 2017. Kourtney shut that down:
Let the records show that Kourtney Kardashian is still in possession of her cute Pomeranian Honey.
For some reason, people began questioning the whereabouts of the fluffy pup after Kourtney, her kids and Scott Disickcame into the possession of a new golden retriever on Christmas morning. “WTF where’s honey,” numerous people asked on a photo of the new golden retriever, which was captioned, “But what should we name her?”
Others weren’t necessarily questioning where the dog was, but making heinous accusations. One person on social media slammed the mother-of-three for getting another pet only to “throw them out in 3 months.”
But fear not, because the Poosh creator is setting the record straight once and for all. In a response to the critics, the 40-year-old shared, “Of course we still have Honey, our baby Pom Pom.”
Kourtney also made it clear she wasn’t going to put up with the cruel accusations. When one person suggested she name the dog “temporary since you never keep your dogs,” the mom snapped.
“Wow so much negativity. we still have Honey, but thanks for your assumptions,” she retorted. “I’ll assume Santa wasn’t good to you, hence your vibes.” Unclear if Santa was good to the critic or not, but it’s safe to say Kourtney shut them down.
Coming into this story I thought “wow people are jerks for criticizing a family for getting a second dog,” but after I saw all the articles about it I understood! It’s not about Kourtney and Scott as much as the Kardashian family’s well documented history of using pets as props. Plus, they post so much on social media but don’t feature their pets as much as other celebrities. That said, this dog is adorable! I really hope we see more of her and that she’s cherished by this family. If not, I’m sure there are other families who would love to adopt her.
I need some acid wash jeans for 2020.
That’s a beautiful golden but I do wish it had gone to better people.
Weâre thinking about getting a puppy. A Cardigan Welsh Corgi
So many puppies at your local shelters. Go rescue one and let the Queen buy all the Corgis.
Why is the queen the only one you deem ok to get a purebred dog?
Mimi – don’t promote this tired myth. Willy did not say don’t get a purebred dog. They said do not buy. Contrary to popular belief, it is fully possible (and actually great) to rescue a purebred animal. My family has.
Purebreds wind up in rescue largely because uneducated people buy them because they “look cute” or because the breed is enjoying a popular surge, and then they are unprepared for the actual work of raising them. I guess you weren’t around in the 90s when Dalmatians flooded the shelters due to dumb parents trying to emulate a Disney movie, only to find out that Dalmatians – oops – are not really awesome with small kids. Hundreds were euthanized. But please, do go on.
You do some much damage when you promote this disinformation. Please educate yourself on rescue and what kinds of dogs you can get from shelters before you come for somebody advocating rescue.
So what about people who want to raise their purebred from puppy age? Families with special needs? We should just let irresponsible people get them and then the rest of us can pick up their scraps?
Cool, cool. Iâm not perpetuating any myths, just asking you all to use critical thinking if you can or at least stop being judgemental if you lack those skills.
Mimi- I think it is you who suffers from lack of critical thinking. You have multiple logical fallacies in your arguments. Let me explain:
What about people who want to raise the dog from a puppy? Well, they actually are the ones most likely to have issues. As anybody who has ever had a dog can tell you, the personality a dog has a puppy will often not be the personality it has as an adult. Indeed, one of the primary causes of purebreed surrender is that as the dog aged, it “changed.” A sweet little puppy can become more aloof, more needy, etc. with age. And people are often unprepared. Rescue dogs, who tend to be a bit older, fair better because the dog tends to already have a more established personality, which lends itself to better matchmaking.
And as to service animals? Again, you promote a myth. There is a myth that mutts do not make great service animals, and you need a purebreed dog for that. There is NO breed requirement to be a service dog! A dog of any background or breed(s) can qualify, provided they can meet the training requirements. So again, that’s a myth that should be left to history.
@ Sam: Thank you for being a true animal lover and guardian. I wish more people would have the compassion and common sense that you do.
@Mimi: I don’t deem the Queen worthy I deem her an ahole for only owning pure breeds. I do not condone buying pets when there are millions waiting for a home at shelters. Puppies, kittens, adult animals. Breeds of every kind! Some will spend their entire lives in a shelter and some will be euthanized. Adopting/rescuing is the responsible, humane and kind thing to do.
@ sam: donât talk to me about critical thinking when you are the one who makes the logical leap when you state that people who want to raise their dog from puppy age are the ones with problem. Furthermore, I said nothing about mutts being inappropriate for being service dogs. Iâm sure thatâs possible but from my experience, puppies are selected from a very young age to get the training they need to be able to serve a family. Additionally, I did not say anything about service animals but thatâs another assumption you made.
