There are so many reasons to adopt a pet.
I read an email the other day which some of you may have also read. The story was about a gentleman who was dealing with loss on many levels. His wife had passed away and he had to give up his home and live with his daughter. He was angry and took it out on everyone around him. His family was distraught, trying to help in any way they could. One day his daughter read something about pets helping the elderly deal with change or loss. She went to the local animal shelter and looked through all the cages. In the very last one, she found an old dog who looked so sad in his cage. The shelter told her that he had shown up a few days earlier and no one had claimed him. It was his last day on earth as he was scheduled for euthanasia the following day. She immediately adopted him and took him home for her dad. When she got home, he was not happy with her. He didn't want the dog. But somehow the dog endeared himself to the old man and they became friends. They spent all their time together, taking walks, visiting with neighbors, and the man was happy again.
Two lives were saved at the shelter that day. The dog found a new home and the gentleman found a new reason to live!
Sadly, between 3 and 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year in the United States simply because too many people give up their pets and too few people adopt from shelters.
Our local shelters make sure the animals are examined and vaccinated when they arrive and also spay or neuter them before adopting them out.
Adopting a pet from an animal shelter is much less expensive than buying a pet at a pet store or from a breeder. Plus you won't inadvertently be supporting any puppy mills.
Pets have a way of putting a smile on your face and a spring in your step. They give you unconditional love and have been shown to be psychologically, emotionally, and physically beneficial as well.
Pets can help your physical health. Spending time with an animal can help lower a person's blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Dog walking, pet grooming, and even petting a cat or dog provide increased physical activity that can help strengthen the heart, improve blood circulation, and slow the loss of bone tissue.
Simply put, pets aren't just good friends. They're also good medicine, improving a person's well-being in many ways. Consider adopting a pet into your family. The life you save could be your own!
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/adopt/tips/top_reasons_adopt.html
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