Pros and Cons of Adopting From Animal Shelters
Animal shelters in the United States are filled to capacity with pets that need good homes. Adopting a dog or a cat from a shelter can be a wonderful, kind, rewarding experience. But there are some things to keep in mind when you are considering your next pet.
Pro: You've Saved a Life
Animals shelters are given more animals than they can handle. Except for no-kill shelters, most shelters must eventually destroy animals who are not adopted. Senior dogs and cats in particular are hard to place with new families, because most people want puppies or kittens when they want a new pet. If you get a pet from a shelter, you have saved the life of an innocent animal and given it the chance to live a happy life with a loving family.
Con: There May Be Behavioral Problems
Though they are often the result of inadequate owners and not the pets themselves, cats and especially dogs in animal shelters may be there because of behavioral problems. Scratching, relentless barking and biting may happen with pets from shelters, and whether or not your dog or cat does these things may be impossible to know until you get it home.
Pro: Vaccinations
Animals shelters will almost always immediately give animals all their pertinent shots, such as rabies and distemper. Shelters also often go ahead and spay and neuter animals as well. When you adopt a pet from a shelter, you should get vaccination papers and not have to worry about taking your pet to the vet in the near future.
Con: Health
Even though pets from animal shelters may have all their shots and are currently in good health, you won't really know much else about the health of your pet. Cats in particular may not show any immediate symptoms but will be obviously ill later. Also, even if the animal entered the shelter in the best of health, the experience of being there may give an animal time to get sick or develop socialization problems.
Con: The Shelter May Not Have the Breed You Want
If you are stuck on getting a particular breed of cat or dog, shelters may not have them at the time you visit. You might have to make several trips to find what you want, and you may never find it. Also, many animals at shelters are mixed breeds whose original ancestry cannot even be identified.
Pro: Good Pets Transcend Breed
However, if your objective is to simply get a good-natured pet regardless of breed, animal shelters are full of them, for much less than you would pay for a purebred. The workers at the shelter will be able to give you information about the dog or cat, how it acts, and its temperament. Also, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you are not supporting puppy or kitten mills.
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