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Adopting Pets

By: Beth Morrisey MLIS - Updated: 13 Mar 2012 | comments*Discuss
 
Pets animals pet Adoption adopting

Adopting pets is a great way to bring new animals into the home. There are far too many stray and abandoned animals across the United Kingdom and it’s impossible to find them all loving homes. More volunteers are needed to house these animals, and there are a variety of benefits for the families who agree to adopt them as well. A lower cost, the ability to get to know the animal and having an expert approve your home as safe for pets are just a few of the positive reasons that many families choose to adopt a pet.

Lower Cost

The total cost of adopting a pet will vary depending on the type of animal adopted, the adoption service used, whether or not full supplies are needed to be purchased and of course whether or not the animal needs medical care before being brought home. However, it is rare that these costs will run into the thousands of pounds price tags that can accompany some pure breed pets.

Getting to Know the Animal

Another major benefit of adopting pets is that the family interested in taking an animal home has the chance to meet many animals before the make their decision. Not only does this allow the family to get a sense of a potential pet’s personality, but it means that families with children can actually see how the animal interacts with the little ones. It can also mean that the decision about which particular animal to adopt can become heart-breaking, since the unselected animals will remain at the shelter or charity, but anyone feeling overwrought about their fate should try to remember that they are receiving excellent care from trained staff members – and that hopefully another loving family will come along soon to collect them.

Knowing Your Home is Safe

Many animal charities will require potential adopting families to undergo a vetting procedure that requires their home to be deemed safe and comfortable for potential pets. Don’t be alarmed if this is the case for you, it is simply a chance for the organisation to ensure that you can provide the correct environment for an animal. On the flipside, it also means that you get the chance to pick a professional’s brain about providing a loving home for an adopted pet as well as about how to best arrange your home for maximum health (and fun!) for everyone. When you and your home have been approved, you can then enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you have met an expert’s approval.

Many families shy away from adopting pets because they think that the animals have been traumatised or left unhealthy. This may have been the case when they were first taken into care, but animal charities would never offer families the chance to adopt an animal that they have not deemed fit for adoption and family life. When it comes time to pick your pet, make sure to bring your children so that the care workers can see the kind of lifestyle you all enjoy and help guide you towards pets that would benefit from, and enrich, your home life. When you do make your selection, consider holding a special celebration to formally introduce your pet to your family and friends. Have fun!

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