Every couple of months when I say goodbye to each of my six pets, they do the same thing. They fail to understand and take into account my fragile human emotions which I try, time and time again, to convey with my fragile human words. When I come back home, they treat me like a deserter. They turn up their snub little noses after a 30-second excuse for a greeting. It is a stake through my fragile human heart. But of course, I always go crawling back for their affections—quite often literally.
Now, you might feel like six is a lot of animals to keep—you are correct—and when they all shed and live in an apartment, it feels like “a lot of animals” even more. Heading off to school is actually a pleasant respite from all the responsibility and constant vigilance a pet owner faces. And still, without fail, every semester I wish I could get a little adoptee for the dorm. It’s just what comes naturally for a person who’s lived with multiple animals her entire life—it seems right. I know, however, how truly daunting it can be to find yourself as a first-time adopter, or to take on another pet after one has passed away. But if you have the resources and the love to spare, it’s a crucial role to play.
In all honesty, I have rarely found myself in possession of an animal that required paperwork and an interview. My family and I always just end up with animals in need of care. Our two dogs showed up at the back gate of our yard and sat there until we opened it and cleaned them up. Two of our cats approached us as kittens, starving and mewling in a warehouse district. Once, my grandfather picked up a hutch of rabbits that had been abandoned on the railroad he was working on, and then we had to try and save some poor rabbits (one out of three lived to a respectable old age). While these animals were adopted by us on the fly, there is a better way: local no-kill shelters and rescues.
These organizations work hard to keep adoptable pets in safe, healthy environments and need to be supported. They do not have an infinite amount of space to accept new animals and can only function to full potential when the public goes to them instead of to pet shops that encourage breeding mills. According to the ASPCA—those guys who put the really sad, voiced-over adoption and donation commercials on TV—over seven and a half million pets enter American shelters each year. If my experiences are anything to go by, that massive number must still pale in comparison to the actual number of homeless and abandoned animals nationwide.
If all this information thrown in your face intimidates or scares you, I apologize. That was never my intention. In fact, I hope reading this was a far more enjoyable experience than sitting through one of those ASPCA commercials. I only want you to know that if you have ever seriously considered getting a pet, you should stop considering, go out there, and adopt a rescue pet.
Weigh those variables and come out on top with some fluff ball in arms. They’re waiting for somebody just like you.
