Yeah, purebred cats and dogs are great, but have you ever known how it feels to literally save a soul?
Since forever, I’ve dreamt about having a Persian or Forest Norwegian cat (why not both?) and an adorable and extremely lazy English Bulldog. But in an Instagram vs. Reality type of situation, both I and my family have always adopted or rescued dumpster cats.
And you know what, I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world! Don’t get me wrong, pure breeds are amazing and I still hope that someday I will get my wish list, furry bundles of joys, but there’s something magical about having an adopted or rescued pet.
If you’ve read up until here, let me tell you why I think that adopting/rescuing a pet is something that everybody should do at least once in their life:
1. You literally save a little life
Not all of us can be doctors and save lives on a daily basis, we can’t end world hunger or adopt a child from a poor country, but we can all give a little good back to the world, even by doing something as small as adopting or rescuing a pet.
Every year, more than one million cats and dogs are euthanized in the United States, cats and dogs that could have made someone very happy, but didn’t get the chance to be adopted. That is a scary number, and imagine how many more die on the streets.
2. You give them the chance of a better life
Bear with me please, I’m gonna up the game a bit more: consider saving a pet with special needs. It’s an important decision, I know, and people usually prefer a healthy puppy or kitty BUT, and this is a huge but (hence the capital letters) this is the ultimate good deed you could do for a poor soul in need. I remember when I rescued my now 5 years old blind cat. I wasn’t planning on getting a cat, having just moved alone in a new apartment and wanting to enjoy my freedom. But when I saw this extremely small, fragile and particularly ugly kitty that was being rejected by his mom for being ill, I knew then and there that I was probably his only chance, not only at a good life but at a life at all. He was sick and starving and by a miracle had survived to that point. The vet told me he wouldn’t have lasted much longer, but my impulsive decision that day gave him a shot to become the well-fed, beautiful, smart and healthy cat he is today.
3. You’ll share an out of this world connection
We all know we share a special connection with our pets, they become our babies and they bring us joy and fill our hearts with love. They also keep the loneliness at bay and lift our moods continually. But an adopted or rescued pet will forever be thankful to you. The bond that is created when you save an animal is definitely one of the most amazing things I have experienced this far.
4. You actually help more than just one animal
Think about it. When you adopt a cat or a dog from a shelter, not only do you give them a new life, but you might also help countless others because you open up a spot for them at the shelter. And if the adoption also involved an amount of money, that money will help the shelter take better care of the other animals that live there.
5. It’s a simple yet effective way to fight puppy/ kitty mills
It is a sad reality of our times that, if you buy a puppy or a kitty from a pet store or online, you may be actually buying from a puppy/kitty mill.
Although they are not illegal, puppy/kitty mills are horrible places, factory-style breeding establishments, where the animals are kept in extremely poor conditions, forced to breed over and over again, without any medical care or human affection, all in the name of profit. We humans, we really can be despicable beings!
If you’re not buying your pet from a trusted source, chances are that your pup or cat comes from such a place, and they have been treated badly and might not even be as healthy as they seem.
These kinds of places still function, because people, albeit unknowingly, support them. But if you adopt instead, you can make sure that at least your money doesn’t end up in their hands.
If I’ve given you some food for thought, I hope one day soon you’ll be the reason a cute adopted animal is alive and well, living their best life as part of your family!