Comments on: Why don’t more people adopt pets from the animal shelter?

By: ELLE

ELLE — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:00:06 +0000

I have also adopted a cat from the animal shelter and she is the best cat ever. She was so affectionate at the shelter and although I was actually looking for my missing ca, and not to adopt anoter cat, I did ring the next day to find out if she had been adopted. To cut a long story short I adopted her and I am so happy I did. She doesn’t know it but she was just hours away from death!

There are a few reasons why people buy from a pet shop instead of adopting from a pound or shelter:

1. They assume the animals at the shelter haven’t had the proper care like the ones in the pets shop. they worry that they are wild or diseased when in fact both places make sure they have been checked and given the proper shots before being sold.

2. A lot of people actually don’t know where the shelters are but pet shops are in major shopping centres and easier to get to. If I hadn’t had my cat go missing I probably would never have known about pounds and shelters. I know know where my two local ones are and I would always adopt again.

3. Many people find the prices at the shelter too high. they expect to get them for next to nothing since they were going to be put down anyway.

4. Some people buy pets on impulse. They are shopping and walk past a window in a pet shop with a cute pet and they go in and buy it. You never ‘happen’ to be walking through a pound or shelter.

Thats all that I can think of at the moment…

By: Jenna

Jenna — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:59:27 +0000

A lot of people think of shelter dogs as having a lot of baggage, though, most of the time they were just surrendered because of a change in their family or a move.
Does the shelter your at showcase any of their pets at local pet stores? That can help a lot as a lot of time people that get a pet get one because they saw it in a pet store, not because they were necessarily looking for one. It can also help to change the opinion of what kind of pets are available at your local shelter.
Another thing that can help is showing people the pets that DON’T get adopted. A lot of times I overhear people say “oh, that one will get adopted right away” as a way to justify not adopting when in all reality the pet will probably be euthanized. Or, they think that only bad dogs get euthanized. Sometimes your local community needs a wake up call to what animals get euthanized in your area.
All you can do is keep trying to promote your shelter. Post photos of available animals online and then post the link where local people will see it, like Craigslist and your local newspaper classifieds.
I think a lot of people are just ignorant to what animals are available in the area.

By: Denai

Denai — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:52:50 +0000

When we got a new dog a few months ago, we went to the shelter to adopt one, but they had rules in place that stated you must have an enclosed kennel with a 6 foot high fence to keep the dog in. We live out in the country, and we have no need for a kennel because we teach our dogs to come when their names are called and to keep inside our property lines. I believe that you also had to have a background check before you could adopt. That was not a problem for us (i’ve never broken the law, lol), but for some it could be. So, we got looked in the ads and got one that had kept running away from its home in the city. She now does fine with us (with the occasional problem of not taking her business outside, and once in awhile she roots through the trash can, but we’re working on it ). Maybe if your shelter revised its requirements, it would find that more people would adopt.

By: Paul's Next Wife

Paul's Next Wife — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:48:24 +0000

Maybe they are afraid they are going to get an animal with too much “baggage.” They think maybe they were abused, or neglected, and they’ll be too wild or destructive or dangerous. I’ve been a “foster mom” to dogs from the shelter; both of them were really destructive, despite my loving and attentive care.

By: alibali

alibali — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:53:23 +0000

Its so sad I know. I have made a vow to never, ever buy an animal. Shelter animals already need homes and why do people have to breed more, there are already too many.

By: dark_wolf_rattery

dark_wolf_rattery — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:00:59 +0000

that’s like asking why more people don’t adopt children form orphanages. because people want to breed and make their own