One year ago, Lorraine Valestuk and her family adopted Elvis, a four-year-old coonhound that had been rescued from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He was injured and emaciated and was eventually brought to an animal rescue shelter in Canmore, AB, for a second chance at life. Valestuk and her husband had always wanted a coonhound. When they found out about Elvis, they brought him home for a one-week trial period and discovered he was the perfect dog for them.

Finding the right pet for your family doesn't happen by accident. It takes careful research and time. One factor to consider is where the animal comes from. When you see that adorable puppy or kitten at the pet store, it's important to realize that some pet stores purchase their dogs from puppy mills or irresponsible breeders who cannot sell their puppies, says Karie Hansen, a Chihuahua breeder from Rocky Mountain House, AB. Similarly, kittens for sale at some pet stores come from kitten mills.

"(Some) pet stores also advertise dogs as rescues when they are, in fact, just older puppy mill dogs," says Hansen and adds,  if you purchase an animal that comes from a puppy or kitten mill, you aren’t rescuing the animal, you are perpetuating the problem.

Lindsay Jones, Manager of Communications for the Calgary Humane Society also cautions against animals from puppy and kitten mills. "Puppy and kitten mills are generally not the best environment for those animals,” she says. “They are produced as a product, for a store, to be sold. They aren't necessarily well socialized, they may be lacking in the health care they need, and they're generally mass-produced as a product."

Jones contrasts puppy and kitten mills with the Humane Society. "Each animal that comes into the Humane Society is a life we're looking for a forever-loving home for, not a product we're trying to sell." There is no shortage of rescue animals looking for homes. The Calgary Humane Society alone receives more than 8,500 animals every year, and it is just one of numerous animal rescue organizations in this city alone.

When adopting from a breeder, make sure it is a reputable breeder. "It's important to meet the breeder face-to-face in the home where the animals are raised. You should be able to see the entire facility. They should be very open with references. Speak with the veterinarian who looks after the breeder's animals," says Hansen. If the breeder won't let you see the facility, don’t adopt from them. "That's a big red flag," says Hansen.

Whether you're planning to adopt from a rescue organization or a breeder, do your homework. According to Jones, the most common reasons why people surrender animals to shelters are because they discover they can't afford the cost, they move to a home that doesn't allow pets, they work too many hours to care for the animal properly, a family member has allergies, or the animal has behaviour problems that they can't handle. To avoid surrendering your pet, do your research before you adopt.

Look at your budget. "Find out if you have that extra disposable income to support another family member for the rest of your life," says Jones. "To help people out with that, we have pet calculators on the Calgary Humane Society website that give a breakdown of how much to expect to pay in a year, as well as some of the one-time costs, like spaying and neutering."

To find out if anybody in your family is allergic, have everybody in your family visit the animal before adopting. "You can just come in to the Humane Society and spend time with the animal that you're interested in, and that should tell you pretty quickly one way or another," says Jones. If you're adopting from a breeder, visit the animals at the facility.

If you live in an apartment or a small house with a small yard, a large or high-energy dog might not be the best choice for you unless you can commit to taking that dog for a walk at least once a day. If you work long hours out of the house every day or travel frequently, think about how you would be able to care for a dog or cat during your absence. Also consider the personality of the animal and whether it will work with the personalities of your family members and other pets.

Most importantly, when searching for the right pet for your family, take your time and don't adopt the first adorable animal that captures your heart. Do your research. Both your family and your pet will be happier as a result.

Just think of Valestuk's family and her dog, Elvis. "Adopting this dog gives us great pleasure,” she says. “We know that we're giving this survivor a nice warm, loving home. He's lying there right now, with his toys all around him, on his bed, snoring away, and I just think how much his life has changed."