And to those saying I am not a true animal lover, Iâve adopted, fostered, and purchased from reputable breeders in my long life. I volunteer at a shelter and donate to animal causes. What I take issue with is people deciding what is best for others based on their paradigm. If I came here, denigrating everyone who chooses to do IVF or have their own birth rather than adopting children I know youâd all have a problem with that. Iâm just saying maybe take a step back before shouting âadopt donât shopâ and taking agency away and making assumptions about others and their process.
Mimi, it is ignorant to compare human IVF vs. adoption to this. You must really be grasping if you make that comparison. Human adoption can take years, is a legal and (at times) ethical quagmire, involves dozens of moving parts, etc. The fact that you could think of such a comparison suggests to me that you have never experienced either of them.
And we have been pointing out the logical flaws in your arguments all over this thread, and none of them seem to penetrating. Also, its not relevant that you volunteer at a shelter (although I’d figure if you did, you’d be less apt to spread the misinformation you do). Your positive choices do not act as shield against less good ones. Personally, I don’t get how you could volunteer in a shelter, be in the adoption community, and still promote buying. That says to me that you KNOW that buying takes away a chance at adoption, and yet you still feel the need to defend it. That makes me question how much you actually take away from the shelter experience.
Get your puppy, Lily, and donât let anyone tell you they know more about your situation and doubt your critical thinking skills.
Well said Mimi
To add on adopting a purbred from a shelter comes with higher risks then getting from a breeder at puppy stage.
A purebred from a shelter can have health, social, emotional risks that aren’t as likely to be pre-exsisting if you buy from a reputable breeder as a puppy.
Those promoting adopt don’t shop need to consider that adopting may not be appropriate for a family but was considered.
Well said Mimi
To add on adopting a purbred from a shelter comes with higher risks then getting from a breeder at puppy stage.
A purebred from a shelter can have health, social, emotional risks that aren’t as likely to be pre-exsisting if you buy from a reputable breeder as a puppy.
Those promoting adopt don’t shop need to consider that adopting may not be appropriate for a family but was considered.
Amy,
Here’s another one promoting misinformation. Here are the facts:
1.) Shelter pets are not “damaged.” This is such a BS lie it upsets me on a personal level. The truth: the vast majority of surrenders to shelters do not have to do with the animal. Most are because of circumstances in the human’s life that require it (loss of job, illness, moving, allergies, etc.). It is not the animal’s fault, but they get branded as “bad” solely because they are now in a shelter.
2.) Shelter pets might have emotional/physical problems: can shelter pets have concerns resulting from their prior lives? Some do! The majority do not, because see above. But when they do, your shelter should TELL you this. If an animal has special needs, any reputable shelter will tell you that from the outset. I have adopted cats with issues, and I was told beforehand. Shelters WANT the match to work out. They do not want returns. It behooves them to match animals with compatible adopters.
Again, if you are trying to justify your own choices, do not do so at the expense so spreading misinformation.
â The truth: the vast majority of surrenders to shelters do not have to do with the animal. Most are because of circumstances in the humanâs life that require it (loss of job, illness, moving, allergies, etc.). â
Yes and the people who do not have time for a dog that they end up surrendering are SO good at socializing and training. Look, I get it. Thereâs SO many pets who need homes out there. But letâs look at the route of the problem: shitty owners and shitty backyard breeders. A good breeder does a ton of health testing. A good breeder is screening their clients. A good breeder is making sure to breed the positive traits and not the negative. Shitty pet owners arenât spaying and neutering. Shitty pet owners are letting their dogs run wild and then surrendering them because theyâre undesirable.
While shelters and breed specific rescue groups are incredibly important and something that should be looked into by most people, the ones who are doing their homework and really taking the time to find the right breed for them are not automatically monsters. The people who are putting time money and energy into their pets arenât the bad guys here. Instead of dismissing everyone who has bought a pet as a monster focus a bit more on making sure they understand what theyâre about to undertake. Make sure they know what a GOOD breeder is. Make sure theyâre spraying and neutering. Encourage people to donate to their local rescues or volunteer time.
You canât speak for EVERY shelter dog. Hell not even every shelter is run well. This week the local SPCA had to raid a puppy mill. 30+ dogs were taken. Theyâre so damaged emotionally that they canât even bring them through the shelter system the way they normally would. They are going to need a TON of physiological work before ever even being considered available for adoption. These dogs deserve and need a good chance at life. But donât try to tell me that someone with small children or other pets with special needs should ONLY be considering shelter dogs that have gone through god knows what before ever making it to the shelter.
Itâs not black and white. Thereâs no perfect system. But at the end of the day an informed and responsible pet owner isnât the one creating the problem.
