Can you believe that figure?
As Americans, we should be ashamed of this number. Abandonment is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to animal cruelty. There are people who simply do not spay or neuter their pets, yet they are constantly breeding them in a sad attempt to make money. They either do not realize nor care that most of those bred animals will eventually be put to death because of pure negligence on their part. It's very sad because it isn't the animals' fault!
Have you ever heard the words: puppy mills? Yeah, me either until I recently went on a quest to find a Teacup Yorkie (because some lady in TJ Maxx walked in with one and I couldn't resist to pet and hold the tiny little guy... he was just too cute! Within a split second, I was sold on wanting a similar pup.) So I did what any normal internet user would do - I Googled places to find such puppies. Tons of websites popped up, people selling them online for crazy amounts of money; and then I clicked on something about puppies being bred in mills. I thought I had found a place to visit and purchase a teacup puppy, boy was I wrong!
Oh my gosh!
Puppy mills are absolutely awful! They keep dogs captive in filthy, downright disgusting conditions and destroy the animals' health by making them breed over and over for as long as they're able. There's no vet treatments, hardly any food, and most of them are sick and dying! I have a few choice words for the people that choose to do this to animals. (Insert your choice words here if you'd like!) Worst of all, when the animal can no longer breed; they are killed inhumanely - I couldn't believe some of the pictures I saw on these websites, tears came to my eyes and the next day - I took myself and my five year old son to the local animal shelter in our county.
Now, I've been in pet stores before and it just seems so impersonal; so I was pleasantly surprised when I walked into the shelter and inhaled the fresh scent of sandalwood and was greeted by a woman with a warm smile. She introduced herself, said hello to my son; and explained where all of the animals were being housed.
My son and I chose the cats area, first. And in another clean smelling, spacious area, in sanitary yet comfortable cages; we saw the cats and kittens. So cute! Tiny paws poked through the bars and with it came soft 'meows' as if they were attempting to introduce themselves. My son was in awe, he wanted to pet every single one. Unfortunately, we weren't there to adopt a cat - we were there for the dogs.
So we journeyed onward toward the 'dog house.' Another incredibly large, faintly soapy smelling room with very large cages. We walked over to one of the cages and looked inside. A set of big brown eyes peered back at us curiously. I almost immediately fell in love. Her name was Millie, a one year old Beagle-Hound mix with a shiny brown coat and big floppy ears. This is how I knew that I was making the right decision. Adoption was the way to go. These pets desperately long for someone to love them, so that they can love that person in return. It's so sad that things like abandonment and puppy farms are even going on in the world today. Even if you can't adopt an animal, you can sponsor rescue pets that can't be re-homed. By doing that, you're helping to free up the animal rescue funds so that your community or county can continue saving other animals from suffering and death! If you're a skeptic who thinks, "those animals are in there because they have problems/they're mean/they're sick/etc," you're unfortunately mistaken.
Most of the time, it's because of their owners as to why they are there. Reasons like: they couldn't have their pet in an apartment complex, a break-up, the owner becomes ill or passes, lost interest (that's the worst!) too much work/training, things like that - sad excuses, yes; but they are all real reasons and it is not the animals' fault! Having a pet is a commitment for LIFE, just like having a child - I wouldn't send my kid off to a scary shelter just because he wasn't listening (although some mothers do that, and that's another story; I'm shaking my head at that!)
People can be downright lazy and selfish for the reasons they come up with to give up their dog. But you don't have to be one of those people. You can be a HERO! You can rescue an innocent animal and SAVE its LIFE! Adopting a pet is great because you often get vaccinations and neutering within the adoption guidelines and they are already often house trained! With adults animals, they've already got a personality; so you can take some time to get to know the animal to see if you connect! With puppies, you can mold and teach them, just like babies and small children!
Respectable agencies monitor the animals before putting them out for adoption, to make sure their behaviors or temperament make them an ideal candidate for adoption. (You can't get that in a pet store!) Some rescue shelters even let you take the per home for a trial, to see how well you both get along with each other and the rest of your family; how cool is that!
Adoption also helps to keep the population from increasing, you're helping to stop the breeders from making any money! Aside from all of this, having a pet is just fun! It gives you someone to love, who loves you back; exercise and therapy (petting is actually therapeutic to most owners).
So, as you can see; there are so many beneficial reasons as to why adoption is just healthier for your lifestyle. It will make you feel good and it will make an animal feel safe and loved!
Hopefully this helps you to make a better decision, and if you do decide to adopt; don't forget the supplies! I've found that there are tons of places on the internet to get some great things for pets, and buying online has become easier than ever! This web store here:
www.familypetplaza.com is a HUGE one stop shop for all of your pet needs. From dogs to cats, aquatic to exotics; there's definitely something for everyone! All you have to do is type in what your looking for; for example: organic dog food; and hit search to the left of the screen and BAM! They have organic dog food, they even have devices that will virtually eliminate shedding and help with training! Check it out: www.familypetplaza.com
Thanks for reading! Please feel free to comment!
