Best Pet Adoptions

Top 5 Reasons to Adopt a Pet

Are you thinking of getting a new pet? Have you ever considered pet adoption? Adopting a pet is a wonderful option for adding a canine friend into the family. Here are 5 simple reasons why you should choose pet adoption:

1. You’ll save a life

Saving a life just may be one of the most rewarding actions in a person’s life. Some pet shelters have to put down animals if they do not get adopted. If you choose to adopt a pet from an animal shelter or animal adoption agency, you are not only saving a precious animal’s life, you are also greatly increasing its quality of life.

2. You’ll save money

When you adopt a pet, you are actually saving a lot of money. Animals that have been placed in shelters or taken to animal adoption agencies are almost always spayed or neutered and vaccinated. Those preliminary, but necessary procedures add up when all is said and done. Also, it is relatively inexpensive to adopt a pet from an agency or shelter in comparison to purchasing dogs or cats from a local pet store.

3. You’ll receive a healthy pet

As was mentioned above, pets from shelters and adoption agencies are almost always spayed or neutered, and have received their vaccinations as well. This ensures the health and happiness of your future pet. Also, in contradiction to popular belief, many pets who have been placed in shelters have not been mistreated or “done something wrong.” Many pets have been taken there because of people problems, such as divorce, a big move, or they are simply too busy to adequately provide care for a pet.

4. You won’t be supporting puppy mills

Many pets that are sold in pet stores or newspaper ads sometimes come from puppy mills. Puppy mills are mass dog-breeding businesses that are harmful to the health of their bred puppies. These facilities sometimes house up to several hundred dogs at a time, thus compromising the health and well-being of a precious puppy. By adopting a pet from a shelter or a pet adoption agency, you are not supporting these often inhumane businesses.

5. You’ll have a large selection

Because pet adoption agencies and animal shelters have many pets, there is a wide selection for you to choose from. To make pet shopping easier on potential parents, many pet agencies and shelters have websites that allow people to search for possible pets by their age, sex, size, and breed. This enables families to search from the comfort of their own homes; the hassle of going to noisy and overwhelming shelters and agencies is eliminated.

The satisfaction you will acquire when you adopt a pet is like no other; you will have received a healthy pet, you will save money, you will be supporting a healthy and just cause, you will get the perfect pet for your family, and you will have saved a life. Adopting a pet has lifelong benefits that you will not regret. Give these animals a second chance by allowing them to join your loving family.

There are some questions that you will need to ask yourself and the employees of the shelter before you getting pets for adoption process. You will want to make sure that you take the time to be a responsible pet adoption lover by taking the time to ask some of the following questions.

First, you will want to ask yourself what type of dog adoption are you looking for. You will not only want to think about things like breeds, breed mixes, sizes, fur length, and age, but you will also want to think about the behaviors of the dogs as well. If you are looking for a dog that will protect your home and your family, you may want to have a more aggressive dog or at least a dog that has the attacking instinct. That means, you will not want to get a small toy breed to protect your family. The toy breeds are mostly for companionship. Keep in mind that there are some breeds like labs that are perfect for any household. They tend to be great with kids and are not aggressive unless they are provoked. A lab will attack an intruder or someone who they feel is there to harm their family, but will not harm any of the children.

The second question that you will want to ask yourself is if you feel that everyone is on board with the dog adoption. If this is a family dog, then the family needs to come together in order to pick the dog. You will want to make sure that you make an effort in bringing the whole family together before going down to the shelter to pick out the family pets for adoption.

You will also want to ask yourself if you have the lifestyle that will have room for a dog and if this is a good time. Just because you are lonely and have plenty of time does not mean that you are ready. You may end up finding that your dog needs revolve around your loneliness. If you are sad, then the dog will be sad. You can not use a dog to replace someone that you have lost.

As for the lifestyle, you will want to make sure that you are able to make the commitment. There are a lot of people who feel the need to have a dog, because it’s hard to be alone at nighttime, however, what will you do with the dog when you are away from home? What will you do with the dog while you are at work? These are major issues that need to be addressed. You will find that your currently lifestyle and living situations are just not compatible for pets for adoption such as a dog.

I want to talk about something serious for us all; pet insurance. If you told me six months ago I would be talking about pet insurance, I would have laughed in your face. My family and I are a normal American family. We have a house, two cars, 1.5 kids, a dog, cat and a hamster. We love our pets very much. They are a part of our family. Well, we have gone through several “Skippy” the hamster. Please don’t tell our son.

Our dog Angel is a three year old German Sheppard who goes everywhere with me. He is like my best friend. Not long ago he got very ill. We rushed him to the Veterinarians office. The Vet came out and told us that our pet had a tumor that needed immediate surgery.

We said “yes”; how fast can you perform the surgery. Our Vet is also just like family. She knew it was a vulnerable time for us and did not hesitate to perform the surgery. She knew that the pain after the surgery would be just as bad. What pain you say? The pain was receiving the bill for the Vet services. The bill was huge. Thankfully, our Vet worked out a payment plan with us.

