Well that depends on the shelter: RSPCA & other shelters in Australia check animals for their temperament as well as physical health etc before they let them go for adoption.
It's ridiculous to assume the reason every dog is in the shelter is because there's something wrong with it: often there's something wrong with its previous owner, for example, people who get energetic dogs, don't exercise them and wonder why the dog gets crazy; people who get cute puppies, don't train them and are surprised when they grow up uncontrollable and/or dangerous.
How about people whose circumstances change, for example illness or having to move somewhere they can't keep the dog?
I was really pleased to see most people replied that they'd adopted and that's the case with most dog owners I know. My dog, a kelpie/border collie cross, was adopted from the RSPCA and had obviously been very badly treated, because she was frightened of the whole world when I got her, but a few years later she's now reasonably sane most of the time, as am I .....
Pet owners: did you adopt or purchase your pet?
↑ View this comment's parent
← View full post
Well that depends on the shelter: RSPCA & other shelters in Australia check animals for their temperament as well as physical health etc before they let them go for adoption.
It's ridiculous to assume the reason every dog is in the shelter is because there's something wrong with it: often there's something wrong with its previous owner, for example, people who get energetic dogs, don't exercise them and wonder why the dog gets crazy; people who get cute puppies, don't train them and are surprised when they grow up uncontrollable and/or dangerous.
How about people whose circumstances change, for example illness or having to move somewhere they can't keep the dog?
I was really pleased to see most people replied that they'd adopted and that's the case with most dog owners I know. My dog, a kelpie/border collie cross, was adopted from the RSPCA and had obviously been very badly treated, because she was frightened of the whole world when I got her, but a few years later she's now reasonably sane most of the time, as am I .....