Dive Diva
Telling it like it is
July 11th, 2017
I am a huge advocate for adopting pets from a shelter. After working for a humane society, I saw first hand some of the most heartbreaking stories to the most beautiful relationships that is gained when someone has the heart to reach out and save a life. Not to discredit the lives of animals that have been bred by RESPONSIBLE breeders, but pets that are rescued from a shelter have a much different demeanor. After days, weeks, or for some even months of watching potential new owners walk by their kennel they explode with excitement the day someone stops and says "that's the one"
I witnessed for myself the heartless owners that would drop off an old dog saying they were moving and couldn't take their pet because animals were not allowed where they were going. Then as soon as they walked out the door, would enter the adoption side and try to adopt a puppy. Meanwhile, their once beloved dog of 10years looks on from his kennel patiently waiting for his owners that would never return. Perhaps he thinks he's just being boarded while his family goes on a trip, but truth be told they have traded him in for a younger puppy that will most likely end up in the same sad cycle.
A huge majority of animals that end up in shelters, have not been spayed or neutered. Because of this, they have the natural instinct to roam and wonder looking for a mate. Some claim by not neutering a dog, the dog will be more protective of its property. But studies show this couldn't be further from the truth. Pets that have been spayed or neutered no longer have the instinct that drives them to wonder. They tend to stick close to home and in turn become more protective of their home and their owners. Another plus to having your pet altered, is it highly decreases the chance of developing certain cancers. Talk about a win win!
If you're thinking about breeding animals, here's something to consider before doing so. Odds are that out of a litter, only two maybe three will find a LOVING forever home. So for EXAMPLE let's say you have a litter of 8 puppies. 2 of those pups will most likely end up in an abusive home, 1 could be bounced from one home to the next resulting in behavioral problems which will at no fault of its own end up at a shelter or vets office to be euthanized, 3 will end up as strays that either are hit by cars or picked up by animal control and brought to a shelter. Of those three, only 1 will pass a behavioral test that allows them to move on to adoption while the other 2 are euthanized. The last 2 puppies are the lucky ones that live their lives in a forever loving home. Again, this is just an example, but a very accurate demonstration of the fate that awaits for so many innocent animals. If you are thinking of breeding animals, do your research, know what will have to be taken care of with a veterinarian before they can be adopted into their new homes. Ask yourself if you're willing to accept a pet back into your home if its previous one did not work out. And if the decision is still to breed, then be responsible and give these new lives a fighting chance. Opt to keep the litter with their mother 8 weeks or longer rather than the traditional 6 weeks. This will allow the litter to work out a pecking order and gain some much needed confidence before leaving the litter. Animals that stay with their mother and litter for as long as possible tend to be more secure and better adjusted into their new homes once they leave.
So the next time you find yourself looking to add a pet into your home, keep a few things in mind. When given the chance, consider adoption and save a life. If you choose to breed, be sure you can handle the responsibility of finding each new little life a safe and loving home and be willing to take back any that did not work out for their previous home. Always keep in mind that these are living beings and should not be treated as dollars signs. Spay and neuter your pets! This will help to keep the population down and decrease certain cancers. And finally, always remember that a pet is a life long commitment and age is NOT a disease.
I hope this article has inspired someone to adopt. All my dogs are rescues and they know it. Personally, I choose to adopt the adult to older pets as these tend to be widely overlooked in shelters, but have proven every single time to be absolute gems! It's been said in many different ways, you may not be able to change the world, but to a waiting pet who's just wanting to be loved you could change their whole world. No matter how you say it, the message is always the same.
Please remember to upvote, repost, comment, and follow. And as always, thanks for reading!
~Dive Diva