What are your New Year’s resolutions this year? What were they last year? Did you make them? Maybe instead of kicking some bad habit or losing unwanted weight or finding a new job or partner, maybe a new kind of resolution would be more rewarding. How about saving a life this year?
More than 11 million domestic cats and dogs are euthanized each year in the United States alone. This is simply due to overpopulation and is completely preventable. That’s 11 million lives needlessly sacrificed because there aren’t enough people or homes that want them, so we kill them. This is entirely preventable and has been proven through a widespread campaign to educate, sterilize and adopt our pets.
When we spay or neuter our pets and also spay and neuter stray cats and dogs and return them to their environment, the process of overbreeding is slowed down. When we adopt pets from animal shelters and rescues, we are saving a life, but we are also not supporting backyard breeders and puppy/kitten mills from contributing to the overpopulation problem. When we educate the public through programs in schools and through our local humane societies and other shelters and rescues, we help people become aware of this growing and entirely preventable problem.
Some people may be concerned about adopting a pet from a shelter because they don’t know the history or understand what the issues might be with that pet. They think they will know more about a pet they buy from a pet store or through a breeder. But, think about that for a minute. Pet stores and breeders have the specific goal of making money selling pets. Shelters and animal rescue centers actually lose money in their efforts to save lives and find loving homes for the pets they help. A shelter pet goes through a complete physical exam as well as a personality profile. If they are “owner released”, a history is often given when they are released to the rescue or shelter.
They also receive all of their necessary vaccinations and treatments, as well as spayed or neutered. The goal of animal shelters and rescues is to save lives and find loving homes for the pets they have rescued. There is no monetary motivation, therefore there is no conflict of interest for them to provide all the relevant information needed to potential new pet guardians. Do you have to insure yourself with a pet store or breeder when their main goal is to make money?
So if you’re concerned about quality control and finding a pet that will become a welcome new member of your family, consider adopting or rescuing a pet from a local shelter or animal rescue. Many times it seems as if they know that you have saved them and end up being a loyal and beloved member of your family. Will saving a life and adding a new member to your family be on your list of resolutions for the coming year? Perhaps that resolution is one that will stick! Saving a life by adopting a shelter pet will be easier and more rewarding than losing a few pounds.