Consider Animal Shelters When Choosing A Pet
It’s unfortunate that so many pets end up in the care of animal shelters. Most pets end up homeless through no fault of their own. Some of the top reasons people give when they relinquish their pets are that they are moving or because of landlord issues. Shelters are full of wonderful, family-ready pets. Dogs and cats, from young to old, wait there for weeks, months and even years in hopes of finding a loving home.
People are sometimes reluctant to approach their local shelter for a new addition to their family. This may be because the pets are older, the breed they desire is not available, or depending on their past, some pets require some extra TLC. Despite these factors, shelter pets are in need of a home and a family to love.
Despite the stigma of shelters, there are still lots of dogs and cats who are adopted annually. Adopting not only brings you a new friend, but you are changing an animal’s life for the better. Shelter pets often have a lower adoption fee than the cost for a purebred animal. In addition, they are often already vaccinated, dewormed and spayed or neutered. The adoption fees you pay help to support the shelter so that they can continue their good work.
Recently, the SPCA has been inundated with 66 sick and neglected dogs rescued from a puppy mill in Langley. These puppy mills are commercial dog breeding facilities that operate to produce puppies often in substandard conditions. Puppy mills exist because there is a demand for purebred puppies but unfortunately the pups that are produced often have health and behavioural concerns and the breeding dogs are poorly treated.
Introducing a pet into your family is a big decision, and one that should take a lot of consideration. Whether you choose to adopt a dog from a shelter or buy a purebred dog from a breeder, you need to do your research. If you do decide that you want a purebred puppy, make sure that you get to know the breeder, see the parents and ensure that the puppies are healthy and well socialized. If you decide to adopt a dog from a shelter, spend some time with it to make sure that it will fit in with you and your family and know that you will make friend that will be forever grateful for its new life with you.