I know that if we have another child it won’t be for a long while…um if ever, but I think our family might be ready for another pet. Our dog is older and very set in her ways. She is wonderful with the kids, but not very playful any longer. While she is in good health our vet suggested getting another dog for two reasons. One, she will keep my older dog active and will be good company for her and two, my kids can interact with the younger dog without stressing out the older one.
I also read that winter was the best time to adopt a dog because usually the shelters are full of young dogs that have been turned in by people, who weren’t ready to be pet owners and received a pet as a Christmas gift.
Winter, is a little bit harder time to train a pet, especially potty train them with the cold weather. However, Â if you want to really save or help animals, adopting them in winter when people are not always looking for new pets is the best time.
Also, adopting a pet will give the kids a lot of fun things to do, while being cooped up in the cold.
Here are some places to consider when adopting pets…
ADOPT A PET.com
Adoptapet.com is a national database of homeless animals sponsered by Purina and run by volunteers. The website has scanned human societies, SPCA’s and local shelters to find adoptable animals. All you need to do is enter your zipcode and animal preference for their database to scan adoptable animals. Since we are looking for a puppy…I found this cute little rascal. While we are not quiet ready for our pet adoption…this guy would be a perfect fit for our family.
Ahhh he is so cute. Look at that little face. Can you tell, I’m a bit of a sucker for animals…oh and kids too, trust me.
PETFINDER.COM
Petfinder.com is another non-profit adoption site that matches potential pet parents with homeless pets. You put in your information and they help you find the right adoptable pet for your family. While I’m a dog person, I sort of fell in love with this cat…
Look at that cute little fuzz ball. 🙂 Oh how about this pretty Siamese…
ASPCA
The ASPCA is a national shelter organization that runs shelters throughout the country. They also have a searchable database. When visiting a shelter, consider finding an older dog, cat or other animal. While puppies and kittens are fun, if you already have a baby at home, it may not be the safest thing for either the animal or human baby. Older animals are in need of loving homes and most are perfect pets. In fact many just want to be loved again and are often just happy to find a new family.
I know that a lot of us have our dream pet and most have pure breeds they prefer. My suggestion is to first search the databases to find a good match for your family and if you don’t find a good fit then try a breed rescue.
THE NATIONAL KENNEL CLUB
The American Kennel Club has a list of reputable breed rescuers listed alphabetically by breed. Check out this website if you want to find a purebred rescue.
LOCAL SHELTER
You can goggle your local animal shelter to find adoptable pets or go in person. Make sure to ask if there are any new arrivals in the back, if you haven’t found the right pet in the front cages.
While going to a shelter may be a bit depressing, just remember that you and your family have committed to rescuing a pet and so one less animal will be suffering and lonely in a shelter.
While it is tempting to buy a pet at a pet store, the cost is outrageous compared to the low price of adoption from a shelter. And while those store bought animals are so cute, they are making the pet store rich. Why not adopt a pet that is waiting for a home for much less money with added benefit of spaying and neutering for free or at a low cost to the adoptive family.
Remember to really assess your family’s readiness to adopt a pet and when you do decide to add a new furry family member to your home, know that it is a life long commitment. I must say, when I look at our older dog, I always feel proud that we adopted her, I know that she is one less dog doesn’t have a home.