Thank you Sam for sharing your info so reasonably, kindly, in spite of the tone of others. I’ve worked at shelters. The number one goal of a shelters and other rescue agencies is to not have pets re-homed, they are very careful about who adopts and do quite a bit to make sure it’s a good match. The goal of a breeder is to not make money. My mother has adopted 3 German Shepards (cuz you can get purebreads from shelters) over the years, 2 of whom were puppies, (also, puppies) from a rescue organization that took the poor dogs from horrific situations. I’m sorry “adopt don’t shop” is so triggering to you Amy, you might want to explore a bit why people’s concerns about animal cruelty seems to affect you so much when it’s not really about you. I personal am bothered by people’s lack of critical thinking skills when it comes to a picture slightly larger than what is in front of them. Is it really so challenging to see that buying animals is bad because it creates a market which is dependent on trends, which in turns affects ALL ANIMALS. When people decided rice was “bad” what do you think happened to farmers who supplied rice to the US? Now everybody wants cauliflower, so that’s what’s being grown. This is shitty, absolutely, but rice and cauliflower are not sentient beings in need of love. Buying pets is wrong, people who do it are not people who care about animals.
Erinn: it’s not black and white, but I do think there are some decent bright lines. I know there are “ethical breeders” out there who do their best vs. puppy and kitten mills. But for a lot of people in the rescue community, the end result is the same: an animal purchased, regardless of source, means that a shelter pet is not going home. So while I certainly see the distinction, ultimately, on the rescue side, it’s not much comfort.
And I never claimed to speak for every shelter pet. There are some pets in shelters who need a TON of work. But any decent shelter will tell you that beforehand (they often keep a list of special fosters or adopters who are willing to work with animals with special needs – I know because I adopted from one!). And yes, sometimes, humane euthanasia can be called for, and that is heartbreaking. But you’ll notice I never argued against that. I was reacting to Amy’s assertion that buying is “safer” because of the potential trauma shelter pets might have dealt with.
FWIW, we tried the shelter route first and it didnât work out. They were incredibly invasive (and I get itâto a degreeâbecause no one wants to send an animal home to a monster), wanted to do an unannounced visit to our home, and in the end said we were not the most desirable because we hadnât had pets as adults and because we work. Because I waited until I was financially secure and my life commitments could handle the addition of a pet, I wasnât the ideal candidate for them! We ended up purchasing from a reputable breederâand I NEVER thought Iâd have a bought dog. Itâs not as simple as âadopt donât shop!â and I refuse to feel bad because other people canât accept that.
EB: I Feel for you in how invasive some screenings can be. But every screening is done because the shelter wants the animal to get the best home possible. Once you’ve seen the results of some less than excellent homes, you are more apt to understand WHY the shelters screen the way they do.
And screenings can vary based on the dog you seek. If a shelter turns you down for a specific dog or type of dog, they are doing it for a reason. You might not understand,, or think they’re wrong, but in general, they know what they are doing. Ideally, they should tell you why you’ve been turned down, but I get that sometimes, it can feel insulting.
At the same time, I do not think that is reason to go to a breeder. In fact, one of the things I find lacking with breeders is that they generally are less invasive than the shelters. The breeder makes money off the sales, meaning they have a motive to sell even when it might not be in the best interest of the animal. A shelter, which is a non-profit, doesn’t make a profit off adoptions, so they have more leeway to turn people away. Ultimately, the breeder has a level of self-interest that insures I would never patronize one.
Lily Corgi’s are adorable!
I get so bothered by people who as soon as someone says they want a purebred say adopt don’t shop…
As long as you do your research on breeders and breds- get the dog that works for your family, life ect!
If you can adopt and find dog for adoption that works with your life and family that’s great!
Personally, I’ve done both but for me the risks have been much higher from adopting and I have had to give back the adopted dog for various reasons including had a dog bite a child in the back of the head without provocation, dog not get along with my other dogs at home, very ill dogs costing tonnes of $$ in vet bills, not to include the huge investment in training.
