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.
A Calico Named Lizzy
I was thirteen and my sister was eleven when we went to the ASCPA in Florida with our mother to pick out a cat of our own. I didn't want to get one at first because I wanted a dog. After never getting a chance to say goodbye to my golden retriever, Beauregard, I wanted a dog that I could raise with the help of my parents of course. "You can get a dog when you can afford the vet bills," my mother said to me.
By Heather Wilkins8 years ago in Petlife
Running an Animal Shelter
"It must be so hard for you," that's the phrase I hear the most. It is paired with "to see them get adopted and move on" Or "to review all these animals and see them when they are sick" most often, but once I hear the first part I am already detached from the conversation. I have already removed myself from the back and forth pleasantries and am arguing whether I want to open up about what is genuinely hard for me to do or whether I will flash you a smile and brush of the comment entirely with my usual "No, not really." What I want to truly say, is so much more. Buy, I never find the right way to say it.
By Animal Rescue8 years ago in Petlife
How a Craigslist Puppy Changed My World
In the summer of 2016, one week away from my twenty-second birthday I was prematurely going through my mid-life crisis. On the outside looking in, everything was good. A newly purchased home, a career with opportunities for advancement. On my own, I thought I could conquer the world. But in truth anxiety was beginning to creep in and destroy my confidence. I was lonely, my only friend was about to move to Scotland. My family lived thousands of miles away, and my social life revolved around going to work. One day on lunch I began perusing the local Craigslist for the area where I lived. An ad for free puppies caught my attention. They were four months old, hound-mixes, needing good homes ASAP. I began evaluating my abilities to care for a dog. I lived alone in the middle of the country, with a large fenced in yard. My job was Monday through Friday and allowed me weekends and evenings at home. As an animal lover since childhood I immediately called the number without a second thought.
By Jenae Perry8 years ago in Petlife
Shelter, Store, or Breeder
When adopting a pet there are generally three options that people choose to go to: an animal shelter, a pet store, and breeders. There are pros and cons to each of these that should always be taken into consideration before adopting your very own fur baby.
By Kristen Knight8 years ago in Petlife
I Didn't Rescue Him, He Rescued Me
I recently moved to Missouri, I left my entire life behind me back in Illinois and decided to start new. Goku, a golden lab, was put on Facebook from a family going through a divorce. Neither of them wanted him anymore and they were going to put him down if he did not find a home. Thoughts crossed my mind, what could this dog have done to be treated that way? Is he a big attitude of a dog? No dog deserves to be put down at such a young age. He was a year and a half and healthier than ever. The next thing I knew I had a new pet. He was a little skiddish and constantly put into a cage. I moved into an apartment and he finally became comfortable with me to show his true self. He grew fonder of me as did I with him. He became my cuddle buddy and took up more than half of my queen size bed. He has no sense of a personal bubble as he thinks he needs to be in your face at all times.
By Meghan Swanson8 years ago in Petlife
Why You Should Adopt Instead of Shop
You always hear people use the phrase "adopt, don't shop." I never truly understood why people said this so much because I never understood why there was any problem with purchasing dogs from breeders. It turns out the problem wasn't with buying from breeders, it's the amount of dogs in shelters who need loving homes to make up for where they came from.
By Bailey Johnson8 years ago in Petlife
For the Love of Pitbulls
I grew up in an awesome home with a wonderful mother, who above all else taught me compassion for others. Over time this gradually turned into an obsession with fighting for the "underdog" in any situation. I grew up with nine dogs that belonged to our family and anywhere up to 6 rescued dogs we were finding homes for , at any given time. I learned the importance of structure and socialization when raising and rehabilitating dogs at a very young age. Also I learned to control my emotions when dealing with dogs, because they are easily affected by us, and it rarely manifests as anything but issues. These skills served me well as an adult. I grew to own a very successful pet spa that catered mostly to nervous dogs, but more so, their nervous people.
By Christina Saavedra8 years ago in Petlife
