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.

Adopt, Don't Shop
All dogs and cats want is a loving, caring family, and nothing makes humans’ hearts break more than reading a happy-ending adoption story. I had read some stories that, at their finest, restore your faith in humanity, thoroughly demonstrate the transformative power of compassion, and serve as a reminder that we do not choose our pets nearly as much as they choose us. I had recently been diagnosed with a heart condition and I believe that having a pet would be better for me so as to help me with the condition.
By Vashish Ramoutar 5 years ago in Petlife
Adopt, don’t shop: A critical look at the popular slogan
Domestic animal overpopulation is a global problem. In the United States alone, over 6.5 million animals enter shelters annually. Many of them find forever homes, but some never make it out. But why is that? What is causing pet overpopulation, and how can we stop it? Many people believe that the answer lies in the phrase “Adopt, don’t shop” after all, aren’t breeders to blame for this? Unfortunately, we can’t solve this problem by boycotting breeders or exclusively supporting shelters. There is hope for ending pet overpopulation, but it involves all of us. We need to change how we think about this issue.
By Alanna Weeks5 years ago in Petlife
More than a Best Friend
When two souls born in the same environment, later find each other in a new state, energies are matched. Sharing the same frequencies and continue as they move forward, they share a path of breaking the ticks that were created by unacknowledged doubted environment. Between social anxiety, attachment tendencies, unconditional love, and forgiveness, these best friends share their story. One can be told to love with conditioned affections, simply catering, as we are told don’t bite the hand that feeds us. I however, saw this story through a different perspective. This was created, by being together for a certain amount of time yes, but knowing they are always there no matter how many faults had occurred, and how many times she had traveled without the Gilda. It is about coming back to each other like nothing has changed. That is the friendship that Gilda and I have. I a 22 year old who has been across the united states, and the soon to be 12 year old Pomeranian poodle partner in crime. My birth place was Atlanta Georgia, but it didn’t take me long to find myself traveling around and ending up in Virginia. At the age of 10 I was told about my aunt having puppies and wanted to know if we would be interested. Hesitant, considering our living conditions, my mom had to make some moves to make it possible. The puppies had been born in July and needed some time with the mother before separation. After receiving pictures, questions came into play. That is not the type of dogs she had had. So where did these puppies come from?
By Valentine Casey5 years ago in Petlife
My Gypsie Girl
I stared at the Facebook post my boyfriend Rich had tagged me in, at a despondent and badly photographed black dog, slightly of the Labrador persuasion. Her neck was bent in a submissive, touching gesture of cowed despair that was moving, to say the least. All around her was dirty concrete, floor and walls. I read the caption Rich had placed above it.
By Anna Marie Biscotti Molloy5 years ago in Petlife
The More The Merrier
The More the Merrier I have a sweet and demanding pack of five furry babies. That wasn’t the plan. I wanted a Husky and had looked at shelters in and around Portland OR. I would check the shelters website regularly and when I would see a likely adoptee would go to visit them. By the time I got there…. every time…. for weeks, they had already been adopted. I started to think that I wasn’t meant to have a dog.
By Elizabeth Petersen5 years ago in Petlife
Luck be Love Found Twice
It started with love at first sight, again. My first “love at first sight”, is what brought Captian Carl, our Miniature Pinscher, into our home in the first place. Yes, this is a feel-good, throw-up a little, nauseating love story. It started with heartbreak, two to be exact. Two sad souls who were determined to break the cycle of serial monogamy they had otherwise been trapped in.
By Dawnte5 years ago in Petlife
Finding Home
When I got recruited for a new position in Michigan, I knew it was time to get a dog. After all, I’d be moving alone to a different state where I knew no one and didn’t want to be too lonely. My senior dog, Doby had recently passed away after 14 years. I was heartbroken but I wanted to fall in love again. I scoured Petfinder.com and other adoption sites for the perfect dog. I was open to any breed or size. I was hoping to find a small or medium-sized dog though since I’d be living in an apartment. I spent several weeks looking at cute portraits of adorable pups. I even emailed a few different shelters inquiring about some. Then, I saw her. I saw her cute little innocent brown face with light brown eyebrows, stubby legs, and floppy ears. She was one and a half years old, housebroken, and loved to roll in the grass. My intuition said this was it. I knew she was the one for me. I just knew.
