By LaDiah Marche
Do you remember your first pet? For most people, it’s a very fond recollection filled with memories of bringing them home, naming them, and playing with them. Having a pet just boosts your spirit. Whether it’s a dog, cat, rabbit, hamster or even a fish and no matter if you got your newest addition when you were five or 35, everyone deserves a cuddly friend — and every animal deserves a loving home.
If you’re considering adding a new pet to your family any time soon, consider adopting them from a shelter. April 30 is National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day. The Humane Society of America says adopting a pet from a shelter is one of the best and most humane ways to get a pet. There are quite a few reasons to adopt.
Adopting a pet from a shelter reduces the chance of euthanization as a result of overcrowding. “Each year, it is estimated that more than one million adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized in the United States,” according to the Humane Society of America. That’s a large number of animals missing out on good homes and good lives. It’s a number that could be dramatically lessened if more people adopted from shelters.
Many animals in shelters are housebroken, family-friendly and great around children. Of course, they need time to adjust, especially if they are coming from an abusive household or unknown situations. Once they get comfortable, they’ll definitely show their love and appreciation. They just want to feel loved and accepted into a nice home.
Adopting from a humane shelter also guarantees you aren’t contributing to the horrible antics of puppy mills. Animals from puppy mills are housed in shockingly poor conditions with improper medical care and are often very sick and behaviorally troubled as a result. The moms of these puppies are kept in cages to be bred over and over for years, without human companionship and with little hope of ever joining a family. Most of these animals are found in pet stores, online sellers or flea markets.
Adopting makes room for other animals to enter the shelter instead of being left out on the streets. Shelters take in millions of strays and abused animals a year, so adopting from a humane shelter helps
give another animal a second chance at life.
Shelter animals just all around make great, loving pets. They just need that one loving home where they can be treated very well and be loved as they deserve. If one person adopts one animal from a shelter, maybe it will start a cycle of shelter adoptions instead of animal buying. One drop can make an ocean.
About LaDiah
LaDiah Marche has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from MTSU. She loves writing, reading and playing video games. She currently lives in Murfreesboro.
