There are many rewards to adopting a pet from a shelter–and one of the most important is the fact that you’re saving a life. Each year, over 8 million pets are brought to shelters each year, either as strays or because they were abandoned by their owners. Of that number, over half are euthanized because there just aren’t enough adoptive homes. Below, you’ll learn some of the many benefits of shelter adoption.
You’ll get a lot of variety: Animal shelters are filled with a wide selection of pets, and there’s sure to be one that’s perfect for you. Many shelters have purebred cats and dogs, as well as unique mixed breeds. Shelter animals come in all ages; not everyone has the time to train and exercise a new puppy or kitten, and an adult pet is a good choice for families that spend most of their time away from home. If you adopt an adult pet, there aren’t any surprises–in most cases, they’re fully trained, and what you see is really what you get.
It’s less expensive than buying from a pet store: In most cases, adopting a cat or dog from a shelter is cheaper than buying an animal from a breeder or pet shop. If you’re a potential pet owner, you should remember that expenses don’t end with the purchase of the pet. Animals require ongoing care–grooming, toys, food and visits to a Veterinarian Honolulu can quickly add up over the life of your pet. Many pet owners abandon their animals when they realize how much a lifetime of care will cost. Before adopting a pet, you should learn more about the real cost of pet ownership.
You’ll get ongoing support: Your local animal shelter’s goal is to find lifelong, loving homes for pets, and most shelters offer post-adoption counseling for new pet owners. Some shelters even offer obedience, behavior and training classes for dogs. Many animal shelters work together with a Veterinarian Honolulu to offer low-cost vaccinations and spaying/neutering for dogs and cats. An animal shelter does everything it can to help adoptive pets become full-fledged members of their new families.
