So, you’re considering adopting a dog! Congratulations! Not only are puppies cute and fun to play with, but they also increase one’s oxytocin levels, making you more happy throughout your day, which is an excellent choice altogether, if I do say so myself.

While many may believe that the best choice for finding the perfect pup is through a pet store or local breeder, I find that the benefits of adopting from a rescue or shelter are extensive and crucial to be aware of while in the process of finding the pet that is right for you.

(NOTE: All photos in this article are dogs that are currently up for adoption in the Atlanta area. Click on the photo to find out more about them!)

1. Many rescues are victims of poor circumstances. More often than not, they are just puppies that got caught in the crossfire of a bad situation including death, divorce, abuse, or worse. By adopting a rescue, you significantly increase their quality of life and keep them from being punished for merely being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

2. You will not be supporting puppy mills. When one adopts from a pet store, one is inadvertently supporting the continuation of puppy mills, which are individuals that breed dogs excessively and repeatedly for profit. This can lead to health issues, malnutrition, and many more complications in the puppies that come from such places. If it becomes clear that there is no longer a profit to be made from continuing puppy mills, their numbers will ultimately dwindle, and by adopting a rescue, you are helping that cause.

3. The staff who work with private rescues already know the temperament of the dogs that they are adopting out. When you adopt a dog, particularly from a group of fosters, they are going to be far more knowledgeable about your future dog’s attitude towards being inside, outside, with other dogs, with people, etc. They want to make sure that their dog is getting the right home just as much as you want to find the right dog for your home, so they will be sure that your preferred dog has a personality that lines up with your lifestyle.

4. Shelter and rescue dogs, particular mixed breeds, tend to be much healthier than purebreds. Certain ancestral lines of dogs come with certain health issues, like hip dysplasia in German shepherds. However, when two purebred dogs breed together, it creates a stronger gene that will be passed down to their litter of puppies, and so on, ultimately creating healthier dogs.

5. The cost of adopting is often much lower than purchasing a dog from a purebred breeder. 25 percent of shelter dogs are purebred, and there are often rescues that adopt one specific type of dog for owners seeking that particular breed (like Atlanta Beagle Rescue and DREAM Dachshund Rescue). Why bother funding individuals who breed dogs for profit, when one could find the same breed of dog for a fraction of the price and tenfold the sense of integrity and good will? Furthermore, rescue dogs are often given all their shots, tested for heartworms, spayed, and neutered before they are even available to adopt, lessening the cost even more for you.

6. You’re saving not just one, but two lives for every dog you adopt from a shelter. Six to eight million dogs are placed in shelters each year, and on average, half of those will never be adopted. By adopting a dog from a shelter or private rescue, you are not only giving the dog you choose a new life, but saving the life of the puppy that is able to take your dog’s place at the shelter, which are almost always filled to capacity.

7. You get a new, wonderful addition to your family. Getting a new dog is a lifetime of commitment, and it takes a great deal of responsibility. However, with the proper amount of dedication to finding the right dog, you will in return receive a lifetime of love, cuddling, and puppy breath.