One of the best things about adopting a rescued pet is the knowledge you are saving a deserving dog or cat from languishing in a shelter or being put to death. For all the wonderful shelter animals waiting patiently for new forever homes, here are a dozen more great reasons to adopt an abandoned or rescued cat or dog.
There are countless benefits to pet ownership, and when you know you saved your furry companion from an unpleasant fate, it makes the bond you share that much more meaningful.
Dr. Karen Becker is a proactive and integrative wellness veterinarian. You can visit her site at: MercolaHealthyPets.com.
Her goal is to help you create wellness in order to prevent illness in the lives of your pets. This proactive approach seeks to save you and your pet from unnecessary stress and suffering by identifying and removing health obstacles even before disease occurs. Unfortunately, many veterinarians in the U.S. are trained to be reactive. They wait for symptoms to occur, and often treat those symptoms without addressing the root cause.
By reading Dr. Becker's information, you'll learn how to make impactful, consistent lifestyle choices to improve your pet's quality of life.
A Dozen Great Reasons to Adopt Your Next Pet
Pet Overpopulation(01 of12)
Open Image ModalHelps Older Pets(02 of12)
Open Image ModalAdopting a dog or cat from a no-kill shelter can free up space for older or special needs pets that may not find new homes before the end of their natural lives. (credit:Flickr: nromagna)
Types Of Animals(03 of12)
Open Image ModalThere are plenty of animals to choose from at most shelters. They come in every age, shape, size, coat color and breed mix, and you can find purebreds at shelters as well. In fact, many breeds have their own rescue organizations, so if you're looking for a purebred, make sure to check both your local shelter and breed rescue organization. (credit:Flickr: angela n.)
Saves Money(04 of12)
Open Image ModalSkip Puppy Training(05 of12)
Open Image ModalAdopting an older pet allows you to skip over the time consuming, often frustrating puppy or kitten stage of development. (credit:Flickr: 23am.com)
Know What You Will Get(06 of12)
Open Image ModalAdopting a mature dog or cat also takes the guesswork out of determining what your pet will look like as an adult -- what size she'll grow to, the thickness and color of her coat and her basic temperament, for example. (credit:Flickr: ihasb33r)
Pre-Trained(07 of12)
Open Image ModalBehavior Assesment(08 of12)
Open Image ModalOwner Support(09 of12)
Open Image ModalMany shelters and rescues also provide lots of new owner support in the form of materials about training, common behavior problems, nutrition, basic grooming and general care. In some cases there are even free hotlines you can call for questions on behavior, training and other concerns. (credit:Thinkstock)
Animal Education(10 of12)
Open Image ModalA Calmer Companion(11 of12)
Open Image ModalEnrich Your Life(12 of12)
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