| Adopting a pet from an animal shelter is a wonderful | | | | a bout of spraying. I remember once when my |
| and caring thing to do. As an adult, the first cat I | | | | husband borrowed a book from a workmate. We |
| chose came from the Society for the Prevention of | | | | ended up buying a new copy for the lender since |
| Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) shelter. | | | | Pudi took exception to the foreign smell it came with. |
| I knew what I wanted, or rather, what I didn't want. | | | | She was very scared of anyone except those she |
| I wanted a girl kitten. I did not want a short-hair or a | | | | lived with, her family. Not at all sociable with |
| tabby. So what did I end up taking home? My new | | | | outsiders, it took her a long time to get to know |
| daughter, Pudi, was an estimated minimum of six | | | | anyone. On the other hand, she was incredibly |
| months old and a short-haired tabby. One out of four | | | | trusting and loyal to the family. I could put a collar |
| is not bad...is it? | | | | around her neck, dig out something lodged in her |
| An animal shelter is a difficult place to go to for an | | | | mouth, and feed her medicine, all without being |
| animal lover. The animals always look adorable and so | | | | clawed, scratched, or bitten. She never once used |
| needy of special love and attention. Although shelters | | | | her claws on me, even in play, but she did on others. |
| do their best with the resources and funding they | | | | None of this should deter anyone who wishes to give |
| have, I was upset for Pudi - she was in close | | | | a home to a shelter animal. All of these animals have |
| proximity to barking dogs and all the other cats in the | | | | been neglected, abandoned, mistreated, or otherwise |
| shelter were much older. Despite not meeting most | | | | find themselves without a permanent abode. It is |
| of my pre-requisites, I could no more walk away | | | | wise, however, to be thoughtful about the needs of |
| from her than I could go to live at the shelter. Pudi | | | | the animal and what it will mean for your household. |
| became a firm and beloved addition to the family. | | | | A malnourished animal may have or develop health |
| However, adoptions have their downside, too. One is | | | | issues. Are you willing to spend the time and money |
| that you have no history of the animal and its | | | | on seeing the pet has appropriate veterinary care? A |
| parentage. Pudi lived six months who knows where | | | | maltreated animal may have control issues or |
| before turning up on an older lady's doorstep one | | | | tendency to aggression. Can you afford the time and |
| day. The lady fed her scallops and then took her to | | | | finance of attending a dog training school or other |
| the shelter, where she sat waiting for me. | | | | such help where it exists? This is by no means |
| Unfortunately, she did come with issues. A hormonal | | | | always the case for even a mistreated dog can |
| problem meant she was prone to spraying urine | | | | become the most loyal and warm companion. |
| everywhere, including inside. This is a particularly | | | | For all the unfortunate clean-up jobs I was required |
| unpleasant problem. It got worse during times of | | | | to do, sometimes daily, I never regret having Pudi. |
| stress, like any change in the arrangement of | | | | Love makes a family. What animal needs your love |
| furniture. A particularly loud visitor could also promote | | | | today? |