National Rescue Dog Day!
May 20, 2021
It’s National Rescue Dog Day! Every year about 3.3 million dogs enter shelters, but only 1.6 million are adopted and 1.5 million shelter dogs and cats are euthanized according to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). It’s a sad truth, but one we can fix together.
By now, most people have heard the slogan “adopt don’t shop” as a means to get more people to adopt pets from shelters instead of buying them from breeders or puppy mills. So many animals get put down simply because animal shelters don’t have enough room for all of the pets. Most pet lovers can agree that all those animals deserve loving homes. So, this year, if your family has been thinking about adopting a new pet, try rescuing one instead of going to a breeder. When you adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue center, you’re essentially saving two lives. The life of the pet you adopted, and the life of another animal who can replace their spot!
Many people buy dogs from breeders because they want a specific kind of dog, but that is often very costly. 36% of the people I polled who had a pet got them from a breeder. Some of the more expensive ones can go from $7,000 to $14,000. But, adoption fees typically don’t go over $700, so you’d be saving yourself quite a lot of money. Plus, when buying a new puppy, there’s a whole other list of expenses to “puppy-proof” your home. I know when we got our dog, we had to install a long baby gate right through the middle of our house, and repair the wall… that he ate… Puppies are also a lot of work, they have weird sleeping and eating schedules, and need constant attention. Rescue pets, depending on their story – which some adoption and rescue centers can give you – are less work and typically already house-trained. However, some do take in pregnant animals, so if a puppy is what you’ve set your heart on, you can still find one with enough love to go around the entire world at a shelter.
Rescue pets are also less likely to be purebred. Purebred dogs are dogs that haven’t been mixed with any other breed. Some people find this appealing, but purebred dogs tend to have more medical issues and shorter lifespans. Pugs, for example, have trouble breathing and can have issues with snoring, wheezing, etc. Some dogs with these kinds of problems need to be taken to the vet more often, which can lead to expenses adding up.
Adopting dogs, and other animals too, from shelters or rescues, is always a good way to give an animal a good home. Donating to these shelters and rescues also helps if you’re not interested in getting a pet right now. A lot of these businesses are non-profit organizations, so they need donations to keep helping animals in need. Some of the best rescue organizations and shelters are listed below! So, think about donating to one of these organizations, or adopting a pet from them for National Adopt a Rescue Dog Day!
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