Here’s where I struggle – I’m a firm believer in rescuing, all our animals have been rescues throughout my life. Unfortunately, my son has an allergy to dogs and cats, so our vet and allergist advised getting a poodle mix (or another type with “hair” as opposed to fur – it feels weird calling an animal hypoallergenic). We’ve been looking for a while now at our local shelter (which because we both work and refuse to fence in 5 acres of land we’ve been refused – FOR ANY dog). Our local shelter has become notorious for making it extremely hard to adopt (a friend whom worked there said the woman who runs it is a borderline animal hoarder who is continuously turning down applicants and then adopting the animals herself or to friends) and the private rescues are even worse. I’ve tried to look at breed rescues,but even those are either very far away, or the animals we’ve found are senior (I want my son to have a dog to play with, to grow up with like I did – I can’t justify adopting a 10 year old dog even though I know there are many active seniors out there. I picked that example because I did fall in love with a 10 year old goldendoddle whose owner passed, but she wasn’t in great health). So I recently found a doodle rescue in Canada a few hrs away but it makes me nervous they always seem to have young doodles and I’m afraid they might be “rescuing” from a mill. I’m still going to do more research on the rescue, but I’m also for the first time in my life considering a breeder. I miss having a large dog, I absolutely adore the doodles my godmother and her entire family adopted from the same litter (luckily right time and place in upstate NY) and I’ve brought three other doodle mixes through our therapy dog program at my practice…so I think there’s probably a lot more people like me who do try and make the effort to adopt, but are we not allowed to go to a reputable breeder if we know what we want, know the breed, and have sincerely tried to do it the ethical way?
Sunnydaze- go ahead and talk to reputable breeders. My aunt did gorgeous healthy temperament-stable mastiffs, and only sold with the stipulation that if the owner needed to surrender for ANY reason, it would be directly back to her and not to a shelter/rescue ( although she was heavily involved with rescues as well, but seperately). She also, along with her breeder buds, would go across country as needed, at their own expense, to previsit, hand-deliver, pick up and rehome their dogs as necessary. It was really a labor of love. Wish you luck on finding a breed-custodian like that, should you choose that route đ
Do you have a fenced in yard at least? I mean I can understand if you have no fencing at all but if you just have a yard portion fenced off that’s really extreme from the shelter. If you didn’t have a fence at all and a breeder was still happy to give you a dog… well… that kind of proves all the ‘adopt don’t shop’ crowd’s point.
Adopt don’t shop !
Seriously!!!
I rescued my beloved pooch from the shelter, and she is the most grateful, loving dog I’ve ever known.
cool – good for you, glad it worked out, it is not the best option for some people.
Adopt please and donât shop! Iâm with Eleonor on that!
Sigh…so many good dogs waiting for a home at the shelters but these aholes choose to buy pure breeds. Eff them.
Also:
“I need some acid wash jeans for 2020.” NOPE!!! They were ugly in the 80s and are ugly now.
I’m stuck on the picture of the jeans, is that a bathroom where people can clearly see you sitting on the toilet through the doors?
Bahahaha what’s with the oddly placed frost too? Not sure that’s offering much privacy lol
The toilets got me too. Shouldn’t doors have been glazed at bottom too? Bathroom looks like upscale hotel public restroom or gym
Phew. Iâm glad Iâm not the only one wondering about the throne room. I canât believe people people are still doing photos/selfies in bathrooms.
Me too! Between those awful jeans and the weirdly visible toilets, that photo is bananas.
Why would you post a photo of yourself in front of toilets anyway?
I visited one horrifying open house where none of the bathrooms had doors. In fact they had wide open archways as entrances and even side cutouts. This in a family home with children. /shudder
So a non story then.
So all you âadopt donât shopâ people, are we supposed to just not preserve breeds anymore? What role do responsible breeders play? Should we just let breeds die out while we adopt all the dogs in shelters from irresponsible owners? Why donât you direct your ire to people irresponsibly breeding dogs and filling shelters rather than people who visit responsible breeders who preserve and better all the breeds weâve developed over the past millennia. Truly, inquiring minds want to know.
Friend got dog from responsible breeder, a doberman. Dog died of heart failure at age 2. Turns out there is a recessive trait breeder was unaware of.
I’m fine with breeds dying out. All of my parents Boston terriers had epilepsy later in life. They came from show lines. Dogs shouldn’t suffer to be cute.
Hybrid vigor is a thing.
Great, glad youâre ok with it. That should be the standard then! What Frizzy is ok with!
@mimi just bc someone has a different opinion then you doesnt mean you need to demean them. That’s unnecessary
My friend adopted a dog that had to be put down for biting a child…and? Great anecdote but that does not prove anything.
Mimi says “inquiring minds want to know”, then gets snarky with someone who gives her the info she was supposedly looking for. Do better.
Any “breeder” of Dobermans who is not aware of DCM is *not* a reputable breeder. DCM is extremely prevalent in Dobermans because of irresponsible backyard breeders whose sole concern is making money.
Reputable breeders do serve a purpose; they health test their dogs, research lines to make sure they are bettering the breed with their pups, and try to eliminate lines of dogs with health concerns (such as Von Wildebrands or DCM).
