Having a pet can add an extra dose of love and humor to your life. What can make the experience even more meaningful is when you rescue an animal from a local shelter. While there’s nothing wrong with owning a purebred pet, there are some extra benefits to adopting from a rescue center. Not only are you literally saving a life, but you can also get a better sense of your future pet’s personality based on records from the shelter. Read on to find out more benefits to adopting a pet.
You're saving a life|You're saving a life
You're paying it forward
It’s a way of giving back. Not only are you saving a life, but you’re also paying it forward by helping to support shelters or charities with the costs of adoption. Many people who work at these facilities are volunteers, and you taking a furry friend home is the reward of their hard work. It’s a nice circle of giving and receiving in communities.
You get unconditional love
Having a pet is a source of love, plain and simple. There’s no stilted conversations or arguments. Sure, lots of cats can give the cold shoulder, but we know that deep down, they have a soft spot for their owners. How else would they get fed? No matter what type of pet it is, you form a bond of love with each other, unconditionally.
There are lots of options
The great thing about shelters is the wide variety of ages in the animals. Don’t default to a young animal. They are way more work than you’re most likely anticipating. You might find a great pal in an adult dog or a lovable companion in an elderly cat. Adopting gives you the chance to explore your options and find a pet that is truly right for you.|The great thing about shelters is the wide variety of ages in the animals. Don’t default to a young animal. They are way more work than you’re most likely anticipating. You might find a great pal in an adult dog or a lovable companion in an elderly cat. Adopting gives you the chance to explore your options and find a pet that is truly right for you.
Pets help combat loneliness|Pets help combat loneliness
Pets can ease your feelings of loneliness and sadness. If you’re feeling worn down and tired, spending time with pets can turn your mood around. They’re waiting for you to come home, play with them, and love on them. So, go ahead and adopt a pet. Give yourself something to look forward to at the end of each day, and know that you won’t be going home to an empty house.
They help kids learn responsibility
If you have kids, having a pet can be a life lesson for them. They learn how to care for someone other than themselves. Pets are a big responsibility, and children can learn what it means to have a living creature dependent on them for nourishment and care. If a pet’s needs are not met, then that pet can get sick. It’s a great opportunity for children to learn how to be responsible.
Many are already trained
People have the impression that dogs in shelters are wild and untrained. While that can sometimes be the case, often it’s not. “The majority of pets in shelters are there because of ‘people problems’ like financial crisis/loss of income, divorce, lack of pet accessible housing, or lack of access to veterinary care,” Cory Smith, director of public policy for companion animals at the Humane Society, told Clear the Shelters. Many of the dogs are housebroken, trained on basic commands, and just looking for a new home. Why not give them one, without the extra work of training them?|People have the impression that dogs in shelters are wild and untrained. While that can sometimes be the case, often it’s not. “The majority of pets in shelters are there because of ‘people problems’ like financial crisis/loss of income, divorce, lack of pet accessible housing, or lack of access to veterinary care,” Cory Smith, director of public policy for companion animals at the Humane Society, told Clear the Shelters. Many of the dogs are housebroken, trained on basic commands, and just looking for a new home. Why not give them one, without the extra work of training them?
