MASON, Mich. — Ingham County Animal Control & Shelter and other pet rescue organizations are a great option for finding your new family pet. Rescue pets have just as much love and affection as other animals, and adopters know that they have made a difference in the life of a pet that had an unknown future. However, sometimes adopting a pet is not an option. Sometimes people are looking for a specific breed or size animal that is not regularly found in rescues. There are times finding a new pet from a breeder is a practical choice. Ingham County Animal Control wants to remind those who are interested in buying an animal from a breeder to do their homework to make sure they are buying from a responsible source. Here are some recommendations on what to look for:
- Make sure you meet the breeder at their home or facility where you are able to meet and interact with the parent animals. Take a look at the surroundings to make sure things are clean and sanitary. A red flag is if they have brought the puppy or kitten from another location just for you to meet it, and you don’t get to see where it has been living.
- If you are looking for a breed with hereditary health conditions, ask for veterinary paperwork on the puppies parents regarding any recommended testing that should have been done. Things like hips, eye, and other genetic issues can be screened in advance so only healthy dogs or cats are used for breeding programs.
- Watch out if the breeder has multiple litters of available at the same time, especially if it multiple different breeds. Most responsible breeders specialize in only one or two breeds, and rarely have many litters at once.
- Most puppies/kittens shouldn’t leave their mother until they are over 8 weeks old. Be careful if someone is selling puppies or kittens younger than this. Major socialization training happens at this young age, and being pulled from a mother too early, can severely effect the animal as they grow older.
- ICACS is a great place to adopt a family pet, but if you choose to look for a pet through a breeder, remember to make a responsible choice and research the breeder carefully.
For more information on other programs at Ingham County Animal Control, contact the shelter at 517-676-8370, visit the ICAC website at www.ac.ingham.org, or visit the shelter at 600 Buhl St. in Mason. Ingham County Animal Control is open M,T,Th,F,Sa 10:30-5pm and W 10:30-6pm. The shelter is closed on county observed holidays.
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