I promised myself this would not happen to us again. I began to do some research and discovered there were companies offering pet insurance. I looked into the pet insurance and found that it was a good deal. It worked just liked my family health insurance. We pay a premium and when needed we take our pets to the Vet. We pay the Vet and get a form filled out. We send in our form and a receipt and the company sends us back a check.

Since we have taken out the insurance we have had to take “JoJo” (our German Sheppard) back to the Vet several times. It was so nice to not have to worry that we were going to have huge bills to pay off again. We want to emphasize to everyone how much peace of mind this pet insurance has given us.

Our Sheppard is completely healed now. We take him to see the Vet as often as we can. Not for a check-up, but just to see Ann, our Vet. Our lives have been made allot easier because of the pet insurance. Everyone should look into getting pet insurance coverage for all their pets.

Your family finally agrees it’s time to bring home a new friend. Your family pet of fifteen years is sorrowfully missed and you can’t imagine ever finding brown eyes like his again. Visiting the pet stores, reading the pets for sale ads, and talking to friends, you wonder; what’s the best way to add a new member to your family?

Pet adoption is an option pet lovers should definitely consider. Although it may not be for some, it’s a true gift. Not just for you to be able to find that special pet, but for little ‘Rover’ whose only crime was being too furry. Pets like Rover are looking for a family who will just love him as he is. Even if he’s not perfect, they want the love of someone willing enough to teach them what is best for the family. With love and gratitude, your little adopted friend will want to do all he can to make you happy.

Seeing the row of big brown eyes in a shelter is enough to break your heart. You would love to take them all, but your place can only hold one. Knowing that by helping just one little friend find love and comfort is a great place to start.

Pet adoption centers and shelters typically let you know which pets are good with kids or other pets and which ones wouldn’t be. They will give you a small history of what the pet has been through. Giving hope to a dog can be all he needs to be the greatest friend you’ll ever have!

Often you will see a display of mixed breeds and mutts, but they can be incredibly fun. They usually have their own look, and like many dogs, just want to be loved. Better yet, they just want to love you and make you happy. Whether you adopt a young pup from a shelter or whether you decide to give an older fellow a place to grow old is up to you, but the choice to love one of these dogs can be more rewarding than you can imagine.

Don’t count them out. A dog in a shelter isn’t there because he was bad so much as he just had a bad start or someone who did love them simply couldn’t care for him the way he needed. Give this friend a chance, it may be the greatest decision you’ll make for you and your family.

There are many places to get quality pets, by looking on bulletin boards at your local veterinarian. You can even look in the newspapers; most are giving them away, to place pets in a good home.

Here though is a story, how when I wasn’t even looking, I found a friend.

One evening about two years ago after a nice rain storm I went for a walk with my stepson and his friends. The smell after the rain storm was refreshing. Our house is set off in a corn field out in the country, beyond a small creek bed.

There is an old bridge that we across going to the main road, so the boys decided to run ahead to see what the rains had brought down the creek. Normally after the rains the boys would find something, this time it was a plastic bag full of kittens. In the bag were three kittens, very week and tiny and covered in mud, fleas and debris from the dirty water.

We brought the kittens home and gave them all a nice warm soapy bath. The warm bath helped stimulate and reviving their cold limp bodies. Afterwards we wrapped them in towels and used a blow dryer to warm them up.

Out from under the filth were three beautiful white kittens, crying their heads off. We knew at this point they were going to be alright. We took them to our barn and fed them a mixture, which contained some pet milk until the kittens were satisfied.

The neighbors wanted to take two of the kittens and we kept the other one. You might remember, if you have seen any of the Pink Panther Movies, Inspector Clouseau’s constant companion named Cato. This name fit the kitten perfectly. He was full of life, playful and was a superb attack cat.

It most likely will give you more pleasure then you may have realized, taking care of God’s creatures. Have you ever wondered about the cruelty inflicted by people on pets? How do these pets begin to trust people again after they are rescued by someone who is caring?

Adopting an animal can be an excellent choice for pet lovers. The advantages of adopting are numerous; costs are lower than buying a pet, animal shelters offer a large variety of companion animals, most mixed breed animals do not inherit breed specific health issues, older animals in shelters already have developed personalities and therefore it’s easier to find a pet that will match with your lifestyle, older pets will be spayed or neutered and vaccinated, you may receive discounts for spay or neuter programs if you adopt a young pet, you can adopt a bonded animal pair or litter mates at reduced cost, and shelter workers are genuinely concerned that you find the right pet for your lifestyle.

Cost of animals and types of animals up for adoption vary by areas. In my area a puppy adoption is $150 and an adult cat is only $60. When you compare the cost of buying a pet, to adopting an animal, it’s much cheaper to adopt. For example typical cost to purchase a puppy are $300-$600, plus first year vaccinations $150-$300 and possibly some health tests not provided by the breeder which can add another $50-$200. Most often when you adopt a puppy from the shelter the adoption fee insures the puppy has already been treated for fleas, passed a health examination, received vaccinations (if the animal is old enough), and has been tested for parvovirus. Some shelters in the south also test dogs for heart worm.