Also, some families with children can’t take the risk of a shelter dog. I got a shelter dog who was 14 weeks old, and it had already been abused enough to have violent, angry tendencies. I kept him, and tried, and eventually we just worked “with” his weird little idiosyncrasies. He made it until 7 years before passed away. But shelter dogs aren’t the best for families with kids.
Liz, good point. My dog showed up at 4 months and while awesome for single me, Definitely already had a handful of fearful reactivity triggers that would make her unsuitable for most families without constant supervision. It can be a reality.
1: the majority of “breeds” you know today are artificial. Breeding is largely directed by humans. Dogs do not mate on the basis of breed. Humans have been interfering and manipulating animal genetics for centuries, and that has largely been to the animals detriment. These breeds you think of as always existing, well, largely did not. There are a few “natural” breeds, but they largely existed due to geographic isolation. As populations shift, they mix as well. Hybrid vigor is a thing – dogs benefit, health-wise, from mixing. It makes them healthier. If that is what is best for them as a species, our desire to keep “purebreds” does not supersede that.
2: “genetic purity” is a myth for dogs (as well as humans). Most breeds were created by humans, and they come from mixing. You can actually get your dog DNA tested now, and guess what? A lot of “purebreeds” are no such thing. Most dogs have mixed genetic heritage to begin with (and cats too!) My aunt talks up her “purebreed” Ragdoll cat, but don’t point out to her that a Ragdoll is a Persian-Angora-Burmese hybrid. There’s nothing “pure” about it!
Yes to all of this Sam!! Also, something tells me Mimi is a dog breeder and is worried about her business suffering.
Great points, Sam the Pink.
Our vet told us not to DNA test our rescue dog, because she’s seen dog owners get different results from different tests. And that’s because your 2nd point is exactly right.
Yes! Like with humans, in-breeding is bad. It causes unnecessary health problems for the animal, all because people want a âspecialâ pet. No more designer pets.
Yes, we should all adopt shelter pets from irresponsible owners and then hopefully the breeders who are supplying pets to irresponsible owners will go out of business and then shelters will have less traumatized pets and there will be less rehoming and everything is better for everyone.
Have you seen what is happening to dogs in the name of ‘preserving the breed?’ Deformed freaks with entirely avoidable health issues we’ve bred into them in the name of aesthetics. And guess what? It’s those supposedly ‘responsible’ breeders winning at dog shows with their defective but breed standard animals that are held up as some sort of example, hogwash. They’re killing dogs, not adopters.
More than 40?! Iâm sure theyâve been irresponsible with a pet or two, but many of these animals were most likely âguest starsâ for the benefit of the show.
Weâve always âshoppedâ and did not adopt from a shelter. Not for purebred though, for a hybrid to reduce pet dander due to our allergies. My parents always researched breeders thoroughly because of the horror shows you hear about when you donât go to the right breeder. We had two amazing, beautiful dogs with fantastic personalities that lived to old age. When my boyfriend and I wanted to get a dog two years ago, we wanted a specific kind of small hybrid breed due to 1) my allergies, 2) the size of our condo, 3) our lifestyle, and 4) what we liked. My friends all criticized my choices and told me to adopt and how breeding dogs is wrong.
And I know. I know there are dogs in shelters and there are puppy mills disguising themselves as breeders and etc. etc. etc. When I defended myself by saying I had specific needs and I wanted what I wanted, one friend of mine said that if I did my research I could find a puppy that was the exact age and hybrid I wanted from a shelter, it would just take time. Alright, so how long do I have to wait for what I want and how would I know this dogâs history? She basically also said it was wrong that I have any preferences at all.
For every horror story you hear about breeders, you hear as many from shelters. Is it a myth that all dogs from shelters have something wrong with them? Itâs certainly not true that all dogs from shelters have something wrong with them but many can and do and you donât know their genetic history or if they were rescued from a mill or if they were previously in a home where they would be abused or even what mixes they are and if they fit into your home. And some âbetterâ shelters have such specificities about who can adopt. And you have to âshopâ around just as much to find what you want without much information.
Youâre allowed to want what you want and preferences for the kind of pet you want. Your pet is for your pleasure. They are living creatures that deserve love and care but people donât buy pets to be charitable, they buy pets for love and companionship themselves. For some people, a pet from a shelter fits their lifestyle. For some people, a dog from a breeder fits their lifestyle. Make sure you do your research, be prepared to actually spend a decent amount of money for your new family member from a legitimate breeder, donât buy from a puppy mill.
We have an amazing, special girl from a breeder who fit into our lives perfectly and we love her. I donât regret it for a second.
