The rise of animal abuse is heart clenching and to think of an abused animal being put down do to some ignorant act is sad. If however, these little survivors were given a chance to recover before adoption, wouldn’t that be a great way to show they still have a chance to be loved!!

An animal that has been abused may have to undergo several treatments on their road to recovery. While they recover though, being in a cage where no one can give them all the loving they need only limits their ability to fight and recover, giving them a place with loving people to care for them however, does incredible things for them.

These little fighters learn that they can be loved, that it’s safe to love, and this gives them the desire to live. A three legged dog in a shelter recovering may simply not want to relearn how to walk or even care to play. Putting this same dog into a loving home for his recovery will allow him or her to see what love is, and gives him a chance to learn how to walk and play all over again. The gratitude he shares is more repayment than you could even hope for.

Prime Minister Steven Harper and his wife currently foster cats and have found it fulfilling. You don’t have to be a political icon or celebrity though to offer your home as a fostering home.

There are a number of programs set up for pet adoption. You will need to learn some of the skills involved in caring for specific needs, but the greatest skill you can offer is love and patience. These animals don’t deserve the reasons they are in the shelter, but they do deserve every chance of getting that second chance for love.

When the pets are ready they are placed for adoption. This is a great reward when you think about it. A pet who may have succumbed to her injuries survives because a foster family believed in her, now recovered she can go to a new home where she will live the rest of her days loving and being loved.

Fostering and adoption is something to consider if you love animals, there is a huge need for animals in this situation, why not consider fostering as a way of letting these little fighters know, they are worth it!! The reward of seeing them win, is all the reward you will ever need!

I purchased my first three animals, two dogs and one cat, from breeders. Each animal ended up being a reasonably good house pet. As I’ve got older and wiser, I’ve realized the incredible number of great animals in shelters that need homes. Therefore, my most recent dog is adopted from a greyhound rescue group. My greyhound has been the best companion dog of all! I fully expect my next animal will be an adoption as well.

There are a few things to think about when adopting an animal from a shelter. First, make sure that you’re prepared to accommodate an animal that may need a little more tender love and care in his or her first few months. As you know, it’s quite a transition going from a shelter to a home and a neighborhood.

Secondly, when you get to the shelter, be selective based on which animal would be the best match. This includes the obvious things such as size, breed and hair length, but also the less obvious like personality. You won’t necessarily have knowledge about the animal’s prior history. Specifically, you won’t know whether the animal had been abused, physically or emotionally. Abuse can definitely affect the way the animal behaves. You’ll want to work with the adoption facility director to determine whether the animal is the right fit for you and your family. In most cases, you’ll find that the majority of animals in shelters have very good personalities and will become wonderful pets.

There are thousands of adoption facilities around the country and around the world for dogs, cats, fish, reptiles, horses and other animals. These animals range from being purebreds to mixed breeds, from being puppies to older adults, from being small to being very large. Take a ride to your local animal shelter and see if any of the available pets appeal to you. Alternatively, seek out the perfect pet online. See the below links to do a quick, targeted search for a cat or dog.

Also, agencies that help a segment of the community, but are often overlooked are shelters for animals. These shelters often provide food, medical assistance and immunizations for those animals who are lost or who have been abandoned.

If looking to financially help pet shelters there are a number of pet adoption fundraising ideas that can be implemented. The pet adoption fundraising ideas may not directly provide adoption for the pet, but will help the pet shelter to care for the animals until adoptive families arrive.

Adoption Fundraising Ideas

There are many creative adoption fundraising ideas that can be implemented. Some are proven and successful ideas such as a walk-a-thon.

A walk-a-thon is an opportunity for an adoptive pet or a family pet to walk with their owner. The idea behind this adoption fundraising idea is that neighbors, family, and friends pledge a certain amount of money for time or distance walked. Or, a sponsor can donate a set amount of money simply to support the walk-a-thon.

The event is very beneficial for not only does it raise money to assist the pet shelter in the work that they provide, but also brings attention to the plight of abandoned or lost pets. It can also be used as an event to highlight the importance of spaying or neutering pets.

How does one get their new adopted pet to join a family and new people? Most individuals or families DO view their pets as a member of the family. Beyond the basic obedience classes for adopted pets, some areas offer “Four-legged Babies”(sometimes called Pets and Babies) classes, designed for expectant couples who want to help their “dog babies” and/or “cat babies” accept their new human baby siblings.

More and more people want to have pets, but there are many people who can not provide the right environment and the right nutrients for the animal. Please don’t misunderstand, mainstream care does have its place but it should not be the only choice people and their pets have.

Your new adopted pet may be insecure and more prone to misbehaving during the first few days in a new environment. Do you and others in your family have the needed patience to help your new adopted pet trough this time of adjustment?

Until relatively recently pet health was always approached by waiting for signs and symptoms of disease to occur, and then to counter them with toxic drugs which would either mask or knock out the symptoms. This naturally means vet bills. This is another serious consideration as you explore the possibility of pet adoption. For more information go to: http://www.adopt-a-pet.info

I am a true animal lover! So as you think about pet adoption, whether it be a dog, cat, guinea pig, bird, horse, (etc) do your best to give serious thought to this new endeavor. In the end, you and the new pet that you adopted will know the right decision was made! ~ Ms.CiCi