Looking for a New Pet - Check Your Local Shelter First and Help Save a Life

Are you thinking about adding a furry new member to your family, and you really have your heart set on a certain breed? Well, I encourage you to skip the mall and local breeder and make your first stop your local pet shelter.

Every year, millions (yes, millions) of unwanted cats and dogs are euthanized in pet shelters. The majority of those animals were fully acceptable for adoption, but because of space limitations, had to be put to death. It's such a sad situation and I'm hoping that more people would go out and save some of these loving animals from their impending death sentences.

I currently have two incredibly loving dogs and two fabulous cats and they have all been rescued from shelters. Not a day goes by where I don't remember picking them out from the hundreds of available pets all anxiously waiting for someone to pick them to go home. It just breaks my heart. And if you've never been to a pet shelter, I would strongly encourage you to visit one, or even volunteer at one. I guarantee that once you set foot in one of those places, you'll never buy a pet from a pet store or private breeder again.

A lot of people have the misconception that only mutts end up at the shelter. That's the furthest thing from the truth. There are many pure bred pets at shelters (some will even come with AKC papers) that need loving homes. And really, there's nothing wrong with a mutt. Both of my dogs are mutts, and they are truly the best companions I could ever ask for.

Sadly, "behavioral issues" is one of the most popular reasons for dumping an animal at a shelter. The truth is, the pet owner never realized how much time and effort it is to take care of a pet, especially a dog. The owner got caught up in the emotion of having a new puppy, and the "how cute is he?" syndrome and didn't place much thought into "how do I take care of this animal?" Typically, those "behavioral issues" would never have even become issues if the pet owner took the time to have obedience-trained the dog. It's just so sad.

One of the other popular reasons for surrendering a pet is "I'm moving and can't take it with me." This one makes me so upset, I can't even put it into words. I have had many animals for the last 15 years and have probably moved at least 10 to 12 times in that time period, and I never gave up my pets. I always made sure to look for places (when I was renting) where pets were allowed. If they weren't, I'd continue looking until I found one. Unfortunately, many people don't realize that pets are truly members of the family and should be treated as such. They add so much richness to daily life, and just live to love us unconditionally. It's so sad when they don't get the same treatment in return.

If you're not sure where to start looking for shelters, PetFinder.com is the perfect place to start. You can choose what breed, type of animal, sex and size pet you are looking for, and then put in your zip code and VOILA! It does all the legwork for you. Once you start seeing photos of all those poor, homeless animals, you will be wishing you could adopt them all (I know I do).

When you do find a potential animal, go visit it at the shelter to see if it will be compatible with your family members (including other pets). Find out if it's been trained as a lot of shelters train their pets in order for them to become more adoptable. Also, make sure to find out if it has any special health needs. If it does and you know you won't have the time to devote to the pet's needs, you will need to find a more acceptable pet to fit with your lifestyle and schedule. This will be hard to do once you fall in love with that fluff ball, but it's in the pet's best interest so it doesn't wind up back in the shelter.

If the dog does need to be trained, there are many places you can go for that training. Personally, I took both of my dogs to PetSmart® for 6-week obedience training classes which were well-worth both my money and my time. My dogs started out as the worst behaved dogs (thanks to previous owners) to "Top Dogs", which was super cool. I invested a lot of my time and energy training them and it showed - they are both very well behaved. Just like children, dogs want and need to have rules and boundaries.

And I must briefly touch upon the subject of puppy mills StopPuppyMills.org for disturbing facts about puppy mills). I never have, and refuse to, purchase a cat or dog at a pet shop. It's just so sad that the majority of these animals were bred in puppy or kitten mills and have been subjected to deplorable living conditions. I know you're probably thinking, "but why not save one of these animals and give it a good home?" Well, this is part of the vicious cycle involving pet shops as well as "backyard breeders."

