adopt don't shop
/əˈdɒpt doʊnt ʃɒp/
Very CommonA phrase promoting pet adoption from shelters over buying from breeders or pet stores.
Can be sincere advocacy or performative. Some people use it as a genuine call to action; others deploy it as social pressure that can tip into shaming.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | got my girl from the shelter last year. adopt don't shop | Sharing their own adoption story and encouraging others to do the same. | instagram, 2023 |
| 02 | looking for a golden retriever recommendations? adopt don't shop, there are rescues for every breed | Redirecting a breed inquiry toward rescue options. | reddit, 2022 |
| 03 | three years of saying adopt don't shop and we finally did it | Playfully noting that they followed their own advice. | x, 2023 |
| 04 | shelters are full right now. please adopt don't shop. | Serious advocacy pointing to a current shelter overcrowding problem. | tiktok, 2024 |
Use it when
- Advocating for shelter adoption over purchasing from breeders.
- As a hashtag on a post about adopting a rescue pet.
- Responding to someone asking where to get a specific breed.
Do not use it when
- As a way to shame someone who already bought a pet from a breeder.
- In situations where a specific breed or medical requirement is relevant.
Origin and context
Popularized as a hashtag campaign by animal welfare advocates in the 2010s. Spread widely across Instagram and other platforms alongside the growth of rescue and foster communities.
- First seen
- mid-2010s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/adopt-dont-shopUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0