How would you feel if you were stuck in a cage, scared, and thinking that you will never be loved? Awful, right?

Imagine you were thrown out for no apparent reason and then sent to a horrible place where you are constantly surrounded by loud, unpleasant noises.

This is what many animals experience every day of their lives. Owners decide that they can’t take care of them anymore and, in turn, take them to an animal shelter. To us, putting an animal in the shelter is a process that has been contemplated; however, the animal is blindsided by this and has no idea what is happening and why.

In the United States, there are approximately 7.6 million companion animals that are processed and put into animal shelters; more dogs than cats. Of these 7.6 million, only 2.7 are adopted. Why?  Because of the increasing popularity of buying a puppy or kitten, simply because they are cuter and you can teach them fun tricks. But can’t you teach an adult new tricks? Of course! It’s the same for animals – if you give them the chance. However, most adoptable animals were previously house trained, so that’s one thing you don’t have to worry about.

The average adoption fee is can range from $0 to $250 and when you get your pet from a shelter, they often include vaccinations, microchipping, and spaying or neutering in the adoption fee. On their own, these services can really add up, and you still have to add in the cost of buying your animal. 

Too often, the puppy you are buying can be traced back to coming from a puppy mill. A puppy mill is an establishment that breeds puppies for sale, typically in inhumane conditions. In many cases, puppy-mill kennels can be made of anything from small cages created from wood and wire mesh to tractor-trailer cabs, or even chains attached to trees. The dogs, are often to provide protection from the heat or cold and are commonly kept from proper veterinary care. This is especially cruel when it applies to the female dogs who are the ones who are creating all of these puppies. Most are bred over and over until they can no longer produce puppies—at which point they are auctioned off or killed. 

When you go to a shelter to meet your companion, chances are they have already established their personality, so you can match yours with theirs. This will help to ensure that you find the right animal for you, to prevent the animal from having to go back to the shelter. So next time you think about adding a new furry friend to your family, remember the fact that a shelter animal needs you to save them so they don’t end up like the other 1.5 animals that are euthanized because they were not chosen. 

You can help take part in this cause by going to local adoption events. Petco, a local pet store for most, has a foundation that holds adoption events every month. In January, there are two weekends to go adopt a new best friend. The events are taking place on January 4th and 5th, and January 18th and 19th. The Petco Foundation has helped get over six million pets adopted. Next time you are feeling gloomy take a ride to a local animal shelter and adopt some sunshine into your life. 

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