In dogs, distemper, parvo-influenza, and heart worm are terminal illnesses, if they are untreated. Adult cats adopted from the shelter are spayed or neutered, vaccinated for distemper, tested for Feline Aids(FIV) and Feline Leukemia (FELV) (which can both be terminal illnesses), and are treated for fleas. When you compare this with the cost of purchasing a cat ($150-$1000) or taking on a “free kitten”, animal adoption again proves to be much cheaper. Typical costs for FIV and FELV testing are $45-$75 for each test, spaying at maturity $45-90, or neutering $30-$75, and first year vaccinations $150-$300. So your “free kitten” can cost more than $500 for the first year of medical care. Additionally, many shelters also test for other diseases such as worms, and the shelter will be open and honest about known disabilities such as hearing or vision impairments.

Shelter employees and volunteers do a great job of helping you pick an animal that is right for your lifestyle. Typically, there are wide varieties of adoptable pets available. Most shelters have dogs and cross-breed puppies ranging from tiny to large, short-haired to fluffy, and personalities that range from shy lap dogs to high energy running companions. Cats selection can ran from large Maine-coon mixes, to high energy Siamese mixes, to fluffy mellow Angoras. My local shelter also services other companion animal adoption such as ferrets, pot belly pigs and goats. Occasionally, shelters have purebred animals available for adoption. (Also, see my article on purebred adoptions).

There are other benefits of adopting an animal from a shelter. Mixed bred animal may be healthier and calmer than some purebred animals. Certain purebred often have genetic disorders (due to the inbreeding). For example, many large purebred dogs develop hip dysplasia (a malformation of the hip joint that causes arthritis). Small purebred dogs with pug noses may develop respiratory disorders. Disorders associated with specific breeds can be found in mixed breed dogs and cats, but are far less likely to occur. Older pets available for adoption from the shelter have developed personalities and therefore it is easier to adopt an animal that will be right for your household. For example, if you have children, the shelter worker will introduce you to the pets that are the best suited to your household. If you’re single and want a jogging partner, the shelter worker can introduce you to a healthy high energy dog companion. You may think you want a dog, but after speaking with a shelter worker, realize your lifestyle is far more suited to an adult cat. Some shelters provide ongoing benefits, such as reduced vaccination cost, reduced training costs or provide a list of auxiliary services.

If you want to select from a wide variety of pets, the best time of year is during spring and early fall which are breeding seasons. Shelters are inundated with strays. Christmas is a bad time of year to adopt an animal for several reasons; many people adopt at this time of year so selection will be limited, it hard on the animal (due to lack of routines and chaos that often accompanies the holiday) and, it’s may curtail your travel plans. (See my article on Christmas animal adoption).

To find an adoption center in your area contact the Humane Association of the United States, check with a local veterinarian, or inquire at a locally owned pet supply stores. Each year the United States destroys more than 4,000,000 companion animals. By adopting an animal from a shelter you are saving a life. However, please consider the long term care required, before you purchase or adopt a pet.

Adopting a pet is a wonderful way to get a new pet. There are many pet adoption agencies throughout the United States. These agencies provide homes for pets who have been brought in from humane societies, animal rescues, and animal shelters. Some of these pets have been mistreated by their owners or have gotten lost and have not found their families.

Many pet adoption agencies are working over time to find a positive solution for America’s dog over-population issue. These agencies work hard to find adoptable pets so they can be provided with loving and caring family homes.

Many agencies have websites where potential pet parents are able to search for possible pet candidates without having to go to the noisy and chaotic locales. On these websites, people are able to search for their preferred dog (or cat) breed, age, sex, size and even the specific organizations where the pet originally came from.

The pages list photos of the animals, their names, where they are from, and information about them, including pet preferences. Most of the listings say things such as: “Bingo is a fun-loving puppy who loves to cuddle on the couch. He has been neutered and vaccinated. He does not prefer living with cats but loves children. He would prefer to find a loving home with previous pet owners, in the north metro Atlanta area.”

If you are not interested in adopting a pet, but would love to help, most animal adoption agencies accept donations. They also love to have regular volunteers to help with things such as pet adoptions, fund raising events, administrative support, and marketing. Also, many programs seek people to simply come and play with the cats or dogs for an hour or so. This is especially helpful because many pets who have been homeless or mistreated in the past savor any time that is spent with loving humans.

Pet adoption agencies also provide help and support for families who have recently adopted, or who are seeking to adopt. They give advice on how to choose a dog that suits your family, house-training, separation anxiety, basic obedience techniques, introducing new pets to walking on a leash or adjusting to additional pets in the home.

There are many benefits to adopting previously owned pets. If you adopt, you are giving a cat or dog another chance at living in a happy home with committed parents. Many animals who have been adopted also tend to be more loving to their new families. Some may be tentative and cautious at first, but with time, you will have an adorable new pet who seems to realize you have rescued him from his previous fate.

The satisfaction of knowing you have helped your local society by adopting a pet will be a great reward, not to mention gaining a new pet who is perfect for your family. Adopting a pet is a lifelong commitment that would be hard to regret. These unfortunate pets need the chance to join loving families who will care for them. It’s always an option: consider adoption.