Adopt Shelter Animals
Adoption is a compassionate choice that saves lives.
Every day, tens of thousands of dogs and cats, puppies, kittens, and other animals are relinquished to shelters across the United States. Most will be killed. Many will be given or sold for experimentation.
Only 18 states have statewide laws prohibiting pound seizure — supplying shelter animals for experimentation and research. In Oklahoma, pound seizure is legally mandated.
One city or municipal shelter may euthanize hundreds of animals in one day. Even if your dog is “great with kids, cats, and other dogs,” the likelihood of being adopted is very slim. The chance of going to a nice, permanent, and loving home is even slimmer. The situation is worse for cats.
No-kill shelters are heavily promoted, but reject many animals — who are then brought to city shelters or abandoned on the streets. Adoption requirements are lax and sometimes non-existent. “Free the shelter” days can give away dozens and even hundreds of animals quickly, but most will be returned to the shelter within a few days or end up in worse situations. A commonly used inside phrase to describe this is “Rent-a-Dog”/”Rent-a-Cat.”
To get funding, no-kill shelters promote adoption numbers. Each time an animal is adopted, it’s counted as a separate adoption, even if that animal was adopted and returned multiple times. A dog adopted and returned six times is reported as six adoptions, giving the impression that six different dogs were adopted. This is standard operating procedure.
When you know, you know.
Although lethal injection is considered a “humane” method of euthanasia, it is still painful and traumatic. Dogs and cats are terrified and sense what’s coming. Veins are frequently missed or ruptured. There can be multiple attempts before it’s successful. Euthanasia at shelters is rarely performed by a veterinarian.
Many cities and states still use outdated and barbaric methods such as gas chambers and heart sticks without sedation to kill shelter animals. Newborn puppies and kittens are routinely killed upon intake since shelters rarely have the resources or fosters to care for them.
Should you adopt an adult dog or cat?
Adult animals are often more settled, easier to train, and eager to bond. Cats can live into their twenties. A five or eight year old cat is still young. Small dogs can live into their late teens and large dogs over a decade. Many animals considered “old” at shelters are actually quite young or in their prime. Puppies and kittens grow fast and the charm of puppy or kittenhood can fade quickly.
Why not buy online from breeders or pet shops?
Buying a dog or cat from a pet shop or an online breeder often supports commercial breeding operations (puppy mills and catteries). Often these animals are kept in filthy conditions. “Purebred” animals are bred primarily for appearance, not behavior or health. Few dog and cat owners will have their dog or cat for the entirety of its life.
Purebred dogs and cats are regularly found in shelters. Chihuahuas, Pit Bulls, German Shepherds, yellow and black Labradors, and feline breeds such as Siamese, Persians, and Bengals are common in shelters due to impulse buys and popularity. If there is a popular movie or trend promoting a certain breed, that breed will be in the shelters within a year.