Finding Your Forever Friend
Once you’ve figured out what type of animal you want, and if it’s a dog, what breed you think would suit your lifestyle best, now, where do you go to find your friend? There’s always the neighborhood pet shop.. but before you drop down major cash, take a look at all the options. Again, this is yet another step that needs to be researched very carefully.
Sadly, there are many shops that purchase animals through puppy mills. Although, you may fall in love with those droopy eyes or that adorable wagging tail, any animal that has been sourced from a puppy mill may display serious health problems, both physical and behavioral, that can manifest at any point in the animal’s lifetime. Purchasing animals from a shop that works with puppy mills is only supporting the negative behavior.
The estimated number of animals that enter shelters each year in the US is between 6 and 8 million. Sadly, the majority of these animals are euthanized because of health or behavioral problems, and even sadder, many just because there is no where for them to go. Petfinder.com offers a National search tool for all types and ages of animals and is a great way to locate your new “forever friend”. There are no kill animal shelters for dogs and cats (and some even for horses) across the country. These shelters will usually retain an animal until a home is found for them, unlike city pounds, these shelters will not euthanize an animal when a certain time limit has been reached. These shelters operate mostly on donations and have no government funding. Shelters usually house mixed breeds, even though you may have your heart set on a pure breed, take a look at your local animal shelter. Unless you’re planning to be a breeder or show your animal, mixed breeds are just as cute, cuddly and loving as a pure breed. If you can’t be swayed to a mix, there are still many shelters in the United States that work to find homes for specific breeds, including Staffordshire Terriers, Great Pyrenees, St. Bernards and more. If you’re worried about getting an animal from a shelter because of the risk of it having severe behavioral or health problems, rest assured that animals that go through shelters are examined carefully and are not approved for adoption if they are ill. You may be required to complete more paperwork when adopting a pet through a shelter than you would if purchasing at a pet store. The staff at the animal shelters truly want to make sure that the animal is being placed in a good home, with a care giver that is aware of the responsibilities that go into owning a pet. The last thing they want to see is that animal coming back to them. Adopting a pet through a shelter is also much more affordable that purchasing a pet through a shop or breeder. The cost for an adoption can be as low as a $50 donation and often includes doctor exams, spaying/neutering, micro-chipping, obedience classes, training classes and someone to help answer any questions you may have about your pet, regardless of whether this is your first animal, or your 101st! By adopting through a shelter, you will not only find your best friend but also support the important work that the shelter does in the community.
(One last thing to mention about adopting an animal from a shelter…. If you take home a young or adult dog, versus a puppy, you will save yourself from the oft nightmarish task of housebreaking!)
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