Pet Adoption

There are a number of myths surrounding the act of Pet Adoption. Adopting a pet from a shelter is actually a very beneficial thing. Some of these myths are that all many of these animals are inferior to purebred pets, adopted pets are generally older, and some have behavior problems.

Adopting pets helps with the pet over population problem. Mixed breed pets are just as smart and healthy as pure breeds are. In fact with law enforcement cracking down on puppy mills and harsh breeding practices it is common place to find pure bred animals in shelters. If you're holding out for one breed because you like a specific thing about it you can often times find a mixed breed that has the same characteristics. This is especially the case of this animal is mixed from a breed that you're interested in.

Shelter animals are not generally old. Of course there are many mature animals in shelters, but there are also puppies and kittens available for adoption. Shelter animals are often in need of a connection and human affection. So, they are much more receptive to training, even the more mature animals. It is very possible to teach an old dog new tricks; especially if that dog is well tempered and starved for affection. One good thing is that most all mature animals will be house broken. Whereas it can take a little while to get a dog or cat used to its environment, which can cause some accidents, it is no where near as demanding as having to try and house break a puppy or kitten. This is one of the many reasons older pets can be beneficial when compared to getting a younger, untrained animal.

Though you may think many animals are put in shelters due to their behavioral problems this is simply not true. The truth is that many animals are put into shelter because of their owners. Many owners can't or choose not to take care of their animals. This leads to creating animals desperately in need of affection that are great companions.

One of the best benefits to adopting a pet is that it helps discourage bad breeding practices. Many breeders lock their animals in small cages and breed them much more often than they should. The more people realize adopted animals are good companions the less incentive there will be for breeders to continue abusing animals for monetary gain.