Many people buy pets from these shops because of guilty feelings, the shop owners and mills make lots of money, and the purchase of the pet leaves space to accommodate yet another mill animal. To add insult to injury, many of these mill animals are so sick because of serious in-breeding, starvation, and other disgusting living situations. Sadly, many pet owners end up euthanizing their animals after a few months of purchasing them just because the animals are so sick. Will this disgusting cycle ever end?

My article was not meant to be a sad and depressing one. Rather, I just wanted to enlighten future pet owners of the miserable situations these animals are placed in every day and just hoping that more and more people will adopt loving pets from shelters and help end the vicious cycle of puppy and kitten mills once and for all.

So, if you are planning on getting a pet, please, please, please check your local shelter first. And please realize that whether these animals are pure or mixed breeds, they all have one thing in common: they just want to love and be loved. And that's all that really should matter.

7/19/07

Michelle Wood is a handbag designer and founder of Lil' Diva [http://www.lildivabags.com], an online retailer of unique and funky handbags

diaper bags, totes, and other related fashion accessory products.

She has also recently started "The Diva's Corner" [http://lildivahandbags.com/the_divas_corner_index.cfm]on her site, where women can submit their own fashion tips, short stories, advice and information on many interesting topics that are geared toward today's fabulous women!

Thinking About a New Pet? Consider Your Local Shelter!

My personal commitment to shelter adoption began with Tiny, a six-year-old poodle, sitting quietly in the midst of a bustle of energetic puppies at an adoption event in 1996. A rescue group had plucked Tiny from the city pound, where he was surrendered for "running away". There was an immediate connection between us, and Tiny came home. Yes, he did go adventuring several times (we quickly discovered all of the escape routes in the backyard), but once he was neutered and comfortable with us (he showed some signs of previous abuse) he quit roaming. We nicknamed him the "shadow puppy" because once he decided that I was his person he followed me everywhere. We learned that he was completely housebroken and knew basic obedience... and was a loving and wonderful dog!

Millions of animals are surrendered each year to local shelters and animal control facilities. The reasons are many... strays, abandoned pets and victims of abuse or neglect, but also well-loved companions whose owners can't care for them any longer. Approximately 25% of shelter pets are purebred! Sadly, many of these healthy, adoptable animals are euthanized due to overpopulation and overcrowding in shelters. When you adopt a rescue or shelter animal, they somehow KNOW that you have given them a chance at a better life, and provide unconditional love in return. Many are older, calmer and already housebroken.

Shelter or rescue adoption is not without challenges, however... many rescued pets may have quirks, fears, health or behavior problems related to their previous situations, and working with them can take time and patience... and sometimes the help of professional trainers or behaviorists. It may take a while for them to adapt to their new situations and to learn your expectations, but once they feel safe and secure, they are loyal and life-long friends.

When considering shelter or rescue adoption, search first for an organization that works with the specific animal you want. Several area shelters take in a variety of species (horses and other large animals, hamsters, rabbits and other small animals) in addition to dogs and cats. If you are looking for a particular breed, first visit the shelter websites or search on-line for breed-specific rescue groups. Consider the breed and how it will fit your lifestyle...if you are active and want a jogging companion, a young lab or border collie mix may be perfect for you; if you have a more sedentary lifestyle, an older and smaller pet who prefers to cuddle on the sofa is probably better. Visit with the animal to make sure you are comfortable with each other. Animals who appear shy or fearful (not making eye contact, hovering in the back of the enclosure) may ultimately make wonderful pets, but may require more time and patience to bond and adapt to new surroundings than those who appear happy and outgoing when you first meet. Sometimes, you may find the perfect pet just from the look in his eyes or the way she tilts her head when she looks at you.

Shelter adoption is not for everyone, but even if it's not right for you there are many ways you can help homeless pets. Rescue organizations have an ongoing need for old newspapers to line enclosures, as well as old blankets, towels and other bedding. (Cash, food, supply and toy donations are also appreciated!) They welcome volunteers to help walk, socialize and otherwise care for pets. They offer and encourage everyone to support spay/neuter programs to help reduce pet overpopulation. Visit their websites for other suggestions and ideas!

