There are many benefits to bringing a loving pet into your home, but when you rescue you do so much more than save a life. If you are considering adding a pet to your family, here are several very good reasons why you should #adoptdontshop.
It’s So Rewarding
We all know that a dog’s love once earned is unconditional, but a rescue dog’s love seems that much deeper. You won’t always discover the history of a rescued pet – they may have been in a loving home, or they may have been less fortunate. But when you look into the eyes of your adopted pet once you have formed that trusting bond, it goes much deeper. I don’t know if dogs and cats feel gratitude – perhaps I’m attaching human emotions – but their love is so rewarding. Providing a home for an animal in need is one of the kindest things you can do.
You will Save a Life…
According to ASPCA estimates, approximately 1.5 million* shelter animals are euthanized each year in the U.S. Thankfully those numbers have declined from 2.6 million in 2011. Adoption rates are increasing, thanks in part to the #adoptdontshop campaign, as well as an increase in the number of strays successfully returned home. Let’s put that 1.5 million into context – that’s three companion animals put to sleep every minute of every day. In the three minutes you take to read this post, nine adoptable animals have been euthanized.
…In Fact You Will Save More Than One…
More stats from the ASPCA – approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, about 3.3 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats. So how is adopting an animal saving more than one life? By rescuing a shelter pet, you’re making room for others in the shelter. Not only are you giving animals a second chance, but your adoption fee goes directly towards helping those shelters provide better care.
It Will Save You Money!
Breeders charge thousands of dollars for their puppies, but a rescue animal will cost you a fraction of that. When you adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue organization, the cost of spay/neuter, first vaccinations, sometimes microchipping, is often included in the adoption fee. Depending on the age of the rescue pet, you may also save on housebreaking and training costs.
You Will Be Doing Your Part To End Puppy Mills!
When you buy a puppy online, at a market, or from many pet stores, you are subsidizing factory-style breeding facilities. People that put profit above animal welfare. Often the dog you purchase may have long term health or behavioral issues due to the conditions they were born into. I don’t want to get into the specifics or conditions, because frankly it is too upsetting, but puppy mills will exist until people stop supporting them. By adopting a pet, you can be certain you aren’t giving puppy mills a dime.
You Will Gain A Happy, Healthy Friend For Life
Rescue groups and animal shelters are literally full of happy, healthy pets just waiting for someone to take them home. Most pets end up in shelters because of people problems, not pet problems.
People move or get divorced, and the animal is abandoned or surrendered. Many are already house-trained and are used to living with families. Most shelters/rescues have intake programs to assess animals, ensuring they have no behavioral problems.
Change A Life For The Better
Adopting a dog or a cat changes their WHOLE world – by providing them with a safe home, showing them love, giving them a family to belong to, you have given them the greatest gift they could ever ask for…and they will return that gift in love. Not only will you change their life for the better, you will change your own. 57% of all U.S. households owned a pet at the end of 2016. 38% of households owned dogs, while 25% of U.S. households were home to cats.** If more people rescued/adopted animals, think of the lives that could be saved and changed for the better.
Rescue Animals Are Easy to Find!
There are so many rescue shelters to choose from in our area – here’s a helpful list of just a few we know about with links to their websites, and phone numbers/email addresses where available. Please note that providing this list is not an endorsement of these organizations.
- Maricopa County Animal Care & Control – Mesa, AZ – 602.506.7387
- Friends for Life Animal Rescue – Gilbert, AZ – 480. 497.8296 – info@azfriends.org
- 2nd Chance Dog Rescue – Queen Creek, AZ – cdczar96@aol.com
- One Dog Arizona – Chandler, AZ – 480.430.7076 – onedogrescued@gmail.com
- Back the Blue Pet Rescue – Queen Creek, AZ – adopt@backthebluepetrescue.org
- Paws & Claws Care Center – Apache Junction, AZ – 480.983.4405
- Help a Dog Smile – Chandler, AZ – 480.788-0207
- Valley of the Sun Dog Rescue – Mesa, AZ – 480.228.0126
- The Shelter Pet Project – The Shelter Pet Project is the result of a collaborative effort between two leading animal welfare groups, the Humane Society of the United States and Maddie’s Fund.
And here are a few breed specific rescues:
- Saving Paws Rescue – Phoenix, AZ – 480.737.6089 – savingpawsrescue@gmail.com – German Shepherd & Belgian Malinois specific rescue
- Arizona Golden Rescue – Glendale, AZ – 623.566.9247 – info@arizonagoldenrescue.org – Golden Retriever specific rescue
- Southwest German Shepherd Rescue – Phoenix, AZ – 602.866.2880 – German Shepherd & White German Shepherd specific rescue
If you know of a reputable local pet rescue organization that we haven’t mentioned, please comment below or contact us and we will add them to the list.
The team at Compassionate Animal Care are animal lovers – so we encourage you to adopt and not shop. We look forward to seeing you and your new rescue pet soon, for their first wellness exam!
#adoptdontshop
*Accurate data from shelters and rescue groups is difficult to obtain. There is no central data reporting system for these institutions, and most states don’t require reporting. We have quoted the ASPCA figures, but the Humane Society estimates that 2.7 million adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized in the United States each year. Whatever the number, it is too large and we can all help to lower it through animal adoption.
**Source: The 2017-2018 edition of the Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook – AVMA
