Pet Shelter Pets

As part of my work as a developmental therapist I take kids to the local pet shelter a couple times a week to teach them how to deal with animals and volunteer a bit. In the process I get to know all the animals’ names and antics. If it was an option for me, I would adopt more than just my cat "Mittens" who became part of my family a few months back. These animals long for companionship and affection just as much as any human.
Pet shelter pets are being neutered and taken care of until they find a new owner, but many of them have been at the shelter for many months, even years! Pet shelters have trouble getting adequate funding and supplies and volunteers are few and in between.

 

My beloved former shelter cat "Mittens". She had been at the local shelter for more than a year before we adopted her.

Before getting a new pet, you should consider a few alternative options:

• You might not have enough time to spend with your pet

Volunteering is a good alternative to owning a pet, if you are not home much. A pet shelter is the ideal place to spend short amounts of time with pets at irregular intervals. The dogs and cats greatly enjoy the company, the love, the exercise, feeding and grooming you can assist with!

• Your income may not support the cost of living for a new pet

Pets can be expensive. Table scraps are not an ideal food source for pets, and you should be able to provide sufficient nutrition for your new dog or cat. Your pet also may require bedding, toys, and a leash. Not to mention the cost of regular vet checkups, shots and medical bills in case of injuries and sickness.
At the very least you might want to first foster a new dog or cat and “test-drive” you new life as a pet owner before committing to buying or adopting a pet.

• Your living space may not accommodate a pet

A lot of rental units don’t allow pets. You should check with your landlord, before bringing a new pet home, just to have to return it to the shelter or previous owner a few days or weeks later.
Some larger breeds of dogs will need lots of exercise. If you are the type of person that goes jogging on the greenbelt every day, this might not be a problem. However, if you work in the office all day, there is no sizable fenced yard, and nobody is home all day, your new large breed dog will  be miserable.
There are lots of dogs at shelters that would love for you to stop by once in a while and take them for a long walk at your own convenience!

• Your new pet may not get along with the current one, or certain people in your household

Pet shelters are a great place to pick up pets. The volunteers often notice certain pets’ behaviors in presence of others and can tell you whether the new dog will get along with cats, or whether that male feline adoptee will spray in presence of other male cats.
Some animals have a history of abuse by certain people and will refuse to get along with such persons. One may prefer female owners to males. Some will love kids and some may despise them.

• Getting a breedable pet versus one that is neutered or spayed

It’s great to buy a $500 purebred puppy, breed the living daylights out of it, as soon as it is mature enough and make a lot of extra cash. I prefer giving a home to a mixed breed pet who has lost its owner and needs a little TLC, which I am definitely willing to give! Pet shelters provide animals a new home at relatively low fees ($50-$80 in smaller towns, a bit higher in metropolitan areas) that cover neutering and spaying, as well as first shots. You wont have to worry about new puppies that will end up in careless homes or back in the shelter. Mixed breeds often have a better temper or more versatile traits than some pure-bred animals, as well.

This female Pit-mix puppy wagged her tail so hard against a door when she first met me, she got it totally bloodied up in all the excitement. I visited her again today, being greeted with many joyful licks, and the lady from the pet shelter allowed me to name her. I called her "Ember" thinking of her color resembling the low-burning remains of a fire. I would love to adopt her, but not before I have found a house suitable to have a large dog. If she finds an owner sooner, I hope she'll have a loving home. Until I know, I will keep hoping she'll be mine in a few months... :)

Now that you have a better idea of what a great difference you can make in an abandoned animal's life, what are you going to do? =)