As for Tiny, he crossed the Rainbow Bridge on July 19, 2009 after a valiant battle with cancer. His spirit was still willing, but his 19 year old body gave out. He could no longer enjoy his favorite pastimes of eating, morning walks and being with me. Though he was joined over the years by four additional fur-kids with their own sad stories, and though I have since adopted another six-year-old poodle who is so much like him that it is spooky, I still love and miss him every day. He is still my "shadow puppy".

More information is available at http://www.joyleebooks.com.

Local Online Classified Sites for Buying, Selling Or Adopting Pets

Local online classifieds like Savannah pet classifieds are a great source of buying, selling or adopting pets. Over four million cats and dogs are put down in U.S. homes each year and Savannah is not an exception to the rule. The city has very high pet loving population; however, owining a desired cat or dog is not an easy task. Pet services can also make the best use of online classifieds to gain immense popularity and penetration among pet lovers.

The pet market is not so organized; hence, it poses a number of difficulties for pet lovers to buy a quality pet of their liking. At times, pet owners they prefer to adopt a good quality pet from people who are willing to offer their pet for adoption, pet shelters or pet rescue groups. Here comes the role of online classifieds like Savannah pet classifieds that helps people with the right information and the link to get connected to the right source.

The growth in internet technology has given birth to a number of useful options. There are a number of forums, social media and free classified sites like Savannah pet classifieds available on the net for pet lovers. Thousands of people search the classifieds for puppies, dogs, kittens, cats, birds, horses, exotic animals, bunnies, rabbits and other animals. It's a great source for people who intend to buy or put their cats or dogs for adoption.

Online classified sites like Savannah pet classifieds are not only helpful but also offer great opportunity for pet services firms to advertise their products and service for absolutely no costs whatsoever. No wonder online classified sites have come a long way in helping people to fulfill their requirements.

Rebecca Walton has a professional writing experience on various subjects from the world of advertising and has special interests in writing on subjects such as online marketing, classified ads and so on. Rebecca now specifically writes for Tell-N-Sell.com a premium classifieds website offering free Savannah classified ads service, Savannah Pet Classifieds and more.

Local Online Classified Sites for Buying, Selling Or Adopting Pets

Local online classifieds like Savannah pet classifieds are a great source of buying, selling or adopting pets. Over four million cats and dogs are put down in U.S. homes each year and Savannah is not an exception to the rule. The city has very high pet loving population; however, owining a desired cat or dog is not an easy task. Pet services can also make the best use of online classifieds to gain immense popularity and penetration among pet lovers.

The pet market is not so organized; hence, it poses a number of difficulties for pet lovers to buy a quality pet of their liking. At times, pet owners they prefer to adopt a good quality pet from people who are willing to offer their pet for adoption, pet shelters or pet rescue groups. Here comes the role of online classifieds like Savannah pet classifieds that helps people with the right information and the link to get connected to the right source.

The growth in internet technology has given birth to a number of useful options. There are a number of forums, social media and free classified sites like Savannah pet classifieds available on the net for pet lovers. Thousands of people search the classifieds for puppies, dogs, kittens, cats, birds, horses, exotic animals, bunnies, rabbits and other animals. It's a great source for people who intend to buy or put their cats or dogs for adoption.

Online classified sites like Savannah pet classifieds are not only helpful but also offer great opportunity for pet services firms to advertise their products and service for absolutely no costs whatsoever. No wonder online classified sites have come a long way in helping people to fulfill their requirements.

Rebecca Walton has a professional writing experience on various subjects from the world of advertising and has special interests in writing on subjects such as online marketing, classified ads and so on. Rebecca now specifically writes for Tell-N-Sell.com a premium classifieds website offering free Savannah classified ads service, Savannah Pet Classifieds and more.