Monday, July 14, 2014

Don't Shop! Adopt!


We all have our favorite breed, but are we really willing to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars buying a purebred when there are so many pets waiting for a family in the shelters? Cats or dogs it doesn't matter, I've adopted both and they are one of the best things that have ever happened to me. You may see bumper stickers that say "Who rescued who" and think that it's cheesy and overdone, but you never truly know the kind of love shelter dogs can give until you adopt.

Shelter dogs are eager to please, and are often already potty trained, crate trained and microchipped. Our shelter even included a free visit to the clinic within 10 days of adopting to make sure our dogs and cat were 100% healthy. And yes, there is a fee to adopting a pet, they are not free. However, that fee goes towards helping the ones that you couldn't take home with you.

Adopting a pet is a major responsibility, you want to make sure you are choosing the right animal for your family and lifestyle. It is wise to look at the dog adoption guides for great tips on how to choose the right fit for your family.

Knowing how to make an adoption successful is a very important step in the adoption process. Too many people adopt puppies not knowing how rambunctious they actually are and they should have adopted an older dog that is much more calm and loving and less playful. It is also extremely important to make sure that EVERYONE in your household will get along with this new addition. Including your other pets. Cats aren't dogs number 1 fans, but they usually leave each other alone. However if you have a pet that really enjoys being an only child, it is a good idea that you ask to bring your pet in to meet the potential new addition before any commitment is made.

Remember, you are not purchasing an accessory to go with your house. You are adopting a family member. Any pet requires the basic necessities, but more importantly, your pets require love and devotion. My two dogs and cat are not spoiled like most say. They are simply loved.

When C and I adopted Simba, our siberian husky and australian shepard mix, and Nahla, our cur and pitbull mix. Simba had been returned twice, he was only 2 years old. Most don't realize that certain breeds are harder to train than others, and require differing training techniques.

Husky's tend to be more subborn. I know a couple in town that own a pet supplies store that had a husky that graduated from doggy training school, the next week they went out, and came home to the entire house torn apart with the diploma (that had been in a drawer) shredded on the floor.

Cleo (my 8 year old cat) was my first adoption experience. She had just been born, but the humane society didn't have room for the kittens. They were so desperate for them to go to a good home that the humane society paid for their first year of vet visits. We had another cat at the time, who we found malnourished on the street 5 years prior. She got along with other dogs, but not so well with other cats. I adopted Cleo, while my cousin adopted her two brothers.

It is a lot of work adopting any animal that young. If you are not up to the challenge then there are many other options to helping those animals. Donate, spread the word to those you know who are looking for a new addition to the family. There are so many options to help other than adoption if you are not able. Volunteer at the local humane society, or become a foster family for one of the animals so they don't have to spend their time in the cage. Volunteers are responsible for playing and interacting with the animals so that they are guaranteed to be friendly and interact with people and animals well so that their chances of adoption are increased.


Many pets at the shelter have gone through some sort of training. My grandmother actually adopted a boxer, pitbull mix a month ago that had gone through an 8 week training course at the prison. She knows all of the basic commands as well as a few special commands. That was a $200 course that my grandmother got for free!

No matter the age, gender, species, breed, shelter animals provide more love than anyone could ever ask for. Some require medical attention, training, or just patience. Whatever they have been through, they will love you and trust you like no one else ever has.
"What a wonderful world it would be if people had hearts like dogs."

Look for my blog post later about training your canines!

3 comments:

  1. In response to your meme asking "What did you purchased dog come with?" A pedigree that can help me trace any illnesses based on family disposition. A meeting with the parents so I can see the potential of the dogs future temperment as well a clean slate to train the dog function at his highest potential in our household. What problems did your "adopted" dog bring? O and I feel as if I also "adopted" a dog because my "purchased" dog is just as much a part of my family as yours!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for your comment! With this post, my only intention was to bring awareness to the thousands of shelter dogs that get put down everyday because there is no room for them. Being an animal lover, I believe every animal should have a home and know love. With shelters, it is true that it isn't very often you get to meet the parents of your new family member, however the shelter should be able to provide a history of illnesses that have already occurred as well as some knowledge about the common "problems" that may occur as the dog ages based on their breed mixes. I promote adoption over purchasing because not only are you adding a member to your family, just as you would when purchasing, but you are also saving a life. Even from no-kill shelters, if you adopt that opens up a space for the shelter to fill with dogs from kill shelters.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am not opposed to rescuing dogs, in fact I have had a few "rescue" dogs in the past myself. What I am opposing is the fact that many people belittle individuals who purchase their dogs from breeders. I know many responsible, reputiable breeders. And I was simply answering a question that was posed on your blog.

      Delete