If you’re thinking about getting a pet for your family, you’ve most likely started to research pets that are available in your area on various selling sites like Gumtree and Preloved. However, with an estimated 55,000 pets that needed homes and were under the care of the RSCPA in 2012, it’s obvious to see that there are so many pets in rescue centres that need our help.
What is a rescue shelter?
A rescue shelter – also known as pet homes or rescue centres – refers to a place where stray, abandoned or unwanted animals are looked after by the workers or volunteers. Depending on the type of shelter, there can be animals of all species, ages, backgrounds and temperaments. Some of the pets in homes may have suffered serious abuse or neglect. Others may have been given up because their families could no longer adequately care for them anymore.
All good rescue shelters will look after their animals and work with them to improve their heath and behaviour, and claim to never rehome an animal that isn’t ready to leave yet.
What can you expect from an animal in a rescue shelter?
There are many concerns people have when it comes to heading to a rescue shelter to get a new pet, and most of them are myths or very outdated. As mentioned above, animals in competent, modern shelters will be treated to the highest standards and will be nurtured in terms of their health and happiness. Therefore the idea that all animals in adoption homes are aggressive and untamed is just not accurate anymore.
Whilst it’s impossible to state that all of the animals will be exceptionally well behaved and healthy, it’s important to remember everything they’ve been through and to take these things into account before dismissing them. They may have been subject to horrific cruelty, or, at the very least, may have been moved around a lot.
What are the true advantages of adopting a pet from a shelter?
When you adopt an animal from a rescue shelter, you are essentially saving a life. There are more animals than homes and overpopulation is a common problem in shelters. To tackle this, some have no choice than to put the animals to sleep (though this is becoming rarer). Also, the animals in shelters are much more likely to have been neutered to eliminate the chance of them being able to reproduce into an already over-crowded world.
Additionally, they will give you a good idea about the animal’s temperament and background which you aren’t likely to get from a breeder (or an honest idea, at least). They will have been treated with the best veterinary supplies at vet-medic.com and other well respected animal care product manufacturers.
Shelters also often are a much cheaper way of obtaining a pet, as pet shops and independent breeders can charge as much as they like and they will often want to make a large profit. Most shelters generally just ask for a donation to cover things like admin fees and one or two of their vaccinations.
I have 3 rescue cats and they are the most loving animals! I wouldn’t go anywhere else if I wanted a new pet it’s a lovely feeling knowing your giving them that second chance
AliceMegan