JAck Russell Terrier

There are so many pets that are homeless nowadays.Eight to ten million of dogs and cats get come to shelters yearly, as pet the records of the United States Humane Society.  Meanwhile a terrifying number of 4 to 5 million cats and dogs are being euthanized by shelters.  The reason?  Because there are not enough people going to shelters for pet adoption. 

These figures do not include those in small, local and home-based shelters.  There are also animal rescue organizations that take abused and abandoned animals.  There are also hundred of animals left to stray in the streets.

Due to various reasons pets end up at a shelter.  There are pets that are abused and hurt by their owners thinking that this is another form of training and discipline among their pets.  Animals victims of these extreme cased can be rescued and if the animals are not showing any behavioural problems, may be put up for adoption. 

Another reason why there are so many animals in shelters is because there are more and more animals straying or roaming around.  There are guardians who let their pets roam outside their premises and never bother to look for them once they are gone.  Also these animals do not have any identification tags. Because of this it is hard to give them back to its owners. 

The most common reason that an animal shelter can hear from pet parents surrendering their pets is that they are moving.  There are guardians who do not want to pay to transport their pets, guardians moving to apartments not allowing pets inside, guardians who do not want to pay a pet deposit, and many more.  It is important to remember that pets are not old pieces of furniture that can be left behind just because you can buy another one.  Pets are living things that have repaid us with loyalty and devotion. 

Having a baby is another reason why pet parent give up their pets for adoption.  SPOT  (Stopping Pet Overpopulation Society, Inc), an alliance of animal lovers, dog/cats rescuers and veterinarians in Atlanta,  recommends that people have their family first then adopt a pet.  If it is not possible, then it is best to pick a breed or mixed bred that is known to be good with children. 

It is important to remember before getting a pet that they require attention, time and money.  There are pet parents surrendering their pets because they can no longer provide time to take care of them.  Also others may find it too expensive to raise and take care a pet.  It is important to think that taking care of pets is a commitment that you are ready to take and be responsible for the next 10 to 15 years.

Behavioural problems is also another reason for giving up a pet. Too much barking, chewing everything, too hyper or aggressiveness of the pets are the common cited behavioural problems cited.  Of course, dogs who did not undergo obedience training will be rambunctious and wild.Dogs who are not too social will be aggressive in behaviour against human beings or other animals. 

It is important for a parent to get a pet, only if, the parent wants it as much as the children want the animal.  Because if the children immediately lose interest on the pet, it is more likely that the unfortunate animal will be given up for adoption.  It is important to always ask yourself, a parent , before getting a pet the real reason for getting one.

There are also incidents that elderly guardians could no longer take care of their pets because of death or they would have to go to a nursing facility.  If the pet parent is already a senior citizen it is important to take into consideration the age of the pet and who will take care of it when the situation turn into worse.  If it is uncertain who will take care of the pet, it is best to adopt a pet that is already and wonderfully housebroken older dog. 

There are many reasons why pets are put up for adoption everyday.  It might be unfortunate events that happened to the pet parent or just avoidance of responsibility.It is essential to consider that whenever we are thinking of buying a pet, we are really ready for it and committed in caring of it. 

If you are set about owning a pet, it may be better if you will first inquire about the best times to do pet adoption. Inquiries are a must if you want to get what you want and what will fit in to the kind of life that you are leading.

Not because you want a very big dog are you going to be allowed by adoption centers to have one. The centers will do a lifestyle check to find out if what you want is really what you need. There should be a correct match. If you do not have sufficient time to do rounds of running or to play with your pet every day you might find it difficult to keep an active pup.

Who you are will determine what kind of pet you deserve. It is big responsibility to be a pet owner. The animal shelter will do their best to make sure that the decision will be beneficial for you and your chosen pet.

The Costs
This is one factor that you must be prepared for. Acquiring a pet through adoption is less costly than when you buy them on commercial pet stores. But there are some considerations that you must also be prepared to allot for. This includes, most importantly, is the medical needs of your pets. You should be ready that just like you, they may get sick from time to time. And the sickness may vary from simple to severe. And accidents may also happen when you least expect it so you have to have that extra budget to be able to handle the situation.

Save a Life
If you are still undecided about adopting a pet, here is one great motivation for you. Did you know the fact that in the United States alone, over four million  pet animals are being destroyed per year? So in your decision to adopt a pet, you are also saving a life in the process.

If you don’t have the know how to start the adoption procedure, you can find out the nearest one or local center of the United States Humane Association. You can also ask the help of the veterinarians near you and they can point you to the right people. You can inquire too at the pet stores of your nearby areas. But please be sure that before you precede any further with the adoption process that you are ready in all aspects that may require you to be.

Financial is a priority. But aside from that, you must also be ready to open up emotionally. Animals are like humans, they need to feel loved and taken cared for. About your idea you must also talk to the important people of your life who are also going to involve with the pet. This is a serious matter that requires you to be responsible for your every decision.