By Melissa Marie Watson5 years ago in Petlife
Pebble's story.
It's something of a daydream this memory, hazy, warm but still absolute. The temperature was perfect, and the taste of sea salt was lingering on my lips as me and my brother, Seán, cycled to the pebble beach at our grandparents. I was ten, so that made him 12. We were laughing loud, free from any fear of annoying anyone, free from really any cares at all. Looking back, it's something of a miracle we heard him at all.
By Paul Heder5 years ago in Petlife
The Kitten Who Walked the Storm
2019 hailed many strange things, being arguably the last normal (or less than outright crazy) year many people have had, but what stood out most to me was the storm that swept the east coast and hit my neck of the woods particularly hard. Heavy winds upended trees, which fell on power lines and killed power throughout the city. Waiting out flash flooding and deafening cracks of thunder that day taught us to truly appreciate the power of nature...and it’s potential for surprises.
By Dontae Ryan 5 years ago in Petlife
Opening Schrodinger's Box
There is a thought experiment in quantum physics where a cat inside a box has a 50% chance of being alive, and until you open that box to confirm his condition, the cat is, theoretically, both alive and dead. Schrodinger’s cat, as the imaginary feline is known, has his fate sealed only when you open the box. Similarly, a missing cat may theoretically be both alive and dead in your mind until he’s been found - even if he’s never found - and while finding him will seal that fate for better or for worse, it is only in opening that box that the weight of that question can be removed from your mind.
By Shauna Specht5 years ago in Petlife
Jaffacake With A Twist
I’d love to say that I like animals, but I don’t. I had always told people I liked cats, with no actual backing. I had never really been around cats to know if I liked them. But they all seemed sweet and cuddly on screen when watching cat videos were all the rage.
By Jane Doe 5 years ago in Petlife
My kitten
The moment I knew he was right for me was just because fate dropped him straight into my hands, the day I met my furry little baby Tailz, a very tiny black cat, was my very first day at co - op at the SPCA. Tailz came in with an infected tail, half of which had been torn off from circumstances of which are unknown. Since his tail was so severely infected he had to go to the vet but something drew me to this cat and I was lucky enough to help out with his recovery. Of course there are protocols when a cat is sick or injured and because tailz was, he had to be in isolation. When I spent my time in there cleaning dishes I would hear his tiny little meow and he’d stick his paw out and stop me from moving past his cage. So I’d let him sit on my shoulder as I did the dishes so he’d get some enrichment as he was all alone and it wasn’t good for kittens to be alone in their young age, they need socialization. It became a ritual for me to see Tailz. My heart strings grew thicker and thicker the more I saw his tiny little self as he’d try and bat at my arms to get to me. Eventually I convinced my parents to let me foster him and took him home to treat his tail which had to be soaked in Epsom salts and warm water everyday. Kitten, as he became known, stayed in my room during the day when I was at school and whenever my dogs would greet me at the door he’d know I was home and I’d hear him crying down the hall and as I got to the door he’d stick his paw out. Of course he’d get to come out and play after school when I was home during that time. Later when he’d grow older and wasn’t a foster anymore he’d come greet me with the dogs as well. I never remembered a time we were apart, he clung to me so much. Now as Tailz grew older and got better, his adoption was pending and I was nervous I wasn’t going to be allowed to adopt him as we already had two cats and three dogs. But one day my dad said to me he was thinking that Tailz fit in with our family so well that we should consider adopting him. I honestly felt so confident that Tailz was meant to be mine my worry wasn’t necessary. When the adoption was finalized and he was all mine he stopped spending time “ locked “ in my bedroom with the door shut but he always chose to nap on my bed. I remember the night before I left to go to Columbia I woke up in the night and he had nuzzled himself in between my arms and rested his head on my shoulder. I was very careful not to disturb him.
By Emma Hunt5 years ago in Petlife