Holiday shopping is approaching quickly, and everyone is looking for that perfect holiday gift for their loved ones. This is one trend that never gets old, and neither is the trend of buying a little puppy for Christmas, wrapping a big red bow on its neck and surprising your loved one.
But where do people usually end up getting these puppies from? Breeders most likely. Puppy mill breeders, most likely. Instead of supporting those businesses and people this year, why not buy an animal from a shelter? I think people feel like they need to purchase that puppy directly from a breeder, or from a pet shop.
However you do not. Winter is a terrible time for stray animals, taking shelter under cars, which I have seen cats do this numerous times. (Side note: Always check your tires because cats tend to sleep on top of or behind them during the winter.) They end up in shelters, adding to the already overcrowded situation most shelters face.
Your dog or cat, or any animal for that matter is still shiny and new if you adopt from a shelter. It does not matter that they are not from the best in show breeder, because they will end up being best in show in your heart. Shelter animals have more love in their hearts than anything. You can get a puppy or kitten at a shelter as well, if you are very concerned with a certain age you want your animal to be.
All you have to do is a little research. Look at different shelters in your area, search them online. Most of them have their adoptable animals listed, so all you have to do is just look through them. It is as easy as that. It should not be a hard process, because at the end of the day you are doing something so amazing. You are giving an animal a second chance at having a good life.
There is nothing wrong with adopting an old animal either, because they have been around the block. They have endured a lot of things, and old dogs can learn new tricks as they say. They have just as much love to give, if not even more. I cannot even imagine some of the places they have been, and when you think about it, they deserve all the love in the world in their final years. Why not be the person to give them the best years of their lives?
I just think people need to give adopting at a shelter a shot before they even consider adopting a pet from a breeder or pet store. There are so many animals out there that need a home, and especially during the holiday season. In the end, you are going to be making someone very happy, and that is what truly matters. Why not make a difference while doing it, because adopting an animal from the shelter is probably the greatest gift you could ever give a loved one, and the animal itself.