Truly this site has gotten so judgmental. I like waking up to the distraction of celebrity news in the morning, but Iâm gonna have to take a break. Itâs amazing to me that some of you even lean liberal.
Agreed. I donât understand how everyone can preach personal choice in all other aspects of life but refuse to listen that adopting is not always the best option for everyone. Iâm amazed at the judgement of the âadopt donât shopâ crowd.
It is not “judgmental” to point out myths or misinformation. Unless, of course, you think “judgmental” includes “anything that might tend to make me feel bad.”
Pointing out untruths that underlie the reasons many people go to breeders is not judging or being mean. So far, on this thread, we’ve have:
1.) You need to go to a breeder to get a purebreed dog (not true at all)
2.) You need to go to a breeder to get a puppy (not true in the least)
3.) Shelter dogs are likely emotionally/physically/socially damaged (not most of them, and if they do have special needs, the shelter will tell you).
4.) You need to go to a breeder for a trainable dog (not true).
5.) You need to go to a breeder for a dog that fits your lifestyle (not true, the shelters will work with you to make a good match).
6.) I need a specific breed (again, purebred dogs exist in shelters. There are rescues devoted to them).
Pointing out these fallacies and countering them is not being mean, not is it passing judgment. Unless doing so makes somebody have negative feelings about their own choices, which they then pass off as “judgment.”
Sam the pink – sorry but you really are coming off as judgmental. Just accept that everyone can think on their own and perhaps you don’t know everyone’s situation so maybe consider this before you shout them down. You are being just as judgmental as those who are “pro-life” and think they know better about everyones situations and want to take away agency and choice.
Jessica – how is providing factual information judgmental? Facts cannot make you feel bad – if that’s happening, it’s coming from you, reacting to the information. Please, feel free to point out where I called anybody a name or cast aspersions on them. Simply providing factual information and correcting misinformation is not judgmental. Unless you are part of the camp that embraces the view that “anything that challenges me or makes me question my own behavior is judgment.” Which it sort of sounds like you are right now.
There are good reasons for supporting shelters and rescues. Please, consider the other side. People are trying to help suffering animals. This is not about restricting your personal autonomy. Defensive much?
This…finally someone said what I have been wanting to say. Some of the regular posters, who don’t know anyone personally, lashing out and being judgmental. If you don’t agree with their beliefs or opinions, they call you out.
I personally have gotten a pet from a breeder, once. He was an America Eskimo, beautiful dog. My sister got his brother. As our son grew older, he became very dominating against him. He finally made his move and bit my our son. We took the dog to the vet, even got him on doggie Xanax and therapy (yes, therapy) he was neutered and we hoped it would help. Then I hear from my sister that his brother started to show the same signs as ours. We called the breeder, no answer. It was a matter of time until one of them severely hurt someone. We ended surrendering him to an AE rescue. I felt horrible, but had he gotten out and bit someone or even mauled our son, things would have been worse,
We now have 1 shelter dog Border Collie/American Bulldog MiIx)(DNA verified), who has been trained by the VA to be my Service Dog (I have combat PTSD and Anxiety) and he is the best dog ever! We have 2 rescued cats and 2 rescued chinchillas. I don’t think it’s anyone’s business other than my own, where I have gotten my pets. Some very judgmental people on this site.
There are reasons to adopt from breeders.
We’ve fostered (dogs, cats, birds), we’ve adopted (dogs, cats, birds, turtles), and have had a high-need adoption before (a German Shepherd who was physically abused and starved – he was surrendered as part of legal action against his “owners”). We went on to adopt him, train and rehab him, and had him for more than a decade. He died a few years ago at the age of 15+. He was our family member in every sense of the word, and we still mourn him.
We’ll be adopting again in the new year and will look at shelters first, but will probably end up adopting from a breeder.
We have a special needs child, so our new dog will have to go through extensive training; not as a full-fledged service dog, but as a trained companion in our home. We don’t want to risk a failed adoption for the emotional well being of our child.
We have two other dogs, including a rescued former-stray (female shepherd mix) who will not tolerate another adult dog coming into our home. She’s high strung and very protective of me, and sees all adult dogs as competition. She’s fine and even maternalistic toward puppies, though.
Between our competing needs – a highly trainable dog acceptable to our child and adaptable to their needs, and a puppy acceptable to our other dogs and pets; adopting from a breeder is apt to be our choice.
We have to make responsible decisions for everyone (children, cats, turtles, dogs, and adults) involved.
Bunny, a few things just to keep in mind:
1.) Please don’t say “adopt from a breeder.” It muddies the waters. You’re buying from a breeder. Adoption refers to non-profit placements from shelters. The breeder is turning a profit from your purchase.
