How to Adopt a Puppy Online Safely

Are you ready to welcome a new puppy into your life and home, but unsure how to go about finding the right one, safely?

There are many ways to buy a puppy, but what most people don't realize is that there are also many pitfalls to watch out for in this process. Before you go ahead and buy a new puppy, it's important to keep the following information in mind - Being prepared will help you avoid scams, and will help make the process go through as smoothly as possible.

Here are some useful tips that you can keep in mind to buy a puppy online safely.

Locate a reputed breeder

Not all the breeders that you come across on the internet are in a position to deliver the best service as per your expectations. Hence, it is important to take your time and find a reputed breeder. By going through the customer reviews, you will be able to get a better understanding of the reputation of the breeder that you are going to deal with.

It is a good idea to pick a breeder that breeds only a few dog breeds. You should also confirm that the breeder has a clear understanding of the breed. For example, the breeder should provide prompt and accurate answers to the questions you ask about the history, characteristics, and developmental concerns related to the dog.

Try to adopt a puppy from a rescue club or shelter

Instead of buying your puppy from a breeder, you can also think about adopting a puppy from a rescue club or shelter. This is a convenient method available for you to avoid scams. On the other hand, you will be able to support the great initiatives of the rescue clubs and puppy shelters, which try to contribute a lot towards reducing pet overpopulation.

Sign a contract

Even if you are purchasing your puppy online, you should sign a contract. This contract must be associated with a health guarantee. In case if you cannot take care of your puppy, your dog breeder should agree to return. The reputed dog breeders often do it. On the other hand, make sure that your breeder is providing all the documentation related to the breeding of your dog. You should also get confirmation documents that indicate the puppy you buy has been tested for health issues.

Never use unsecured methods to make payments

You need to be careful at the time of making the payments to the dog breeder. You should refrain from sending money through unsecured payment methods such as MoneyGram and Western Union. If things don’t go according to how you expect, you will not be able to get back your money. Hence, you must always use a debit card or a credit card, where you can open a dispute against the transaction. You should also ask for the merchant number of the breeder before you handover the credit card number. Then you can call the credit card company and make sure that you are dealing with a legitimate seller.

Look for the warning signs

There are some warning signs, which you need to keep in mind while dealing with an online puppy breeder. For example, you need to make sure that the breeder is from your local area. Your breeder should be willing to develop a healthy conversation with you. On the other hand, the breeder should be able to provide personalized photos to you based on your requests.

If you can keep these tips in mind, you can buy your puppy safely online.

Top 10 Adopt a dog and Adopt a dog websites as ranked by people like you

The Community ranked the best Adopt a dog websites so that you can find what you need. Help improve the ranking by voting too.

Last updated: 2024-11-18

Rank

Provider

Description & Features

Site

1

761

Adopt-a-Pet.com
Adopt-a-Pet.com
Pet Adoption - Search dogs or cats near you. Adopt a Pet Today. Pictures of dogs and cats who need a home. Search by breed, age, size and color. Adopt a dog, Adopt a cat.

2

705

Petfinder
Petfinder
Petfinder has helped more than 25 million pets find their families through adoption. Search our extensive list of dogs, cats and other pets available for adoption and rescue near you.

3

653

Adopt a Pet - miamidade.gov
Adopt a Pet - miamidade.gov
Eligible veterans can adopt one animal (a cat or a dog) from the Miami-Dade County Animal Services Pet Adoption and Protection Center at no cost within one fiscal year. For information on eligibility, requirements and what to bring on the day of adoption, visit the Veteran Pet Adoptions page.

4

604

Adopt-A-Dog
Adopt-A-Dog
Lists dogs and cats available for adoption from area shelters. Training tips, information on upcoming events, and ways to help. Based in Greenwich.

5

559

- Ohio Dog Rescue - ADOPTIONS - Rescue Me!
- Ohio Dog Rescue - ADOPTIONS - Rescue Me!
"Click here to view Dogs in Ohio for adoption. Individuals & rescue groups can post animals free." - ♥ RESCUE ME! ♥ ۬

6

518

Adopt a Pet | Oregon Humane Society
Adopt a Pet | Oregon Humane Society
Adopt a pet at the Oregon Humane Society in Portland. View available dogs, cats, rabbits, horses and more. Outreach locations across the metro area also.

7

480

Adoptable Dogs in Your Local Shelter l Adopt a Pet l ASPCA
Adoptable Dogs in Your Local Shelter l Adopt a Pet l ASPCA
Adopt a Pet; Adoptable Dogs in Your Local Shelter. Thinking about adopting a four-legged friend? Check out our nationwide database of dogs looking for good homes. Search by zip code to meet available dogs in your area! If you live in New York City, don't forget to check out the dogs available at our ASPCA Adoption Center. ...

8

444

Dog Adoption | Petfinder
Dog Adoption | Petfinder
Puppies for adoption are available all-year-round at animal shelters and rescue groups on Petfinder.com, a great place to begin a search on where to adopt a puppy. Meeting the puppies in-person helps decide if a large, medium or small size, or breed matches your home, lifestyle, and activity level. ...

9

411

Pets Available | PAWS Chicago
Pets Available | PAWS Chicago
Pet Adoption Pets Available Adopt a Cat Adopt a Dog Adoption Process Why Adopt Adoption Centers Adoption Events A Pet's Journey Through PAWS Ongoing Training & Support Recently Adopted Pets PAWS Alumni Spay/Neuter Lifesaving Impact Benefits of Spay/Neuter Spay/Neuter Services Lurie Clinic GusMobile Spay/Neuter Van Feral Cats (TNR) Importance of ...

10

381

Adopt a Pet - Pet Adoption Centers - Michigan Humane Society
Adopt a Pet - Pet Adoption Centers - Michigan Humane Society
Adopt a Pet by Location. You can browse the list of pets available for adoption below or visit one of our adoption centers and let one of our experienced customer service representatives help find the perfect pet for you.

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This comparison site is made up of our own opinions and views. The ranking is determined at our discretion and is not to be used for accuracy purposes. We can provide this service at no charges thanks to a combination of referral fees and advertising income we receive from various publishers and service providers. These payments may affect our rankings and the score we assign to websites, products, and vendors. Our ratings do not imply endorsement of any kind. This website's information, rankings, and vendor list is subject to change without notice at any time.