Why is harder to rescue a dog?

Question:

Why does it seem harder to get a dog from a shelter or rescue group than from a breeder?

answered by Jamie Wolf
Answer:

It's true, adopting from a shelter or rescue group can seem more rigorous than filling out a college application. Breeders are less picky--they generally look for the basics when evaluating a potential dog guardian: Are you able to pay for the dog and any future medical care? Do you have a roof over your head? Usually, that's where the breeder's involvement ends.

But rescue groups and shelters are all too familiar with stories of dogs who have been abandoned or surrendered. Many of the dogs that end up in their care were once purchased from a breeder or pet store. In fact, some experts say there are more bred and pet-store dogs left at shelters each year than stray mutts.

So, foster parents and rescue groups are careful to go that extra step (or two or three) to ensure a safe and permanent family for the dogs in their care. Many spend great amounts of time and money on their dogs, working to train and rehabilitate them. Some even take care of costly medical issues. For those reasons, it's much more common for shelters and rescue groups to carry out comprehensive assessments of potential adopters; they simply want to increase the number of dogs who wind up happy and healthy in "forever" homes.

Jamie Wolf, a lifelong animal advocate, is the founder of PetLover Central, a high-end, dog day care center in Boca Raton, Florida.