Would you like to have a cuddly little cat to curl up to you? Or maybe you’d like a sweet little puppy to play with! Animals are remarkable creatures with a lot of love to give. If you like to return love to a deserving animal, please consider adopting from your local humane society.
How do pets end up in shelters?
It’s rarely ever that a pet is relinquished to shelter because something was “wrong” with it. Remember: There are no bad pets, only bad owners. Occasionally, an owner might ask that a pet be re-homed due to moving, allergies or budget constraints. No matter what reason the animal has for being in a shelter, it’s never their fault. They still have a lot of love to give.
Shelter animals are healthy
This is for sure; they’re healthier than they’d be on the street! The first thing a shelter does with an animal in their care is screen for health problems and tries to treat them. The animals at these shelters receive regular veterinary care plus volunteers to make sure they’re free of parasites. Often, the fees for vaccinations and spaying or neutering will be included in the adoption fee.
If you would like a puppy or a kitten
Understandable. Part of the joy of being a pet owner is watching them grow from a tiny puppy or kitten and training them yourself. If this is what you want, then shelters are not in any way hunting for puppies and kittens. If breeding is unchecked, one cat and her offspring could produce 420,000 kittens in seven years! A dog and her offspring with breeding unchecked could have 67,000 puppies in six years! However, do keep in mind the older animals need homes too. If you’d prefer a dog who’s already been trained and is ready to slow down and grow old with you, maybe the older dog is best.
If you would rather have a bunny rabbit….
Then hop right down to your local animal shelter some weeks after Easter. Many people get live rabbits as Easter favors, only to find they’re not up to the full task of caring for such a fragile animal. If you know you’ve got what it takes to care…really care…for a rabbit, you might find some bunny at your local animal shelter. Unfortunately, some people who take in exotic animals like ferrets or guinea pigs and find they’re not up to the task think it will be fine to abandon such an animal. If the animal is lucky, they’ll be found by an animal shelter and given to a competent guardian.
