Hello, Louella!
My husband and I are volunteers with an animal rescue group in
Oklahoma, so the subject of animal adoption is dear to my heart. Not
long ago we enriched our household by making room for Bambi, a terrier
mix who had been left for dead at the side of the road, and who was
given a second chance. At the top of the page linked below is a photo
that provides, without words, one of the best arguments I can think of
for adopting a homeless animal (Felix, the cat in the photo, also came
to us from a rescue agency.)
http://pet-adopt.org/success-bambi.html
Here are a few good starting points from which you can develop your
persuasive speech.
I came upon this excellent list of "Ten Great Reasons to Adopt from a
Shelter" on the Web site of the Washington Humane Society:
1. You save a life.
Each year thousands of healthy and well behaved animals end up in
local shelters as strays, relinquished animals, and impoundments. The
Washington Humane Society alone takes in about 40 animals every day.
As new animals arrive, some of the animals who are not adopted are
euthanized. Each animal adopted is a life spared.
2. You choose from a great selection of animals.
Shelters get in animals of all sizes, ages, colors, dispositions, and
breeds. Nowhere will you find more cats and dogs to choose from.
Despite what many people think, there are plenty of purebred animals
among them. Chances are extremely good that, at any given point, the
shelter will have an animal just right for you. If not, we keep a
request list so we can call you when we have the kind of animal you're
looking for.
For reasons of health or temperament, some animals at the shelter are
not available for adoption. We do not push "problem animals" onto
people.
3. Shelter staff and volunteers help you choose and prepare for your
animal.
When you visit the shelter, staff and volunteers knowledgeable about
companion animals will answer your questions and help you choose a dog
or cat. They will call you later to ask you a lot of questions. If
your application is approved, someone will come to your house for an
interview to help you prepare for your new arrival. Our overall goal
is to make sure the animal you adopt is well suited to your lifestyle
and that you are ready for him or her. We are looking for permanent
homes, and we want the placement to work out for both you and the
animal.
4. Your animal receives basic veterinary care.
Before they go to new homes, all WHS shelter animals are spayed or
neutered. They are vaccinated for rabies and distemper (DHLPP for dogs
and FVRCP for cats). Dogs are tested for heartworms and cats for
feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Animals who
need it are de-wormed and treated for fleas. In short, all the basics
are done by WHS before the animal leaves the shelter.
5. It's cost-effective.
To help cover shelter costs, WHS charges a $10 adoption fee per
animal. Additional fees go toward the veterinary work ($40 for male
cats, $50 for female cats, and $70 - $90 for dogs). Cats who are
already altered when they arrive at the shelter cost $25 to adopt and
altered dogs cost $35. With each placement, WHS loses money, but we
want to keep fees low to encourage adoption.
6. Shelters stand behind their adoptions.
WHS is looking for permanent homes for the animals. We are always
ready to help our adopters handle behavior problems, find
veterinarians, pet-sitters, and trainers, and deal with emergencies.
We can answer questions by telephone 24 hours a day.
7. You avoid supporting the animal industry.
In the United States, millions of animals are neglected, abandoned,
and euthanized because there are not enough good homes for them. At
the same time breeders - "reputable," "backyard," and "puppy mills" -
continue to flood the market with animals for sale. This makes no
sense. Animals are living beings, not commodities to be bought and
sold...and then disposed of at shelters. For those concerned about
animal welfare, adoption is the only sensible way to get an animal.
8. You can tell others about the animals at the shelter.
Once you have joined the thousands of households in the area which
include adopted animals, you will be in a great position to tell
others about the shelter and the wonderful animals looking for homes.
Our adopters are always our animals' best advocates.
9. You are part of the solution.
You can't adopt them all. But maybe you can give one or two a loving
home. Once you know us, maybe you will want to volunteer, become a
member, make a donation, report an abused animal. Whatever you can do
is helpful and welcome. If you can adopt one animal, you're a hero.
10. You feel good.
If you've never saved a life, take it from the thousands who have. You
will feel good about it. And the dog or the cat you adopt will remind
you everyday that you've done a wonderful thing.
WHS, "Ten Great Reasons to Adopt from a Shelter"
http://www.washhumane.org/info/inftop.htm
Here is another good "top ten" list, from the Web site of Save the
Shelter Pets:
10. Each hour, every day, over 3,000 dogs and cats are born in the
U.S. Most of these animals are unwanted and many end up in shelters.
You can save a life by adopting a cat or dog from your local shelter.
9. With most family members gone during the work week for 8 hours or
more, house training is certainly an important consideration.
8. When you adopt an older dog or cat from the shelter, you already
know how big the animal is, what his temperament is, ow active he is
and if he has been trained.
7. Adoption staff work with you to make that perfect match. They
will try and make sure that you are choosing the pet that will make
both family and animal happy with each other.
6. Instant companion! When you adopt from a shelter, you immediately
have a devoted friend for life.
5. You will be an example to others, and they may become inspired to
visit a shelter.
4. There are puppies and kittens at the shelter as well as older
animals. Whatever age you are looking for, you can find him or her at
the shelter.
3. Purebreds can be found at the shelter. Experts say approximately
10-12% of animals in shelters are purebreds. So, if you have your
heart set on a certain breed, try checking with your shelter. Most
will keep you on a waiting list if they don't have what you're looking
for.
2. Most shelters provide all necessary shots and spaying/neutering
before the animal goes home with you. Spaying/neutering helps to end
the tremendous pet overpopulation problem, is healthier for your
animal and saves you time and money.
1. Unconditional Love! Your new pet will love you regardless of all
other outside factors. Where else can you find that kind of devotion?
Save the Shelter Pets, "Top 10 Reasons to Adopt a Shelter Pet"
http://www.savetheshelterpets.com/ReasonsToAdopt.htm
I would like to add a few comments of my own. When you adopt from a
shelter, you are actually saving the lives of two animals: your dog
and the next dog who takes his place in the shelter. When you take
your pet home, this makes room for the shelter to rescue another dog
from the streets. Shelters, unfortunately, have limited resources, and
cannot possibly help all the animals who are in need of homes.
I have heard people dismiss the importance of animal shelters, saying
"Well, we can't rescue them all." Sadly, that is true. But we can
rescue some of them. I have always loved this little parable:
One day, a man was walking on the beach. He saw, in the distance, what
looked to be a boy frantically tossing rocks into the sea.
As he got closer, he saw the boy actually was throwing starfish, which
littered the beach as far as the eye could see, back into the ocean.
The tide had washed the starfish ashore, and now that the sun was
rising in the sky, they all surely were doomed to dry up and die.
The man asked the boy what he was doing. The boy replied that he was
trying to get as many of the creatures as he could back into the
saving coolness of the ocean.
"But there are millions of starfish washed up on the beach," said the
man. "What you are doing just doesn't make a difference."
Picking up a starfish and casting it back into the water, the boy said
simply, "Made a difference to that one."
Search strategy:
"why adopt from a shelter"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22why+adopt+from+a+shelter
Best regards,
pinkfreud-ga |
