Have you ever felt like your teeth might fall out of your mouth and your jaws will crumble to pieces because you’re so happy and smiling so hard every time you see something? No? Not you? You haven’t felt that? You’ve obviously never adopted a rescue.
It doesn’t have to be a dog- even though they are the sweetest souls out there in my opinion. You can adopt a cat, horse, bird, farm animal, and many more! Any pet that you could want, there is the sad possibility that someone else felt that way too, but then changed their mind.
But there is a catch. You have to know for sure you’re ready to take on the responsibilities of being a parent. Are you ready to pay vet bills? Are you ready to buy food? Are you ready to go on walks and play catch? Please, PLEASE don’t adopt an animal without being knowledgeable about all that comes with one more mouth to feed.
Maybe you aren’t capable of medical bills for one more family member, and that’s okay. Animals don’t need families that can’t love them for forever. If you don’t buy a kitten because you know you can’t feed it, then you really did the right thing. Don’t be the family that goes out and gets a puppy for their child to grow up with, and then gets angry because the puppy pees in the house. You were potty trained too! Don’t be the person that only keeps puppies while they’re puppies then sends them to the pound. They don’t understand. They don’t deserve that. Don’t be the college student that HAS to have a dog, but only to show off to their friends, and never to spend time with.
Animals are hard work. They’re time consuming. They’re smelly when you don’t bathe them, and they’re bed hogs. But animals are worth it. Sweet sweet fur babies love unconditionally. Yes, some of them are aggressive, but you can only blame their owners for not socializing them, or abusing them.
So say you’re that person that admits you don’t have the time to be a parent--What on earth do you do now you ask? I still have THREE options for you! Your first option is the lovely road of fostering. You have an open blanket on the couch that you need filled? Bring home a momma and her kittens for the weekend. Fostering gives you the opportunity to love all kinds of animals, but on your schedule. Okay, that isn’t for you because your husband is allergic to animals? VOLUNTEER!! Animal shelters are ALWAYS looking for a helping hand. You can volunteer your time or food and materials. Maybe the shelters around you have strict training policies and you can’t volunteer in the slots they offer because you travel for work? Just stop right in to your local animal shelter, with two hours of spare time you can play with every animal at the place!
You’re missing a big BIG beauty in life if you’ve never adopted an animal. You’re giving them the second chance at the forever home that they’ve always deserved. You can’t tell me ASPCA commercials don’t make you cry. Fur babies are a necessity in life.
My family has rescued two Chihuahuas. To be such small dogs, they have the biggest personalities. Lucy and Samuel the Bull are their names, but like normal pet owners, we only refer to them by their nicknames. Lulu and Samwell are the keys to my heart. It is hard to watch them get older, and I’ve always wished I could have seen them as puppies, but I know they’re happy here. Rewarding doesn’t even begin to describe what it is like to adopt an animal.
