How Adopting Pets From a Shelter Can Help Prevent Overpopulation
Each year, millions of dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens are euthanized because there are not enough homes for them. Unfortunately, many people do not consider adopting a dog or cat an option suitable for them or their family.
This could be due to reasons such as assuming that any pet adopted from a shelter will have health complications or thinking they won't find the breed they are considering.
Some may even believe that the adoption process is long and complicated. Fortunately, these are misconceptions, and shelters are, in fact, a great option for anyone looking to bring a four-legged friend into their life.
While there are common misconceptions about why these dogs and cats end up in animal shelters, the actual reasons are usually simple, though still heartbreaking. Some pets are lost and never reunited with their owners, while others are deliberately abandoned.
Some dogs and cats are surrendered by people who can no longer provide proper care. Meanwhile, some pets end up in shelters because they are born to strays or have behavioral concerns that their owners did not properly address. So don't let the stories you hear prevent you from finding your perfect companion at your local shelter.
If you're not entirely convinced yet, let the vets at our animal hospital in San Diego share 10 reasons to consider adopting your next pet from a local shelter.
10 Reasons Why You Should Adopt Your Next Dog or Cat
1. Pets from the shelter are just as lovable.
This may seem obvious, but the love you get from a dog or cat will fill you with abundant happiness. This love will be forever and unconditional. Even if your dog or cat previously called a shelter home, they will still be filled with love to share with you.
2. Adopting shows you stand against animal cruelty.
The unfortunate truth about buying from many pet stores is that the dogs come from puppy mills, which breed dogs in unsanitary and unfavorable conditions. These dogs do not receive proper medical care, fall sick often, and are behaviourally troubled as a result. The female dogs are usually restrained or contained with no affection or positive attention and are often abused. Once these dogs are not able to produce puppies, they will be discarded or disposed of.
3. You get to pick the dog or cat you want.
The dogs and cats available at a shelter are eagerly waiting to meet their forever family. Shelter dogs and cats don't understand why they were left in this place and only want to show gratitude to anyone who brings them home. You will have the opportunity to meet all the dogs and pick the one you feel the best connection with.
4. Most of the dogs are already house-trained.
As previously mentioned, many dogs are in the shelter through no fault of their own. Whether the owner is incapable of caring for the pup or the dog suffers from a condition that the previous owner was unable to manage, none of them have asked to be in the position they are in. However, they have already spent time in both the home and the shelter, which means they are likely to have house training to some extent. Generally, all shelter dogs get time with a professional trainer during their stay, so you will typically get a well-behaved dog.
5. These dogs and cats are patiently waiting for their forever family.
Like you, dogs yearn for companionship. This goes for dogs that have been lost or abandoned as well. These dogs have been robbed of the happy, love-filled life they deserve. And, despite their reputation for craving independence, cats tend to be affectionate creatures, and those who have been living in a shelter need a human to care for them. Why not show one the happiness that you can provide them?
6. You can give a dog a second chance through adoption.
A shelter dog has already experienced one type of life, which unfortunately ended with them being in the shelter. But this means that you now have the opportunity to give them a new lease on life and show them how wonderful and filled with care it can be. The more we look at pet adoption, the less of a need for puppy mills, which provide pet stores and specific breeding support.
7. You'll adopt a life-long companion.
Owning a pet has been scientifically proven to make us happier. By providing a pet with ongoing love, affection, and companionship, we are fulfilled in a way not met in other areas of our lives. This holds true for all age groups.
8. Adopting helps keep these animals safe.
Our Kearny Mesa Veterinary Center pet vets know that you hear the common saying that there are not enough homes for the available pets, and unfortunately, this is the truth. This makes the shift to adopting pets rather than purchasing all the more important. If dogs end up homeless, they run the risk of experiencing fatal injuries, abuse, and neglect. Adopting the pets available at the shelter gives them a second chance while making space for the next ones and finding their forever homes.
9. Those who perform selfless acts are happier.
Typically, people can assume that anyone who is kind to animals should be a good person. Caring for an animal is a selfless task. You will feel love, compassion, and the therapeutic benefits of owning and caring for these animals.
10. You will be a hero for saving an innocent life.
You will be able to wake up every day knowing your bond with your dog was formed the moment you saved them from a life of homelessness. They will love you unconditionally for life, and you will spend every day enjoying the benefits of this companionship.