2.) Please keep in mind that training is not a matter of breed, but a matter of personality and temperament. There is no guarantee that any dog will be trainable to your needs. You can hope, but ultimately, every dog out there is an individual! Trust me, if dogs from breeders never failed to live up to their owner’s expectations, the shelters would be a lot less full! A mutt is equally as trainable as a Purebreed dog – research bears this out. Training is not a matter of breed, but a matter of personality and temperament. Please don’t lose sight of that.
3.) Puppies – there is a misconception that shelters do not have puppies. They do! You might have to wait, or call around, but plenty of shelters have puppies, because sadly, lots of owners don’t fix their females.
Please do not think that purchasing a dog will be a safeguard against a failed experience. It will not be. I’d invite you to go to any general intake shelter to see how many purebreed dogs wind up there – it will be more than you suspect. And most of them are there because the breeder promised the owner something – that the dog was trainable, that the dog could get along with the others, etc. – that did not happen. And guess what then? They become the shelter dogs their owners sought to avoid.
Her bathroom is odd to me. There is a glass room with a toilet, then a shower, then another glass room with a toilet. How do they use that shower? How does the water not go under the door? So many questions. I have a feeling they don’t use any of the bathrooms they show on-line.
Thereâs a mirror in the shower, too.
All of the dogs in my local shelter were adopted in the past few weeks! đ
I hope good adoptions, not “presents” to be returned, but it was still great to see.
People need to do what’s right for themselves and their families in terms of getting a pet – I will always encourage adoption, but hope those who do choose to go to a breeder research them VERY well, and still help out their local shelters and rescues with donations.
What I hate is that someone who seems to influence others has promoted the idea of getting a dog for Christmas. It is a terrible idea and should never happen.
Woof…this thread was ruff.
A responsible pet parent is one who researches their options, needs, and capabilities thoroughly before bringing a pet into their home and commits fully to carIng for that being. Do what is best for your family and your potential pet. We purchased our last dog from a breeder 15+ years ago and adopted from a rescue a year after our old boy died. I only encourage looking into adoption as starting point as the interview process can be very eye opening to folks who may not have considered the full scope of responsibilities of having a pet. After that, do what works best for both you AND the pet to have the best shot at a long and happy life together.
Agreed. Thanks for being a voice of reason.
“one person suggested she name the dog âtemporary since you never keep your dogs,”
LOL, that was a solid burn!
What happened to their exotic cat?
Thank you, Sam. Excellent information that people need to hear. If people have their heart set on a specific dog (age, breed, whatever) it takes some work and maybe even some travel to adopt from a shelter. (“Adopt from a breeder”, my a**”)
Many people would rather skip that level of effort and plunk down cash at a breeder. All the yapping about researching responsible breeders is so much nonsense. Are you going to hire Ronan Farrow and a team of former Mossad PIs to put together a dossier on multiple prospective breeders … or just skim facebook and yelp plus some idle word of mouth jabber with Debbie from Accounting who loves her $1500 pocket size ragdoll mini-pinni-cockapooper flavor of the month inbred designer science project.
ADOPT DONT SHOP
Lol, funny but so true!
Yes! Agreed!
I have two dogs, one from a shelter, one from a local rescue group. One was a puppy, one was about a year old. I am a single, middle aged woman, these guys are the lights of my life, my greatest joys and probably represent emotional salvation to me when I am on my lows. I would not buy from a breeder myself, I cannot imagine dogs more perfect for me than mine, even though they both have their own issues (much less than mine, though!)
But I respect the fact that someone might decide differently. As a WOC, I don’t understand why it is so important to many people to adopt within their racial groups, but it is a life-long and life-changing commitment. I guess I think people have the right to make it for their own reasons, even if I disagree with them. Same with pets, anyone who adopts or guys a dog should be willing to promise that living soul the best life they can possibly have, so it is not my business to dictate the terms of choice.
@Sam The Pink
I have never commented on a thread here but your posts are making me stand and applaud. Thank you for articulating the facts so eloquently. (And yes it is black and white. Facts are black and white.) I hope you never stop making it a teachable moment for such a worthy cause.
ADOPT DONâT SHOP.
Not gonna engage in the shelter conversation but will say that Kourtney seems to be better dog owner than Kim as they both got Poms at the same time and Kimâs was completely a mess. Kim actually tried to switch the dogs (ashamed I know this as I really donât watch the show but was flipping channels and love dogs so I watched the scene).
