Are you thinking about getting a new pet for yourself or your kids? You and your family are probably very excited to bring home a new member of the family. Pets can be very loveable and they can go a long way in teaching valuable life lessons. However, there are several major considerations that need to be made before you just go out and buy a pet, and those considerations are, where are you going to get the pet, and what kind of pet do you want to get?
Have you ever considered adopting an animal from the local shelter or pound? Well, if not, you truly should because there are not only a lot of benefits to it, but at the end of the day, you have a chance to make a major difference.
You Can Save An Animal’s Life
It should really be no big secret how most animals end up at the shelter or pound. They are there, because they have been lost, abandoned, or given up. The real truth of the matter is that no one wants them and they are completely helpless to the situation. Depending on the pet and its age, if it isn’t adopted within a certain amount of time it will probably be put to sleep. However, you can change all of this by giving that animal a safe and loving home with your family.
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Training Stages
If you have ever tried to housebreak an animal or train it, you probably already know that this is one of the hardest things to do. However, when you purchase an animal from a shelter or pound, you have the option of buying an adult. This means that you not only skip the training and housebreaking phases, but you also skip the childhood phases, which usually results in chewing and scratching on expensive items in the home. Shopping for an adult pet also gives you the opportunity to check out that animal’s behavior beforehand.
Much Less Expensive
Some purebred animals can be very expensive and almost outrageous, but when you purchase from a shelter or pound, you will save a bundle of money. Along with this, shelters and pounds are non-profit organizations that are designed to help your local pet community. So, when you invest in one of these animals, you are actually pumping money back into your community that will be well spent to help other pets in the area.
Wide Selection
If you have ever visited a shelter or pound before, you might already know that you truly never know what you are going to see. Depending on the size and location of your local shelter, you could truly have thousand of different animals to choose from. You might be likely to find purebreds, or you might just find the cutest mutt in the world that you fall in love with at first sight.
Well Cared For Animals
Unfortunately, the sad truth is that not all animals that arrived at the shelter or pound were well cared for before they got there. However, once they arrived, you can rest assured that they have received the proper care that they needed. Animals that arrive at the shelter are given vaccinations and well examined by a knowledgeable and trained staff. In fact, most shelters and pounds work with local vets, who volunteer their time to come by once a week and give free exams to the animals.
Encouraging Others To Do The Right Thing
Overpopulation is a serious problem among pet communities throughout the world. Millions of animals at shelters and pounds are put to death each year, because they don’t have a home to go to, but you can change that by adopting, and maybe encouraging someone else to adopt. When other pet owners see you at the local pet park with your new animal it is likely they might ask where you got your pet, and you can tell them the local shelter. This might encourage them to adopt their next pet, as well.
