Don’t Shop…

ADOPT

The Reality of Homeless Animals

• There are about 15 million shelter animals in the US.

• About 9.5 million of these animals are euthanized annually.

• Although many are very ill or too aggressive to be adopted, most euthanized animals are healthy and perfectly adoptable.

Shelter AnimalsMYTHS

• They ended up in the shelter because they were badly behaved animals

• They are inferior to animals bought from pet stores and breeders

FACTS• They ended up in a shelter because their owners:

- Acquired them without doing appropriate research

- Don’t have time for them

- Can’t afford them

- Die, divorce, have children, or move to a location that

doesn’t allow pets

• Many came from breeders or pet stores

• Have no more behavioral problems than any purchased puppy or kitten or untrained, owned adult

Benefits of Shelter Animals

• Extensive socialization: Animals are handled multiple times during the day by different workers and volunteers.

• Preliminary health and behavior testing: Each animal up for adoption has been screened for injuries and illnesses, and has passed species-specific behavior tests.

• Disposition: Many people find shelter animals especially friendly and eager to please, due to past lack of human attention.

Benefits Ctd.• Price: You must “buy” your pet to offset its veterinary and care costs. However…

SHELTER ANIMAL: $50-$300 for dog, $30-$150 for cat. All age-appropriate vaccines and medications have already been given. In most cases, the animal is already spayed/neutered.

PET STORE/BREEDER ANIMAL: Depending on the breed, $300-$3000 for dog, Free-$3000 for cat. Vet costs (average): $40 for visit, $60 for age-appropriate vaccines, $150-$300 for spay/neuter depending on animal’s weight and species.

You make the comparison.

Why Bother Spaying/Neutering?

• Protection against reproductive system diseases/emergencies, such as:

- Cancers of the testes, prostate gland, ovaries, and uterus

- Painful prostate gland inflammation (males)

- Pyometra: Infection inside the uterus (females)

- Uncomfortable menstrual bleeding during heat cycles (females)

• Behavioral modification:

- Stops roaming, aggression, territorial urine-marking, and inappropriate mounting in male cats and dogs

- Stops yowling during estrus in female cats

• Save lives:

- Avoid having to find homes for unwanted litters, and avoid having your male pet create unwanted litters that may be euthanized when found and turned in to a shelter.

What if I Want a Purebred?

• 25% to 30% of shelter animals are purebreds.

• There are hundreds of purebred-specific breed rescues in the US.

Searching for homeless purebreds is easy at www.petfinder.com.

Mixed Breeds are Wonderful, too. • In general, animals of mixed breeding tend to have less

physical and emotional health problems associated with a limited gene pool in purebreds.

• Through natural selection, mixed breeding offers the “best” of all breeds involved, and eliminates undesired recessive genes.

• “Designer dogs” such as puggles, labradoodles, and cockapoos are technically mixed breed dogs.

Puppy/Kitten or Adult?Young animals are adorable, but require extra

diligence in terms of housebreaking, training, and establishing dominance.

Most of the time, adults are already housebroken, no longer have excess (potentially destructive) energy,

and have established personality traits. Most euthanized animals are adults.

Pet Stores and Breeders• PET STORES:

- Often affiliated with puppy mills and irresponsible breeders

- More concerned with profit than healthy puppies and kittens

- Put puppies and kittens under considerable amounts of stress

• BREEDERS:

- No responsible breeder will ship 8-week-old puppies alone across the country!

- Watch out for breeders who do not let potential buyers meet the animal’s parents, cannot reproduce the parents’ genetic health certifications, breed a female before she is two years old, or breed a female at every heat cycle.

Of course, there are many responsible breeders.

Adopt your Animals!