adoption
Our guide to animal adoption; learn why, where, and how to prepare to adopt a cat, kitten, dog or puppy from an animal shelter or rescue group.
What Adoption Means to Me
Adoption Means Giving a Chance Walking into the kennels at the shelter, this is the first sight we caught of Cosmo (then Sweetie). I recall thinking that she was the cutest dog I had seen in a long time, but she also broke my heart the moment I saw her. When her cage was approached, her first instinct wasn’t to bark, to run away, or even growl. Her first instinct was to sit there. To watch you meticulously, wondering, “Is this someone I can trust?” “Will these people get me out of this cage?” “Will they love me?”
By Paige Jones7 years ago in Petlife
The Love of a Rescue Pitt Bull
Everyone scrolls through Facebook when they are bored or have nothing to do, and I am no different. I tend to scroll through Facebook to see what everyone is doing that I grew up with or to see what different family members are doing daily, because we can't always talk to each other.
By stacie johnsen7 years ago in Petlife
The Best Day Ever
When I was 15 years old, my older sister decided to get a dog, while my childhood dog was 13 years old. My sisters and I needed a new companion to love when Clarabelle passes away. We begged my dad for a new puppy all night after coming home from Red Lobster. It was about 10 o’clock at night before he said “fine you can have a dog!” My sisters and I were so excited. We emailed and called the lady who was selling the puppies and we requested one. We asked for pictures so she asked for an interview and for us to put a deposit down to show that we were serious. When we made it to her house it was in a quiet town in southern Alabama. The lady had the cutest four-week-old Yorkshire Terriers. Their eyes weren’t even open because they were so small. Well, when we knocked on her door I was smiling from ear-to-ear. I just couldn’t believe we were actually getting a dog! Then the lady opened her door and invited us in. We walked in and sat on her couch in her living room while she went and grabbed the puppies. She brought two little puppies out, because we weren’t sure of which one would like our family and fit in the most. The one I held in my hands was named Jasmine after the Disney princess, and the one my older sister held was named Ariel. Jasmine snuggled with me, but after all this was for my sister. So we went with the other puppy named Ariel. Her fur coat was so silky. She had fleas at the time and it was so sad because they made her itch all over and she was so young she did not know how to itch yet because she was so young. When we got into the car she was so small and she didn’t know the smell or the look of the car. But boy, oh boy, was that the best decision we had ever made. When we brought her home we gave her a bath to try and get the fleas off with a special wash. And when that didn’t work we went to Petco to see if they had a stronger pet wash. We ended up getting a a flea oatmeal wash and a flea comb. When we ended up getting back home she started shivering so we turned up the heat. When she got warm we grabbed a puppy bottle and started to bottle feed her. She didn’t like her bottle at all so we transferred it to a syringe and we were able to get the milk into her mouth faster. She has brought so much joy into our lives. My older sister ended up getting a job and getting married, so Ariel stays at my house. I have to say that getting a dog was the best day of my life. She gets a toy pretty much everyday, and we feed her raw primal rabbit for her lunch and dinner. Ariel’s favorite toys are the ones that have loud squeakers. She also loves toys that have super stuffed inside so she can take out the fluff. Ariel recently got a one month old Pomeranian sister named Nala like from The Lion King. Ariel is still getting used to Nala but the long they are together they get use to each other and start to like each other. Every time we come home Ariel gets so excited to see us and she starts crying because she missed us so much. I used to not care too much for dogs, but ever since Ariel came into our lives I have become a huge dog person.
By Ericka deann7 years ago in Petlife
A Woman's Best Friend
In the UK in 2017/18 45 percent of us owned a pet, half of those being dog owners. Animals are an important part of our lives and families, but when they die our grief is treated differently than if we had lost a human family member. In my experience the grief is no less and the impact no less great.
By Clair Stevenson7 years ago in Petlife
The Dog That Lived
As a normal college graduate would do, I was on the hunt for the perfect career... in Florida. My family and I are from Central Illinois and I grew up here so this was a big change. On a whim, I decided I would like to take the chance and move to the amazing state of Florida.
