Adopting a pet from a shelter is the popular thing to do these days. I’m not saying that makes it a bad thing, not by any means, but it’s becoming compulsory.
“Hey, check out this picture of our new dog!” is immediately met with “Did you get him from a shelter?”
They say that adopting from a shelter saves the lives of two animals: the one you adopted and the one that can take his/her place at the shelter. There’s no denying that logic, but it seems that people are becoming so skewed towards shelters that they don’t realize there are numerous ways to save an animal. The brief conversation cited above is one I’ve had before, and it’s amazing how hateful people can get when they ask if your animal is from a shelter. I understand the passion, folks, I really do, but you don’t have to make me feel like I did the wrong thing because my pet didn’t come from a rescue.
Nermal was found trying to cross four lanes of rush hour traffic when she was only three weeks old.
Porkchop was left at a foreclosed home in an outdoor pen so covered in weeds it was barely visible.
Annie was shuffled through five different homes before she was four months old, a series of people who didn’t want her because she wasn’t the ‘right kind’ of dog or who couldn’t keep her. I don’t have her original Craigslist photo anymore, but she looked absolutely terrified and miserable.
You can’t tell me these animals weren’t rescued. When we found them they were frightened, undernourished, and homeless. I shouldn’t have to justify having them simply because they didn’t spend any time at a shelter.
There are many ways to save a life.
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Ashley O'Melia, Author 