6 Reasons Why You Should Adopt a Dog From a Rescue Shelter

Puppies are fun and playful, and of course every child in the world wants a baby animal to play with. However, a dog can be just as great, if not better. Read on to discover the most crucial reasons why you should consider adoption from a shelter, instead of buying a puppy from a breeder.

Shelters everywhere put innocent animals down every day because they have limited resources. The second an animal arrives at the shelter, their clock begins ticking. They will only be housed for a small length of time. If they are not adopted within this time frame, they are put to sleep.

These are often amazing animals who would have made a great addition to any family, but they were not given enough time to prove this. If more people made the choice to adopt from shelters, fewer animals would suffer this fate. You could be a hero to an animal who would have otherwise been killed to make room.

Another important reason to consider adoption is the companionship a dog can provide. Dogs have proven time and time again that they live up to their reputation of "mans best friend". When you bring a new dog into your home and shower it with love and affection, that dog will return the favor with loyalty and protection.

If you live alone, having a dog could mean having someone to talk to and play with. They could entertain you and provide social comforts that you otherwise would not have. Puppy's are a lot of work and very hyper, but an already trained dog comes ready to go.

Your laying in bed and hear a noise downstairs, but you live alone so your afraid to go check it out. This could be a terrifying scenario for anyone who is by themselves at night. A dog could help to ease the stress and anxiety of situations such as the one above.

Even if there were nothing to worry about, at least you would have a sense of security. On the other hand, what if there was an intruder? They would not get far once they came nose to nose with Fido. Protection is the leading reason why people have dogs, and there is a very good reason for that. Puppy's cannot protect your home or children, but a dog can.

Do you really want to deal with the hassle of training a new puppy? The messes on the floor when you come home from work. Everything in your home getting chewed on. It is a lot of work to teach a small dog how to ask to go outside before they go to the bathroom, and it can sometimes take weeks to do so. That is a lot of time for them to ruin your home before they understand right from wrong, and a lot of chewed up slippers.

If you get a dog from the pound they are likely already trained to go outside and not on the expensive carpet. They already have a basic understanding of right from wrong, and some shelters will even train dogs that come in untrained, so you can take comfort knowing your adopted dog will know right from wrong.

When you get a dog from a shelter they will charge you a small fee, either a flat fee for whatever type or size they are, or they ask for a donation. This money goes towards caring for animals who otherwise would be starving on the streets. It allows shelters to stay open, and take in animals who are abused, neglected, or unwanted.

Buying from a private breeder just puts more money into their pocket. They do not care about other animals, and probably do not even care about their own. Animals are just a paycheck to them. Support the animal community and adopt rather then supporting a single person.

Some of the best animals I have ever know were rescued from abusive situations. Perhaps they understand that, and maybe they know you saved them, so they are more loyal and loving towards you. Whatever the reason, animals who are rescued from abuse can be some of the greatest pets to own!

I have had a couple of friends who will only own rescued animals for this very reason. They don't have any explanation for it, but swear that there rescue animals are just different. There behavior and demeanor just doesn't compare to a dog who has been raised in a different situation. I think dogs understand more then we give them credit for, and they know you saved them, and they return that favor the only way they can, with love!

Please remember that the choice to adopt any animal needs to be considered strongly, and several factors need to be thought about first. Make sure that you are financially able to bring a new family member into your home. Dogs are not free entertainment and shelters are full because so many people did not think about this before they got a puppy. You will need to be able to afford food, shelter when you are not home, health care for when they get sick, toys, and anything else that may come up in the future. Something else you must consider is time, and if you have enough to devote to a new animal. If you are never home and do not have any time to spend walking or playing with your friend you should pass on adoption.

Do you have other animals that are not going to get along with the new addition, do you have small children you may end up being uncomfortable having a dog around, or are there any doubts that you have in your mind about adoption? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you may want to pass on the whole idea. You do not want to be the reason a dog ends up in a shelter waiting for a new home that they may never find. If more people were responsible in making this decision and more people understood the importance of this choice, then shelters would not be over crowded now. Please keep these things in mind before you chose to bring home a new dog or puppy.

They may not be human, and they may only be helpless animals but they should be looked at as an important part of your family and should be treated just as good as you would treat any of your family members. A good rule of thumb to live by, if you would not do it to your Grandmother, then do not do it to your dog.