A year ago, if you told me I would have a cat, I probably would've laughed and looked at you funny. Now, I'm a proud cat mom to Salem.

Salem is a one-year-old black, Domestic Short-hair. I adopted him in February 2018 from a local animal shelter.

Originally, I only went to the shelter to look with my friends but Salem and I had an immediate bond and I knew I had to adopt him that day. While I admit the first couple of days of us getting to know each other was rocky, I wouldn't trade him for another cat!

When you adopt a pet from the animal shelter, you get to experience the different personalities of each animal and see what's best for you. You get a unique, loving friend for life. Adopting a pet is also cheaper than buying a pet. It's on average $50, versus spending $100 or more to buy an animal and usually includes spaying/neutering, some shots and microchipping.

When adopting, you don't support puppy and kitten mills which breed dogs and cats in terrible conditions in factories. The mills stay in business by selling dogs and cats online, in flea markets and pet stores to oblivious customers. Every year, millions of animals are euthanized because there is not enough room to keep all of these pets in addition to the new ones that come in every day.

Adopting a pet saves animal lives and ensures you're not supporting animal mills.

The most important thing when considering a pet is if you can you afford to keep the animal. While it is great to adopt, it isn't beneficial for the animal if you can't give them food, shelter and your time.

Take care of your pet and treat them well because your pet is now a member of your family!

Salem is also a part-time model.Lauren Amber Davis