One doesnât have to adopt from a shelter. In my country, most serious breeders ask to buy back dogs they have sold as puppies if the owners are no longer able to care for them (often because of circumstances like divorce or illness). I bought my 1,5 yr old black lab from a friend of a friend. She had broken her ankle very badly and still couldnât walk properly a year (and several operations) later. She had to save her walking for her work as a nurse and couldnât give her dog the exercise he needed. I love knowing all of a petâs quirks before buying/adopting him. Got my cats as kittens though (for allergy reasons)- love them dearly but they drive me MADđźđź and I am NEVER doing that againđš Second hand all the way at my house!
I have volunteered at our county kill shelter and worked with private rescue orgs that foster and adopt cats and kittens. I am also a member of the FB group for the only major midatlantic breed-specific rescue of the breed I wish to adopt. There is almost zero chance of me getting a dog placed with us, because the org specifies repeatedly that they prefer homes without children under 10 and require extensive previous experience with the breed.
I grew up with herding dogs in our family but have never owned one as an adult, plus I have two cats (they are loving and non-aggressive) and a child with special needs under 10. We are at the bottom of the applicant heap and will likely remain there indefinitely, as I watch their adoptable dogs go to families that donât match mine.
My shelter is wonderful and does great work but they are full of either huge pit bull mixes or tiny neurotic chi-terrier mixes. Neither of those would be a good fit for my familyâs needs. I really feel like Iâve examined the options available and will not be able to adopt the medium sized herding breed Iâve researched & wanted for over a decade unless I go through a reputable breeder.
Adoption (especially for specific breeds) has become intensely competitive. I donât agree that my home is undesirable just because I have a kid and 2 cats, so a breeder is the option that gives me the best chance of the type of dog I want. That means I have to pay a breeder for the opportunity, sadly. I wish it wasnât so, but those of you advocating adoption-only may not be familiar with the rescue-foster-shelter populations in each state or town. Theyâre not all the same. Often one organization controls access to the breed rescue for 4-5 states and youâre not able to adopt unless you go through them.
Emmlo, our local shelter is the same. Nothing but Pitties (which we love but we can’t have in our neighborhood or really anywhere around here) or little Chihuahua mixes (which we definitely don’t want). We ended up driving 3 hours away to find a dog in a Miami shelter and managed to luck out. By 10am all the dogs we were looking at online were adopted. Our little guy (a Jack Russell mix) was hiding in the back of a crate in a room full of BIG dogs, absolutely terrified of the shelter. He stole our hearts and has been with us since February.
Anyway. We’ve looked at both rescues and breeders for a playmate for Scotty. I don’t know which way we’ll go yet but our decision will be an informed one and the best for our family.
Informed decisions are the best you can do! I’m so glad you found Scotty and made the extra journey to bring him home.
When it comes to cats, I have and will always have adopted/fostered rescues. The differences in cat breed temperaments and attributes just don’t matter to me, so I’ll always be happy to find a nice pair of Domestic Shorthairs and keep it moving. But dog breeds are all so different, in their sizes and inherited traits. I think it is important for some families to really make sure the dog’s characteristics fit their lifestyle and needs. I adore rescues that rehome former racing greyhounds, for example, but I’d never expect one of those guys to adapt to a home with two cats. It’s not fair to them or to the dog.
Good luck and long life to you & to Scotty!
Iâm late to the conversation but I want to thank those who are promoting âadopt donât shopâ. Hereâs to you, Sam! For years I worked at our local shelter which was an open admission shelter, meaning we took in everything brought to us (and I wonât even get into the debate as to why itâs worse to only support no-kill shelters rather than open admission shelters, especially in the South where I am). I personally euthanized more animals than I can count, gorgeous and loving puppies and kittens, dogs and cats. Itâs utterly heartbreaking to have to make that choice because more and more animals are arriving each hour and there is no room left for the ones that had been there too long. All I can say is that when you personally have to make those hard choices and live and see the other side itâs very easy to stop making excuses as to why you have to buy that purebred puppy from a breeder rather than adopt from a shelter. Period.
Great comment.
I feel like the only dog that ever actually lived itâs whole life with these people was Gabana
2 of our dogs are rescues, all 3 of our cats are too. My husband got our oldest dog from a guy giving puppies away in a parking lot. Love them all. One of our rescued dogs was in a shelter for almost a year, she was a double merle which left her mostly deaf and blind and made her a very difficult dog to adopt. But she is the sweetest fluffiest thing and after a lot of training, our best behaved dog. The other two are Catahoula mixes and I tell my husband all the time I never want another Catahoula LOL they are so incredibly needy and very very talkative, we joke they would crawl under our skin and live there if they could. I love them, they are my loyal beasts, but no more catahoulas hahaha.
If she still has the pom, why no pics?