WASHINGTON — Adopting a shelter pet can have many advantages over adopting a pure-bred pet. They’re less expensive, often are mature enough to already be showing their personality and be housebroken, and they may be mixed breeds with fewer health issues than purebreds.

“The main thing is you’re saving an animal’s life,” said Mike Babrick, manager of the Washington Animal Control Shelter & Adoption Center. “Every animal we get out of here is one less that has to be euthanized.”

The type and number of pets housed at the animal shelter varies from one day to the next. Babrick said it even fluctuates based on the season, because people often bring in entire unwanted litters in the spring after they’re weaned. So there’s almost always a variety from which to choose, but Babrick said if potential adopters don’t find what they’re looking for on the first trip to the shelter, they should try back another day, because the selection will have changed.

“People want the breed name,” Babrick said. “They’re always looking for specific dogs, and they’re always wanting a lap dog.”

He said shelter employees have a tough time finding adopters for cats and big dogs. He said there’s a misconception that large dogs don’t make good house pets. On the contrary, Babrick said, big dogs can often be more docile and well-behaved than small dogs that may be hyperactive and less easy to train. He said it’s important for adopters to understand breed characteristics and how those will mesh with their household before selecting a pet.

“Certain breeds are not for certain people,” he said. “If  you’re a couch potato, you don’t want a Chihuahua or a Jack Russell terrier.”

Gary Mattes, president of Friends For Animals, said purebred animals often can be found at the shelter. He has adopted a miniature schnauzer and a shih tzu from there.

“If you take your time and go to the shelter, you can find different kinds of dogs,” Mattes said. “The great thing about the shelter is that they get their first set of shots, except for rabies, and spay or neuter is included. The spay and neuter voucher is worth its weight in gold.”

A $65 fee at the adoption center includes a five-in-one vaccine, deworming and a spay/neuter voucher. Two local veterinarians will perform the spay/neuter procedure for the price of the voucher, according to Babrick. He added that rabies shots must be given by a licensed vet and run around $17.50.

“People don’t realize they can get just as good a dog here for $65 than one that’s been raised at a puppy mill and pay $300 or $400 for it,” said Kenny Richardson, a shelter employee. 

Babrick explained that purebred dogs come from limited bloodlines, which means there’s a small gene pool, and genetic problems occur with great frequency. According to The Purebred Paradox, an article by Carrie Allan in the May/June 2010 issue of allanimals, animals are bred selectively to preserve certain traits, limiting the number of mates and increasing the chances of inbreeding. Inbreeding, of course, results in genetic disorders and immune deficiency.

Even those much-desired breed traits cause problems, according to the article. Dogs are bred to have a specific appearance, which has created a host of health issues. For example, short-faced breeds like bulldogs and pugs have trouble breathing and Great Danes and other large dogs have joint issues.

Babrick said there are some common-sense reasons why certain breeds are desired. For example, he said, a hunter may want a purebred Labrador retriever, and poodles are one of the only dogs that don’t shed, which alleviates pet-related allergies.

“If you’re just getting a family dog, there’s no need to get a papered dog,” he said.

Linda Casper, assistant manager at Orscheln Farm and Home, said she’d adopt a shelter animal in a heartbeat.

“I would get a shelter animal for the simple fact it’s already housebroken,” she said. “A lot of times these animals are the dogs of people who moved and can’t take them with them, or people who died and the family couldn’t take the dog.”

Orscheln, through Friends For Animals, helps find adoptive families for the shelter’s dogs. Casper explained that someone from Friends For Animals brings a dog to the Washington Orscheln store, and the staff houses, feeds, waters, and walks the dog until it’s adopted. In the mornings, she said, when the staff is preparing to open for business, they allow the dog to run loose with them for additional exercise and socialization. Once a dog is adopted, another one is brought in. She said the dogs are always friendly, loving animals.