| I am sure you have heard this before, but in the | | | | or desire to train, even for people without children, |
| United States and Canada, every year there are | | | | etc. |
| millions of unwanted dogs and cats put to sleep | | | | Most of the time people purchase a pet without |
| because of lack of room at shelters, and not enough | | | | giving it full thought and that pets are a commitment |
| available homes for these animals. Even if you want a | | | | for the entire length of their lives. And, unfortunately, |
| purebred puppy, you can usually find what you want | | | | many people still do not spay or neuter their pets. A |
| at a shelter/rescue. Just go to petfinder.com, you | | | | catch 22 with this is that spay and neuter surgeries |
| can search by specific breed, age, region, etc. Some | | | | cost a lot of money for most people; averaging $500 |
| of the southern states are high kill shelters that | | | | in most cases; and cities, vets clinics, etc; need to |
| euthanize if not claimed within 3 days; some still use | | | | perhaps look at this dilemma and possibly offer |
| the gas chamber and heart stick as methods of | | | | reduced rates for lower income individuals and |
| euthanization which are extremely inhumane. | | | | families somehow. |
| Even if a pet store says the puppies available don't | | | | The best idea is to go to your local humane society |
| come from a puppy mill; 99% of the time they do; | | | | or adopt from one of the many animal rescues that |
| no reputable breeder would put their puppies in a pet | | | | are in your area. You will be rewarded with a loving |
| store to be caged all day. Many of these animals at | | | | pet, that is house trained, altered and up to date on |
| rescue organizations and shelters did start out as | | | | their vaccinations, and you will have literally saved a |
| purchases from a pet store or breeder, but were | | | | life. Many rescue organizations and local city pounds, |
| surrendered due to lack of time, or the owners | | | | shelters, spcas, have pure bred animals available for |
| moving, lack of money, having a baby, children | | | | adoption. I know a young couple that found a |
| allergic, developing allergies, dog jumps up on children | | | | beautiful pure bred Akita at the city pound and are |
| and they take the easy way out of giving the dog | | | | very happy with their new family member. |
| away or selling instead of investing time and energy | | | | So if you are looking at getting a pet, why not at |
| that the animal deserves to train them to be a more | | | | least look into what your local rescue organizations |
| balanced member of the family; or just a lack of time | | | | have to offer? |