The Correct Time
The best times to do pet adoption, of course, is when you are ready in all aspect mentioned above. But if you want to get the best deals, it will be best for you to seek out the shelters in springtime and early fall. These are the breeding seasons so your choices will be a lot varied.

Meanwhile, if you don’t want to be stuck with minimal choices, do not go during Christmas season. Many people are adopting during this time and so the process is being hurried.

In any decision that you do in life, you must think hard about it in order to arrive at the best choice as much as possible. In the end, it is also you who will suffer or who will benefit from anything that will arise from that. Thought of adopting a pet must also be in your priority list if you wish to venture out about this.

Why would you want to adopt?

your reasons might be very simple like, you wish to have a companion. The pets of your choice will depend on your lifestyle. You don’t want to get an animal that will require a lot from you physically if you cannot really afford the time to give it to them. You can just settle for a tamer one like a fish, rabbit or parrot that will serve as a companion white they really don’t ask you for too much attention. It will be enough for you to give them their basic necessities like shelter, warmth and food.

You may also want to acquire a pet because you merely want to make a difference and help in this good cause. You may have a soft spot for animals especially for those that have been left in shelters or have been cared for by charitable institutions. This is a good omen and can lead you towards a brighter future in caring for pets. Just make sure that you are ready for the responsibilities that will be required from you when you opt to trek this route.

Do not give pets as presents.

This is a must. The reason for this is very obvious. The recipient of the gift may not be ready to owe up to the responsibilities that your gift comes with. What do you think will happen to the animal when they are handed to an unwilling owner? You may have your own reasons why you give the pets as gifts. You may think that you’ve already assessed the recipient based on the facts that you know about them. But for sure, there are certain spots that you do not know about them. The pets may end up in shelters or may also be given out to others. The worst thing that could happen is for the pet to be ignored and may cause its health to diminish.

What are the other considerations?

Owning pets will give you lots of joy. But these are animals. You cannot teach them to tidy up by themselves. So expect the unexpected. Prepare yourself to clean up your pet’s mess that may be distributed even on your favorite parts of your house. You can teach your pets tricks and share with them some manners. But you must not expect them to follow what you are saying all the time. They may be intelligent but you are superior than they are. You cannot expect them to do the right things all the time. You may be surprised to see eaten foods or chewed papers or shoes at times.

If you are not prepared for such situation, what are you going to do? The most probable thing is that you will vent your anger at your pet. You may want to decide to get lost of them the instant they did what seems to be inexplicable. These pet adoption considerations can help you open your eyes and mind if you can be trusted to be a responsible pet owner.

Many myths are prevalent about adoption process of the pets.  Several myths about pet adoption is that the pet parent will get an animal with behavioural problems or temperament which does not suit the family.  There is also an animal shelter myth saying that animals in shelters are less valuable or intelligent that purebred animals.

To eradicate our fears of these pet adoption myths, we should know the adoption and selection process done by animal rescue groups and shelters.We should be totally participative in the procedure of adoption to ensure the success of the pet adoption.

Rescue groups and shelters ask a lot of questions about the prospective pet parents or adopters.There are two reasons for this:  first, is to be sure that the adopter will be able to provide the new pet a permanent home and if the adopter is capable of the responsibility and financial commitment apet.The other reason is to ensure that the adopter and the pet would have a good match. They generally do it by signing an application form or through interviews. 

A best way to be sure what kind of pet the adopter is interested having, is doing a research on their own.There are a few questions which will help the adopter in order to select the pet, including love for the outdoors, family composition, type of residence and activeness. 

There are several websites that displays different animal characteristics and one the choice had been made, the adopter can inform the shelter or rescuers what animal they have in mind.  Shelter and rescuers can identify what breed of animals you might be interested in.  Also they have a selection of mixed bred pets that can also display the characteristics of an animal or pet you have in mind.

Some of the questions may even be intrusive of the adopter’s personal life, but the rescuers and shelter staff are just trying to make sure that these homeless animals’ interest will be top priority.  Another step that can be done to assist the adopter to be prepared with what to expect in the adoption process is by checking the websites of shelters and rescue groups.

There are also some shelters and rescuers that do a “yard check” before the pets are taken to their new homes.  It is quite necessary since shelters and rescue groups have full grown animals that need a larger size of place to roam and have physical activities.

Some even do veterinary check with the present or former vet clinics.  This is to ensure that current of previous pets were up-to-date with their shots, exams and other medical attention they require.  While there are others who require three character references in their application papers, aside from the veterinary to be really sure. 

After these have been completed with both parties satisfied, an adoption contract is presented as a final step in the process.A contract of adoption includes information like vaccination, required veterinary visits, diet, a required spay/neuter, continuation of medical treatment as per prescription (if applicable) and return clauses if the adopter wishes to return the pet.

To fully adopt the animal, a pet adoption fee is needed to conclude the process. Normally the price ranges from $75 to $200 dollars depending on the size, animal, and vetting costs.  After this, adopters and now-pet-parents get to take home their beloved pets.