Animal shelters, as well as the pets inside of them, are often misunderstood. Unfortunately, such misconceptions might lead to many wonderful pets not being adopted into loving homes! Here, your Marietta, GA veterinarian dispels some common shelter myths.
Shelters and Their Pets Are Dirty
This couldn’t be further from the truth. Any modern shelter is a very clean, well-sanitized facility, and the pets in them are clean as well. Pets may arrive at a shelter dirty, but they’re cleaned, trimmed, given nail clips and vaccinations, and even spayed or neutered if necessary. Proper sanitation is essential to prevent the spread of contagious and/or dangerous diseases and infections.
Shelter Pets Are Old
Some people make the mistake of thinking that shelter pets are mostly old animals who have been abandoned by their owners. This isn’t true—pets of every age, from newborns to elderly animals, can be found at your local animal rescue. No matter the age of pet you and your family are considering, you’re probably going to be able to find it in a shelter.
Shelter Pets Aren’t Well-Behaved
Think that pets wind up in shelters because they’re poorly behaved and therefore given up? Think again. Pets arrive at shelters for many reasons (unrestricted breeding, abandonment, etc.) and poor behavior is not a common one. The vast majority of shelter pets are kind, well-mannered pets who simply want a loving family to take care of them!
Shelters Don’t Have Purebred Animals
Many prospective pet owners avoid looking in shelters because they desire a purebred animal, and don’t think that shelters have them. This isn’t true; in fact, many shelters have purebred pets, as well as all sorts of mixed breeds. If you have your heart set on a particular type of dog or cat, check your local shelters first. You may just find the loving companion you’ve been longing for!
Shelter Staff Aren’t Experienced
Think that shelter staff are volunteers who have no real animal-care experience? This is a misconception. Many shelter staff members, even if they are volunteers, have applicable veterinary experience as technicians, assistants, kennel workers, animal trainers, animal behaviorists, or even full-time veterinarians!
Are you looking to adopt a pet? Check in your area’s local animal shelters first. Ask your Marietta, GA veterinarian for more information on the adoption process, and set up an appointment at the clinic to get your new pet started off right.
