No matter where you live —city or suburb, apartment or farm — pets are a rich part of our lives. These (often) furry family members are loyal friends and steady companions. They brighten our days and help keep us calm at night. While buying pets from a breeder or at a pet store can be convenient, it can be incredibly rewarding to find your pet at a rescue shelter.
It’s National Adopt a Pet week and we’re celebrating by spreading the word about the benefits of pet adoption. Rescuing an animal won’t just give you a loving pet, it will bring you years of happiness.
Getting your pet at a shelter can offer significant advantages compared to purchasing your pet from a breeder or store. Here are five great reasons to adopt instead of shop:
Help Save Lives
According to the ASPCA, “Each year, approximately 920,000 shelter animals are euthanized (390,000 dogs and 530,000 cats).” The main reason is that shelters are overcrowded and the space is often needed to rescue more animals. Adopting a pet means saving a life.
But what’s even better than saving the life of one innocent animal? Saving the lives of several animals! When you rescue a pet, not only will you save their life, but you’ll be saving the lives of other pets who need the care of a shelter. By bringing home one pet, you’ll make room for another pet to take its place.
Receive Unconditional Love
There are tons of great reasons to get a pet but one of the best reasons to rescue a pet is because of the unconditional love your sweet, new BFF will give you. Bad day at work? Your pet will be waiting to welcome you home and love you with all their heart. Made a mistake? Your pet won’t care. They’ll be there with hugs and kisses for you. Need someone to talk to (and hoping to avoid bad advice or unsolicited feedback)? Talk to your pet. They love you for you, no matter what.
Get and Stay Active
Pets are wonderful companions for people of all ages because they help keep you active. Dogs love to take long walks and run around with their friends. This will help stay motivated and moving and even help you socialize more. Whether you take them to the dog park or even just around your block, pets will attract the attention of other pet owners and dog lovers.
Even cats —who sometimes get the reputation for being lazy and anti-social —often love to play as much as they love sleeping on your lap. Don’t forget to help keep your pets happy and active with fun toys and treats!
Rescues are Less Expensive
Owning a pet can be expensive. From food, to vet costs, to miscellaneous supplies, the money adds up. Adopting your pet from a shelter can save you a considerable amount of money. According to Labrador Training HQ, “Depending on the location and breed, most breeders run from $500 to $1500 for a pup.” Most shelters, on the other hand, only charge a small, nominal fee to adopt. Check with your local shelter to understand what to expect in terms of associated adoption costs.
Rescues (Usually) Require Less Training
While some rescue pets are babies, many are not. As such, most rescue animals have been at least partially trained. (They may not understand commands like “shake hands,” but they are likely potty trained. If you opt to buy from a breeder, plan to spend hours, days, and weeks training your pet. Because they’ve been living in shelters, many rescues are potty trained and socialized.
It may not seem such a big deal to train your pet but they are like little children. It can take some time to teach them the behaviors you want to instill.
They’ll Make You Happy
Pets have been shown to increase happiness. You can double this happiness with a rescue by introducing a new member to your family as wells as knowing you you’ve saved your pet from an uncertain fate.
What’s more, pets can help to reduce stress and help keep you feeling calm and fulfilled. The Humane society writes, “Not only do animals give you unconditional love, but they have been shown to be psychologically, emotionally and physically beneficial to their companions.” There is plenty of research to support the idea that pets provide owners with feelings of love and happiness.
Other Ways to Help
If adopting a pet isn’t quite right for you and your situation at the moment, but you’d like to help you local shelter in some way, consider pet rescue donations. Most shelters are always in need of money as well as certain in-demand supplies.
Some of the most common pet shelter donation items include blankets, collars, food bowls, treats and toys.
Whether you’ve got pets, looking to get a pet, or just an animal lover, consider the benefits of working with a shelter to rescue a pet before going through a breeder or puppy mill. The animals in shelters deserve a second chance and will be so excited to go home with you.
Be sure you’re well-supplied with a few choice items purchased at wholesale prices like with DollarDays. This won’t just save you money, but will also ensure you’re getting the best possible deal for quality products.
Source: https://labahnvet.com/adopt-shelter-pet/
Written by: Kathleen Siddell