Title: Adopt a puppy - and save a life!
Author: Susan Koranki
Adopt a puppy - and save a life!
If you're thinking about adding a new puppy to your family,
why not consider adopting one from a local animal shelter
or you city Pound?
Most pounds and rescues are overflowing with dogs in
desperate need of a loving home. You may think that only
older or `problem' dogs end up in shelters, but you'd be
wrong!
Many older puppies and adolescent dogs (between 9 and 12
months of age) are surrendered to shelters every day. And
often `oops' litters (unexpected or unwanted puppies) or
abandoned mama-dogs or litters, end up there too. Even
purebred dogs and puppies can be found in animal shelters
and pounds across the country (estimates of purebreds in
shelters range from 25 – 40% of all homeless dogs).
The facts and figures surrounding homeless dogs in the
United States are horrendous, and heartbreaking. According
to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy,
approximately 2 MILLION dogs enter US shelters every year.
And it gets worse - statistics gathered by other groups are
even higher, sometimes up to 8 MILLION + surrendered dogs
every year.! When you factor in that it's estimated that
only 1 in 10 homeless dogs will ever be adopted, it's a
truly staggering and tragic picture.
These puppies and dogs are homeless through no fault of
their own, and the majority of them will make just as
healthy, loving and wonderful pets as any puppy you can get
from a breeder.
A purebred puppy from a breeder can easily cost $1000 -
$1500 (and frequently more), whereas a purebred, rescued
puppy often doesn't cost more than $300 - $500. A mix-breed
homeless puppy will be a lot less, depending on what the
individual pound or shelter charges.
There are also other financial savings. When you adopt a
puppy from a pound or rescue center, it will most likely be
have been spayed or neutered and be up to date on all
shots. You may even get extra `perks', such as a discount
on training classes or something similar.
Of course, saving money shouldn't be a major consideration.
Much more important is the fact that you could actually,
literally, be saving a life! Not all pounds or rescue
shelters are able to have `no kill policies' in place, and
millions of dogs are euthanized every year. This is despite
that fact that they're perfectly healthy, temperamentally
sound and want nothing more than a home and family to call
their own.
An adolescent/older puppy or dog is more often at risk of
being `put to sleep' as they're passed that `cute puppy'
stage. However, these homeless dogs can make superb pets
and are easier to take care of, and settle in faster, when
they're given the chance of a new home.
Little puppies are adorable, but they're HARD WORK and very
time and labor-intensive. Even slightly older pups (4
months plus) are easier to housebreak and train than an 8
week old `baby' puppy. Mature dogs (anything over 12 – 18
months) are usually well-mannered, often already
housebroken and at least partly obedience trained, and are
out of the `chewing everything' stage. All definite pluses!
If you think you could adopt a puppy or dog, and give it a
chance at a better life, go to your local City Pound or
rescue shelter and talk with the staff about the homeless
dogs there. They're usually very helpful and knowledgeable,
and are more than happy to help you pick just the right
canine companion.
Obviously, any puppy or dog needs a little time to adjust
to a new home and family. But lots of love, attention,
patience, toys and a good diet are all they'll need.
So, go on, give it some thought! Adopting a homeless pup
may turn out to be one of the most rewarding things you
ever do. The puppy or dog you take home will be one of the
lucky ones, but you'll be lucky too…lucky to have found a
loving, faithful four-legged friend to share your life with.
About the Author:
For more about how to adopt a puppy (including the
questions you need to ask the shelter staff, and what
color of dog is most in need – the answer may surprise you
!) go to
http://www.the-
You can also find tons of free advice, tips and information
on ALL aspects of puppies and puppy care by checking out
our user-friendly guide at
http://www.the-
__,_._,___
No comments:
Post a Comment