The ASPCA states, “Five out of ten dogs in shelters and seven out of ten cats are destroyed simply because there is no one to adopt them.” Why are so many canines and felines residing in shelters? There are a various reasons. One reason why many end up at local shelters or are rescued by volunteer groups is because of owner error and this includes losing, neglecting, or simply leaving the animal on the shelter steps because the owners are not able to take care of the it. Another reason why there is such a large population of canines and felines in shelters is because most pet owners overlook the process of adopting a pet and instead look to a breeder for their perfect companion. There is a social stigma that exists for adopting a pet from an animal shelter and one must wonder why?
According to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF), 37.2% of households in the United States own a canine and 32.4% of households in the United States own a feline, which together makes up 69.6% of the households in the United States. Unfortunately, many of these households did not rescue their pet from a local shelter or organization, but instead purchased their companion from a breeder. When purchasing from a breeder, the potential new owner must shell out anywhere between $1,500 to $2,500 for their companion as well as pay for shipping if the breeder is not local. In an interview with Allison Quirke, a senior at Monmouth University who recently purchased her 7-month-old Chihuahua from a breeder in Texas, Allison was asked what made her purchase a puppy from a breeder and she responded with, “I did not know that there were other options and it was just second nature to look for a dog from a breeder.” This is a common misconception and pet adoption can be a more rewarding experience.
Instead of looking online for a breeder, pet lovers who are seeking a companion should walk over to the local animal shelter and see the faces of those canines and felines dying to have a loving and caring family, versus the cage that they call “home.” Here these animals may have a troubled past including being neglected, abused, or abandoned and will now face euthanasia because of the surplus of animals in shelters. When one adopts an animal from a shelter, they are also saving the life of their companion and offering to give the animal a greater life than they were subjected to before. So animal lovers, the next time bringing home a new companion is on the agenda remember to visit the local animal shelter and save the life of an innocent animal.
