By Estelle Ferrari
Many people adopt pets for different reasons, but there are important things to know about how it helps to adopt more animals instead of buying them. For starters, many animals who don’t get adopted out of shelters are often put down, therefore adoption helps to reduce the amount of euthanasia in pets, saving many lives. Other reasons why adoption saves animals’ lives is that it saves people more money, gives more space in a shelter for another animal who might need it, and places animals in a more home-like environment compared to a shelter.
The best reason to adopt a pet is to give the animal a second chance. Pets are most commonly rescued from abandonment or abuse, or if the owner couldn’t keep the animal for a certain reason and has chosen to give it to a shelter. Once an animal is surrendered to a shelter the staff will heal, fix, and vaccinate it to make sure it is healthy enough to be put into a new home. However, sometimes there is not enough space, and the shelter is forced to euthanize some animals who have been there for a certain period. Therefore, adopting a pet would help with overpopulation and stop an animal from possibly being put down.
Adopting a pet also saves money. Once a pet arrives in a shelter, it is nursed back to health if necessary, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and usually microchipped, meaning it has a permanent ID. Since these procedures have already been done you wouldn’t need to spend the money it costs to get a pet vaccinated and fixed (both can be around $75-$100 and $50-$400). Spaying often costs more than neutering since it is more difficult.
The average adoption fee is $50-$150, which costs much less than what breeders usually charge which can be up to $250 if not more. Adopting a pet with all the procedures done beforehand can also reduce worry when it comes to giving a pet surgery or vaccines.
When one animal is adopted it provides more space for another animal who may need it more. This goes along with the fact that adopting reduces euthanasia. Not only are you saving an animal’s life, but you are also giving a new animal a chance to recover and possibly be adopted into a new home.
It is important to provide the safest environment possible after adopting a new pet, and various studies show having a pet can improve mental and emotional health, teach children valuable life lessons, and can even give you a longer life. Performing different activities with a pet, such as walking it or playing with it, increases serotonin and dopamine levels in your brain. It also reduces stress and helps with depression.
If you have a disability, pets are good for service or emotional support. Having a pet is also great for children, especially younger aged ones. The responsibility of taking care of a pet teaches them how important it is to properly take care of something, and it encourages them to think about how they’ve given the pet a loving home.
There are also reasons why people don’t want to adopt some pets, such as allergies or money. But if you do decide to adopt one, these are the reasons why a pet needs to be adopted and finally given the happily ever after that they deserve.
