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 This
May, celebrate National Pet Month by encouraging your pet-shopping
friends to adopt from a local shelter rather than hitting
the store. It’s better for the animal, the community
and the planet, no matter what the nay-sayers might suggest.
I caught up with pet-lover and expert Diane Pomerance as she
discussed some of the common myths people have about adopting
pets.
“They think, ‘I don’t want to inherit someone
else’s problem,’ or they simply think all the dogs
there are abused or hard to train, or that they won’t
be able to find the breed that they want,” said Pomerance,
author of seven books about pets, including Our
Rescue Dog Family Album and founder of the Pet
Grief Counseling Program for the SPCA of Texas in Dallas.
Her family has saved and adopted more than 40 rescued dogs
over the years and currently have 21 in their home. In addition,
she has helped place hundreds more with good homes.
Here, she shares her take on the most common—and erroneous—preconceived
notions people have about shelter dogs.
Myth #1: Most shelter dogs are sick or aggressive
from abuse.
Why it’s wrong: Rescued dogs receive better care
and feeding than pet shop dogs, and they are treated by veterinarians
before being offered for adoption. In addition, they are far
more affordable to adopt and care for, since many shelters
and rescue groups offer free adoptions, and excellent veterinary
services at significantly reduced rates. Also, most shelters
don’t allow dangerous animals to be adopted.
Myth #2: Pet Shop dogs are better quality animals.
Why it’s wrong: Pet shops typically get their
dogs from puppy mills that breed them in unsanitary and inhumane
conditions, which means many new owners bring home pets with
illnesses not immediately obvious or disclosed at the time
of sale, and they are offered no compensation for it. So,
buying at a pet shop means paying top dollar, sometimes over
$1,000 for a dog, and then paying top dollar for private veterinary
care to treat any initial illnesses many pet shop dogs contract.
Myth #3: Most of the dogs who are euthanized wouldn’t
make good pets, anyway.
Why it’s wrong: Rescuing a dog helps deplete the
high population of animals in these shelters and reduces the
number of good, faithful, loving animals that are euthanized
every year. It’s not just the sick or dangerous dogs
who are euthanized at shelters. In most cases, many dogs who
would make good pets are euthanized because of overcrowding
in the shelter.
“Animals are deserving of our respect and appreciation,
which is why we should try to be responsive individually to
the crisis facing animal shelters today,” Pomerance adds.
“You’re not buying a car or getting a new electronic
toy to play with—these are living, breathing, loving
creatures with whom we share our world. If we choose to share
our family with one, we should take care to ensure we choose
carefully and prudently so we can enhance not only our family’s
life, but the dog’s, as well.”
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