A RESCUER’S GUIDE TO PUPPY AND KITTEN PURCHASING
While we hope that many community members will choose to adopt with Murci’s Mission and other local adoption agencies, we also entirely understand that people will continue to buy puppies and kittens, and this simple checklist will be able to guide community members to make ethical purchasing decisions and avoid supporting people breeding pets for profit.
Why Does It Matter?
When puppies and kittens are purchased from sources where they were carelessly brought into the world, their genetic health and temperament are unknown and can greatly contribute to future hardship via medical issues and inappropriate behaviors. These are the two reasons that cause almost all pets in shelters to have lost their homes.
Because these pets came from dubious sources, they cannot return to their breeders when things go wrong and they overload the shelter system.
Choosing to purchase pets from breeders making ethical choices gives greater assurance that you end up with a healthy and well tempered pet. If anything ever goes wrong, these pets return to their breeders and never contribute to the stream of companion animals entering the shelter system.
What to Expect from a Responsible Breeder
When you're purchasing a puppy or kitten, it's important to work with a breeder who genuinely cares about the health and wellbeing of their animals, not just making a sale. Here are the basic standards every ethical breeder should meet.
Check List
✅ Health Testing That Goes Beyond a Vet Check
A quick vet exam isn’t enough. Ethical breeders provide real health testing for the parents, including hip and elbow X-rays, cardiac and eye exams, and genetic screenings through trusted labs such as Embark, UC Davis, or Pawprint Genetics. These tests help prevent avoidable genetic issues from being passed down.
✅ Microchipped Before They Leave
Every puppy or kitten should be microchipped before going to their new home. This shows the breeder is committed to that animal for life. If they’re not microchipped, it’s often a sign the breeder isn’t prepared to support the pet if they ever end up lost, in crisis, or surrendered to a shelter.
✅ There’s a Clear, Thoughtful Reason for the Litter
You should feel confident asking why the breeder chose to produce this litter. A responsible breeder will explain how the animals meet breed standards and how the litter was planned to improve health, temperament, and ability to perform natural tasks for the breed. Retrievers should retrieve. Herding dogs should herd.
✅ You’re Asked to Sign a Contract with a Return Clause
Every reputable breeder will have you sign a contract. That contract should include a clear return clause stating they’ll take the pet back at any time, for any reason. This protects animals from ending up in shelters if life circumstances change.
✅ The Pet is at Least 8 Weeks Old Before Going Home
Puppies and kittens need time to learn critical social skills from their littermates and mother. Any breeder sending animals home before eight weeks is ignoring this important part of development and choosing profit over welfare.
Why Ethical Breeding Costs More (and Why It’s Worth It)
The purchase price of an ethically bred pet will be higher than a puppy or kitten from the Walmart parking lot, but the investment you make up front will be far less than the price you will pay long term managing poor physical health or severe behavioral issues from a carelessly bred pet.
Expect to pay $800-$5000 for an ethically bred puppy or kitten. if this price range is cost prohibitive, re evaluate your priorities and pivot to adopting a pet already vetted, or hold off on the purchase until you've saved adequate funds.
Why Adoption Still Matters
Even with more people becoming mindful about where their pets come from, there are still so many wonderful animals in shelters and foster homes who are simply waiting for a chance to be loved.
At Murci’s Mission, we believe that adoption is a beautiful way to give an animal a fresh start. Each pet has their own story, and while we may not always know their past, we believe in helping them build a bright future.
When you adopt, you’re not just welcoming a new friend into your life—you’re making space for healing, connection, and hope. You’re giving a pet the chance to thrive, and that’s something truly special.
If you feel called to adopt, foster, or just learn more, we’d love to help you meet an animal who’s ready to meet you too.