Why Adopt a Shelter Pet?
by Don Kjos
Shelters have all shapes and sizes of lovable mutts, purebreds, all-American cats, shaggy dogs, puppies and kittens,
teenagers and oldsters. Your chances of finding a wonderful companion who matches your lifestyle, family, and home are excellent!
About 25 percent of these animals are purebreds. But if you're looking for a truly one-of-a-kind pet unlike anyone else's,
animal shelters offer the best selection anywhere of smart, healthy, lovable mixed-breed cats and dogs.
Pet adoption is a life-long commitment which can easily last 10-15 years for dogs and up to 20 years for a cat.
We provide free Pet Adoption Marketing & Advertising to Shelters and organizations through the PAW magazine and
website.
According to the Humane Society of the Unites States, mutts are America's dog of choice, accounting for nearly 60 percent
of all pet dogs. And their numbers are increasing. For good reason. As dog trainer and author Brian Kilcommons explains, "mixed
breed dogs are often healthier, longer-lived, more intelligent, and of more stable temperament than purebreds. This is due
to what geneticists call hybrid vigor."
Shelter animals make great pets. A "secondhand" pet in no way means second-rate. On the contrary, shelter workers have
often observed that many shelter animals seem to sense what they were up against and become among the most devoted and grateful
companions.
Most shelter residents are healthy, affectionate animals. Many have already lived with a human family and have the basic
training, socialization, and cooperative skills they need to become part of your household.
Dogs, cats, and small mammals like guinea pigs, rabbits, and rats end up in shelters because of circumstances beyond their
control. They're victims of a death, illness, divorce, or a move that didn't include them. Or they were displaced by a new
baby. Or their owners just didn't learn how to train them.
Some animals are relinquished at shelters because of a behavioral problem the owners gave up on. But the fact is all pets,
young and old, need some obedience training or retraining, as well as patience and commitment, to become cooperative, enjoyable
members of your household. And regular, positive training - as little as 10 minutes a day - will reward you amply, because
it builds a strong bond between you and your pet as you learn to communicate with him, and he learns to live in your world.
Shelters have the animals' best interests at heart. Animal shelters are either government or private nonprofit agencies.
Their primary mission is to find the best possible permanent homes that suit the individual animals they shelter.
Most shelters, but particularly those well staffed with volunteers, become familiar with the disposition of each animal.
If an animal has lived with a family before, then its history and behavior are also know. This knowledge helps the staff make
optimal matches between homes and pets and helps you in making Pet adoption decisions.
Shelter pets are a bargain. For an pet adoption fee between $60 and $100, you can adopt an animal that would cost
several hundred dollars through other means. The fee usually includes spay or neuter surgery, worming and vaccinations, and
a certificate for a free health exam.
In addition, shelters offer free educational literature on all aspects of pet ownership, and they often provide ongoing
advice and guidance at the shelter, over the phone, and through classes.
You save a life and help combat overpopulation,The
simple fact is that there are many more animals needing adoption than there are homes for. So when you adopt from a shelter,
you become part of the solution to the overpopulation crisis. You give a deserving animal a new home. You free up cage space
for another animal needing to be adopted. And your money goes toward the shelter's education and spay/neuter programs, which
help prevent more unwanted animals from being born.
Until the overpopulation crisis has been resolved, pet adoption is the humane, ethical choice for millions of Americans
