Why do people *buy* expensive pets when they are so many strays who need good homes or they'll be euthanized?

Question

For example, they will buy purebreeds and spend thousands and thousands of dollars???

Is it a status thing or something? I'm proud to say that my three cats were all adopted as strays. I saved their lives, and I feel good about that.

Answer 1

I will tell you why because they don't care they want the best pet they can get but if you take the dirt and hungriness away the pets are just the same as a clean and Fed one!!!! And people don't see that!!!!! My Yorkie came from a friend!!!! I didn't have to pay!!!!

Oh yah and people think it takes more money to fix a stray and get it healthy again but I look at it this way!!! I would rather spend money to save a animal then pay a lot of money to buy one because paying alot of money to fix and get a animal healthy is what God would want you to do!!!! And thanks for asking this question!!!! :-)

Answer 2

Well, unfortunately, in some areas, you cannot adopt a stray for free, as I have found in my quest for a stray dog to take on. I want nothing more than to adopt strays, but when it costs almost 100 bucks just to adopt one from a humane society that may be too old to train at all, it doesn't hardly seem cost efficient...at that rate, you may as well cough up the extra 100 to get a puppy from a pet store...or just nix the whole idea of getting a dog at all. I mean, if they want to save all those animals lives, why can't they cut the cost a bit so that those who would like to help out by adopting them can actually do so?

Answer 3

My three cats are strays as well and I feel the same way about them.

I agree with you. People see purebreds as a status symbol. The neighbor kid has a purebred pitbull and I hate the thing. He's mean and barks and is territorial. He raised the dog to be mean and I think pitbulls have violence in their genes. I think pitbulls and rotweilers are becoming way too popular for that reason.

Other people own purebred yorkies or great danes or any dog size inbetween because that's what they want. They want a certain dog of a certain size and shape and color.

Despite all that I think mutts have the perfect temperment and least physical problems. I've had three in my life and they've been great dogs.

Answer 4

I would guess there are various reasons why someone would choose to buy a purebred pet versus a pound pup. As you mentioned, some buy them as a status symbol, some have enough money and don't care what they cost. It could be the fact you know what you're getting. With a pound pup it could grow to be as big as a great dane or shed too much. With a purebred you have a good idea what size they will be or if they need to go to the groomer. Some people have allergies that require a certain type of pet. The choice many times comes down to personal preference, financial ability, lifesytle needs.

Answer 5

I have a ferret and two rats. The ferret was bough from someone who could no longer take care of him and the rats where bought at a petstore, so they wouldn't just become snake food. I know if I ever get a cat or dog I don't think I would buy them unless a shelter didn't have the size I wanted, I mean I'm not going to get an animal that I'm going to be able to house and take care of......So I guess I don't know why some people do that....

Answer 6

You should feel good about that. Every cat I have ever had has either come from someone who needed to find a home for a kitten, or else they came to me as strays. And every one has been exceptional, loving, and wonderful.

I don't believe there is any reason other than to have a status symbol, or *perhaps* because a certain breed has qualities that someone thinks are necessary to appeal to them. If the latter, I can assure anyone, try stray cats; you'll find they can easily win your heart.

Answer 7

i think it has several reasons:

education, i don't live in the us but the number one reason people buy pets and don't adopt them is because they weren't educated about it same thing as people who don't spay they cat.

yes it is a status thing people like to feel they are batter them anyone else.

some people search for some specific a certain character or look that only pure breed cats have. it depends most of the time it's BS but in some times ok it depends.

i agree with you have a cat who not only came from the street she also has a verry rare eye condition if she would have stayed on the street she would have died and anyone else would have put her down by now, she's my crazy little cat.

Answer 8

I was given a Scottish terrier (Pepper) by a former boss. When Pepper died, I wanted another Scotty, which do not become available for adoption very often. I knew I liked that particular breed & therefore had to buy one (Pickle). When Pickle got to be middle aged, I bought a Pomeranian puppy to be his buddy (the dog's dog!). Both of them passed w/in the last few years and I now have a Pom that was adopted and a cat who adopted us several years ago.

Answer 9

Probably a status thing. My cat's just the average mutt, a former stray I adopted from the humane society. She's just as good as an expensive pure bread, except she has better bug catching ability.

Answer 10

not everyone wants one of the strays because the strays sometimes cost more to take care of than the actual pure breeds them selves especially if the stray is found on the side of the road
with most pure breedds you can make your money back by the pups
with the strays from the pound you cant make any back because 1 it is a stray
2 they usually nueter or spay them before you get to take them home