By Austin Conour7 years ago in Petlife
Signs Your Adopted Pet Was Abused (And What to Do About It)
Adopting a pet is a milestone in one's life. As exciting and rewarding as it may seem on the surface, it comes with great responsibility. Pet parents want nothing but the best for their animals and that begins with their health. When adopting a pet, there is a chance that the animal may have been previously abused, which means that the animal has suffered from injuries and neglect, thus resulting in extreme behavior. It takes extra care and attention for these abused animals to feel safe and secure.
By Lindsay Parks7 years ago in Petlife
Cat and Dog
After school on February 1, 2008 when I was eight years old, my family and I went to the animal shelter next to my house to look at the cats and possibly adopt one that day. When we walked in, we entered the room that held all their cats, there were about fifteen or twenty that day and I immediately saw this orange and white tabby that I loved while my brother say a grey and black cat (who had been meowing since we walked in the room) that he liked. A worker came inside the room and got the orange and white cat out of his crate and said, "This is Louie." My parents talked to her for a while about him and when she left the cat finally stopped meowing and my dad said, "The next cat who meows gets to come home with us," and Louie meowed. We took that as some sort of sign that he was meant for us to have him and we got him. When we were at the counter for him, the worker told us that he had a little cold and we would have to give him some medicine for it. This made it worse for him when he came home, he was in a brand new place and on top of him not knowing us we had to hold him (when he wanted to be left alone) and give him the medicine.
By Madison Shaw7 years ago in Petlife
Humane Society
I one hundred percent want you to save an animal's life, and by no means want you to stop going to humane societies to find a new family friend. Their background checks are fairly good and you can be assured they will go to a good home, and you are guaranteed a good pet, considering most don't make it. By all means, please go pick up animals from the humane society.
By Corinne Blossfeld7 years ago in Petlife
A Stray Miracle
One day old Moo Man. In May 2018 I found Miri wondering around begging for food on the streets of Boston. She was a local visit of the area. Everyone loved her because she was exceptionally friendly. After speaking with a man who knew her very well, he explained his attempts to find her possible owners were coming up cold. He could not adopt her as he already had his own fur babe.
By Megan MacNeil7 years ago in Petlife
Pet to Family—Is Yours Ready?
Pets are easily the greatest addition to a family, but are you ready for one? A pet is something to grow with you and your family, not something to be cast off when it gets too big or you no longer have the desire for it. Hundreds of animals end up in shelters because the owners don't want it anymore, or it wasn't what they thought, they didn't know it would get that big, and tons of other excuses. So before you adopt or buy a new pet, do your research on it so you can make sure it is actually something you really want and won't take back two weeks later. Go through your home, do you have room for a four-legged addition? The most common is dogs, everybody wants a cute little puppy but nobody wants a dog. They take time to train, lots of food, and require room to run/play! Dogs vary from tiny little Chihuahuas to huge Great Danes. Each one has tailored needs, and it takes a lot of responsibility. Cats have to be the biggest one, kittens are so cute and tiny, but once they grow up a lot of people don't think they are the cutest thing. Once cats go into a shelter as an adult it is highly certain that they will not be adopted. So before you make the big decision to get a new pet, make sure you are ready for it. Here are some basic key tips to remember before inviting the new addition in!
By Kendall Cardoza7 years ago in Petlife
Pet to Family - Are You Ready?
I remember the day he came; my sister screamed in surprise for it was a dream come true for her. After years of her deliberation, she got what she wanted—a dog. He was smelly since you know it is impossible to take care of each and every animal in adoption since they are innumerable. Like many others, he too was an adoption failure because of his aggressive nature. Though I loved him, I felt jealous because my parents heard her desire but not mine. Slowly and gradually that hatred was turned into love. Then, we had a relationship purely out of love. As the course of time went by, he became closer to his end until he slept on my mother's lap forever. It was then I realized that all those silent sobs and swollen eyes were not for a pet but for a brother.
By Alexa Marvel7 years ago in Petlife
