5 Reasons to Check a Breeder’s Reputation Before Buying a Pet

by Sandi Lilly

If you’ve decided it’s time to purchase a furry friend, be sure to do your due diligence. Purchasing an animal from a disreputable breeder may mean that you end up with a puppy or kitten that isn’t the breed you’ve paid for. Worse, you may end up with an animal that is ill-tempered or carrying a disease.

For these reasons, it’s incredibly important that you do your research before purchasing a pet. Check the reputation of potential breeders online before handing over your hard-earned cash.

1. Avoid Puppy Mills

When you take the time to research breeders online before making a purchase, you can avoid puppy mills. These disreputable breeders run breeding operations that are unclean, dangerous, and can potentially spread disease. When you’re learning about breeders in your area, avoid prices or turnaround times that seem too good to be true. Instead, opt to purchase from a reputable dealer with good references.

2. Purchase a Pet with Confidence

When you purchase from a dealer with good references and certifications, you can be confident that you’re getting a pet that’s been well cared for. Well-organized, clean breeding operations typically produce animals that are thoroughly socialized. If you purchase a pure-bred animal, a breeder will be able to provide you with papers to prove your pet’s heritage, as well. This will be important if you have plans to show the animal.

3. Get to Know Your Future Pet

Buying from a breeder will typically allow you to visit your animal before you decide to purchase. Many reputable breeders will let you visit with current litters and meet the parents, as well, so that you can see what the animals will look like as adults and get an idea of their temperament.

4. Buy Locally

Take some time to do your research on local breeders before opting to make a purchase long-distance. When you do so, you’ll get a chance to support local businesses, but you’ll also get to see the animals up close and personal. In addition, you’ll save your future pet the stress of being shipped to you. Transportation can be physically stressful on animals, and purchasing locally can help you prevent some of this stress.

5. Know Your Animal is Healthy

You have better chances of your new pet being healthy when you purchase from a reputable breeder. High-quality breeders know that word of mouth is everything, so they take care to protect their reputations. Many breeders will take care to vaccinate their animals; some microchip them as well, so that they can be traced back to the breeder if they are injured or stolen.

Breeders make their living off their reputation, and no high-quality breeder wants to develop a bad one. Before you purchase an animal, spend some time carefully researching the breeders in your area. Choose one that comes highly recommended by customers, and that has positive online reviews. While you can’t guarantee a perfect animal by doing careful research, you can highly increase your chances of a healthy one.

Sandi Lilly has been a freelance ghostwriter for more than five years. She specializes in helping both on and offline businesses manage their reputation.