Would you love to have more love in your life?
Is there room for more love in your home?
If yes, then adopting a pet is probably the perfect move for you!
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Of course, welcoming a new cat, dog, bird, fish or even a reptile into your family is a big decision that should be thoroughly discussed and carefully considered. Sadly, many of these adorable animals that end up in shelters have been relinquished by adoptive parents who decided that they could no longer handle the responsibility of being pet owners.
This frequent “re-homing” is unfair to these animals, and hard on them, too, who in the end really just need somewhere to feel comfortable and safe for the rest of their natural lives.
Making your home a “forever home” for a pet is not just more humane; it also helps keep animals off the streets and out of shelters, too.
So, before you adopt, you need to take an honest look at yourself and your family.
- You need to be sure that you are prepared to provide all the emotional, financial, and physical needs of your two or four-legged companion, while also making sure that your lifestyle and home will be a good fit for an animal at every stage of its life.
But if your heart is in the right place, have faith that you're making one of the best decisions of your life.
Need a few more reasons to build your confidence and help you make the right choice for your family? Check out these top 10 reasons to adopt a pet below!
1. Saving a Life Feels Good
It's truly a gift to welcome a four-legged friend into your home. After all, cats and dogs have mastered the art of loving unconditionally, which feels so good for you as the pet parent!
Plus, by adopting instead of shopping, you are quite literally saving an innocent and deserving life, be it canine or feline! You could almost call it a selfless act…except that adopting a pet benefits you as much as it benefits the animal!
2. You'll Get a Beautiful and Unique Companion(s)
Believe it or not, most shelter animals are not rejects, dangers to society, ill-behaved, or ill. As mentioned, many are surrendered simply because their former owners didn't feel that they could care for them anymore, due to factors such as financial constraints, moves, and health problems—not because there was anything inherently wrong with the animal.
What this means for you is that your adopted pet is likely healthy and well-behaved, and at the very least super trainable with the right amount of discipline and affection! By taking a chance on a shelter cat or dog, you'll reap the benefits of meeting an adorable and unique companion who will be there for you!
Don't know what kind of cat or dog you're looking for? Your local shelter will likely have a wide selection of breeds with different personalities, shapes, sizes, and ages, so you're sure to find one that “speaks” to you!
3. You Help Fight Animal Cruelty
Many pet stores sell animals that have been bred in kitten and puppy mills…but these establishments care more about profits than about the health and dignity of the animals in their “care”!
[thrive_icon_box color='orange' style='1′ image='https://i2.wp.com/felineliving.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Warning-icon.png']Unfortunately, this means that by purchasing your kitten or puppy from a pet store, you're likely giving money to an industry that creates sick and poorly socialized animals as a result of inhumane and cruel breeding practices.[/thrive_icon_box]If you care about animals, don't take a chance on buying your next pet from a pet store. Adopt your beloved friend, instead and use pet stores for all the food, beds, houses, litter boxes and toys that your adopted animal will need.
4. You Inspire Others to Adopt
Cats and dogs outnumber humans in this country by the millions, and many of these animals are stuck at the pound, waiting for a safe place to call home!
By adopting, you'll be setting a shining example to your neighbors, colleagues, and loved ones. This can help the people you care about experience the joy of welcoming a new pet pal into their lives, while also helping dozens of animals find forever homes.
5. You Help Curb Pet Over-Population
Pet over-population is a real problem in America. There are actually more homeless animals than there are homeless people! These stray and feral cats and dogs can spread diseases, harm other pets, and even harm humans in your community.
Adopting instead of shopping can help stop this over-population problem. Since many of these homeless animals end up in shelters, adopting opens up spots open for other animals who are found and in need of serious care (including spay and neuter surgeries!).
6. You Get a Lifelong Support System
It's not hard to imagine that employees and volunteers who work at shelters love animals as much as you do. When you visit a shelter to adopt an animal, expect to be treated with respect, appreciation, and gratitude.
These staff members can support you and your family throughout every step of the adoption process, by providing information on socialization skills, obedience training, community resources, and even your pet's individual background and health history.
7. Shelter Animals Receive Good Care
When an animal is brought to a shelter, she will be screened for health and behavioral problems right away so the right intervention can be implemented.
She'll also be provided with necessary and comprehensive veterinary services including basic first aid, vaccines, parasite prevention and treatment, spay and neuter procedures, and more.
Shelter animals are provided with fresh water, regular meals, and plenty of love from volunteers and staff members as they wait to connect with their forever family.
This means that when you adopt from a shelter, you can rest assured knowing that your new family member has been provided with quality care!
8. You Can Save Money in the Short Term and Long Term
- Any fees incurred from a pet adoption are much smaller compared to the costs associated with buying a pet from a breeder or pet store.
Plus, compared to many purebreds, mixed-breed shelter dogs and cats tend to live longer and have fewer health problems.
9. You're Helping Your Local & National Community
Your pet adoption is like making an investment in your very own community. It helps takes animals off the street, provide essential funds for the shelters that care for these creatures, and supports community initiatives that can educate the public further on the benefits of pet adoption, spay and neuter, and pet vaccinations.
10. Adoptable Pets Need You!
When you adopt, you'll be joining ranks with some of the best people out there who are opening their homes, lives, and hearts to sweet animals in need! So don't wait.
There's a sweet, adorable, innocent, and loving puppy, kitten, bird or other animal out there waiting for her forever home…will it be yours?
