http://www.care2.com/greenliving/pets-are-healthy-5-tips-for-adopting-shelter-animals.html
5 Tips for Adopting Shelter Animals: Win a Pet Spa Pack
By Veronica Peterson, Editor, Healthy & Green Living
Fido, Snowball or Goldie–no matter the critter, study after study shows that pets are good for our health. Their unconditional love and wonderful kindness reduce our stress levels and increase our serotonin intake. Sadly, fewer than half of family pets live out their lives with their original families. That’s an estimated seven million animals entering our shelter system every year, many simply through the irresponsibility of careless owners. If you’re thinking of adopting an animal for yourself or your family, here are some tips:
• Avoid impulses “There are so many great (shelter) dogs and cats in need of a home,” says Babara Savidge, owner of Olive: Green Goods for Modern Dogs. “That said, don’t be completely swayed by a cute face. Take some time to think about what’s important to you in a pet. Make a list of what you want, what you don’t want, and what you can compromise on–before you even look. A little pre-thought will go a long way to ensuring a good fit for both parties.”
• Meet Your Match. More than 250 shelters across the U.S. use a “Meet your Match” program. The potential owners are required to fill out lengthy questionnaires stating desires and behaviors. In this way, the more knowledgeable handlers at the shelters can point the owners in the direction of a breed or animal that would suit their lifestyle well. Occasionally, owners are introduced to breeds that they never would have considered, helping “less-popular” pets find loving homes.
• Rely on the shelter workers for advice and knowledge. Many pet stores view each pet as a potential sale, while the shelter workers, often volunteers, are invested in every animal they help and want to find the placement that will work best for all parties.
• Do your research. Just because you live in an apartment doesn’t mean you can’t adopt. “Several large breed dogs, older dogs and cats are well-suited to apartment life,” says Shannon Boyer of the Arizona Animal Welfare League. “These animals are pretty sedentary and are very happy and healthy with just a couple short walks each day.”
• Introduce your current pets. Many shelters will allow you to bring your current pets into the environment to ensure that everyone feels comfortable with the new addition. If your adoptee is shy, many shelters have programs that will help with training and socializing.
Remember, you are now responsible for a life so this is not a decision to be taken lightly. Consider the pros and cons. Are you ready for both the work and rewards that come with owning a pet?
WIN A PET SPA PACK or ORGANIC TREAT BASKET!
Barbara of Olive: Green Goods for Modern Dogs has donated two of her all-natural, pet gift baskets for our Care2 pet lovers. Simply leave a comment in the field below and you’ll be entered to win! We’ll randomly draw and announce the winners on April 1. Good luck!
Help Care2 send a heartfelt “Thank you!” to the heroes in White County that rescued 250 puppies from a horrifying puppy mill.
CONGRATULATIONS TO:
JM MacMann
Courtney M.
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You can also register with the shelter your needs for a dog and when a dog that meets your needs comes in they will call you. This is how I adopted my muffy. I have both hips replaced and a ankle fusion so a big dog that could knock me over was out of the question. Also I was unable to house train a puppy. I asked to be notified when a small young adult was availible. They called me when a shih tzu/lapso mix came in. I fell in love. She was very timid and frightened at first but after a while she came out of her shell. She was two years old when we got her. Sadly she died this March of lymphoma after only 5 years with us. My husband and I were devistated and still are. We are now getting to the point where we would like to make a difference in another little ones life. I will go through the same process.
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Pound puppies are the best...but you MUST be sure the breed (or mix) has the characteristics you can live with. If you don't want hyper...don't get a Jack Russel or other known high energy dog.
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This is a great article, very helpful.
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very good article. I adopted my dog from a shelter in florida and I can tell you when i walked in there i was intending to get a small dog. I walked out with Rex who looks like a faded dalmation. we are a perfect match. He makes me smile every day.
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Shelter dogs are so eager to please,they are so happy to be out of the shelter and in a loving forever home, but some of them have to wait so long,but they are well worth adopting i can tell you .
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I have always loved animals! I have wanted a dog for many years but did not feel that my life was stable enough to have one. Last year when I was engaged to be married, my fiancée and I had many discussions about getting the right dog for our new family; we decided on a female Golden Retriever and a Dioxin. Then one day, I had volunteered to walk some shelter dogs to give them exercise and to try to get them adopted. The moment I saw a 30 pound Rottweiler puppy, I dropped everything and ran to him, upon meeting him I fell in love instantly! I phoned my fiancée and told him I had met a puppy and was in “big trouble” – he wasn’t the breed or the sex we had agreed upon, but I had to have him - he said “if you love him that much you can bring him home”. My 30 pound puppy has grown into a 90 pound puppy and he brings joy to my life every single day!
After a while, I started feeling that my puppy needed a friend to play with. I started looking on the internet for dogs in shelters that might be a good fit for our family. I finally found one that might work so I called and asked if we could foster her for 2 weeks; we wanted to see how she would integrate into our family. We loaded our puppy into the car and drove out to meet her. We all liked her so we took her home. We decided to keep her, but those 2 weeks of fostering were important.
It has been almost 4 months now and the dogs LOVE each other! It was such a good decis
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Bailley, my loyal companion and protector was a "rescued" dog. They can be the best, but may need plenty of patience at first. It took me nearly a year before I could pet or brush Bailley's behind as he had been kicked, etc., He has been a Godsend - making me laugh, "protecting" me - sometimes a little more intensely than I need, and reminding me to play. I am grateful for his presence in my life. Do yourself a favor and get yourself a pet!
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All 4 of our dogs came from shelters. With the first 3 we had looked online and knew exactly which dog we were interested in getting based on their description of the dog and what we were getting the dog for, especially when it came to getting my little companion dog, Lily, When my husband went to get himself a new dog he checked out all of the dogs at the Humane Society and just didn't find one that was the right fit so they sent us over to the 2nd Chance Rescue Society which we hadn't heard of before, and he spent a long time looking over all of the dogs before he finally chose Jasper, a large 1 year old black lab puppy. He's always had good luck with labs, and his had passed away of old age in her sleep last winter so he was ready to get a new dog that would have many years to spend at his side. Now we have 4 very happy dogs who are loved and cared for by both of us and by my children when they are home, plus 2 very special cats that are both my baby girls. They aren't feeling all that perky at the moment though because they were just spayed on Tuesday and are both still a little sore. I've been giving them their medicine and lots of love and attention though, and even though they hurt they still purr like crazy when I stroke their silky fur and show them how much I love them too.
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So much goes on "behind the scenes," to ensure the adoptability of an animal at shelters. My friend is a certified positive dog trainer and she spends countless hours/days fostering dogs to assess their compatibility with humans, children, groups before they are recommended for placement. Shelter adoption is definitely the best way to meet your new best friend!!
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