Puppy Adoptions

Puppy adoptions can unite needy animals with loving owners who'll provide a home for life. Have you ever considered adopting a pet from a shelter? If so, read on…

It's a very sad situation, but statistics show that approximately seven million unwanted pets are euthanized each year. Dog spaying or neutering helps put a dent in those numbers, but overpopulation still results in far too many pets without good, loving homes.

Puppy adoptions are a positive way to reduce the number of dogs in shelters across the globe. For many prospective owners, adding a new puppy to the family typically means paying a visit to a breeder or a pet shop, usually at a significant cost.

While there's nothing wrong with obtaining a puppy in this manner, it's not the only way. It's important to remember there are plenty of puppies, even pure breeds, already sitting in shelters just waiting for someone to love them.

Gone are the days when you could walk into a shelter, pick out a puppy that appealed to you, and leave with it the same day. Spur-of-the-moment puppy adoptions all too frequently led to returns just a few weeks later, perpetuating the homeless pet problem. Today, puppy adoptions are a multi-step process that begins with a standard interview and a few follow up visits. This allows the shelter staff to screen potential owners and hopefully match them with a puppy that will best fit into their lifestyle.

These information gathering sessions are designed to help potential owners consider the adoption from every angle and decide whether or not they are truly ready to commit to providing a needy dog with the care it deserves.

The questions are also designed to assure pets get into the right home, not just any home. In some cases, prospective owners will be turned away if they do not meet the shelter's basic criteria.

Here are some of the questions often asked during interviews for puppy adoptions.

• Are you at least twenty-one years old?
• Have you ever owned a dog before?
• Do you currently have other pets? If so, what kind and how many?
• Are any of those pets spayed or neutered?
• Do you live in a house or apartment?
• If you rent, can you provide your landlord's name and phone number?
• Do you have a fenced-in area where your potential pet could be exercised?
• Do you work outside of the home, and if so, how many hours each day?
• What is your average yearly income?
• Do you have children?
• What size dog are you looking for?
• Are you looking for a specific breed?
• If asked, can you provide references from a veterinarian or other sources?
• Are you willing to have your home/property inspected prior to adopting?

Although puppy adoptions can be less expensive than purchasing a new pet, they are not usually free. Most animal shelters and rescue centers charge an adoption fee that can be as little as $50.00 or as much as $300.00, depending on the services being rendered.

Why so much? The fee may cover any or all of the following:

• Food
• Shelter
• Vaccinations
• Spaying/Neutering
• Other miscellaneous medical care as needed
• Micro-chipping

When you consider the fact that you'd likely pay $300.00 or more for a dog from a breeder and still have to shell out extra for vaccinations and spaying/neutering, the fee is really a bargain.

Adopting a puppy can be a lot more work than choosing to bring home an adult dog. Here are a few important things to consider.

• Are you prepared to go through the rigors of potty training?
• Can you accept some of your possessions will be chewed?
• Are you willing to attend obedience classes with your pet in order to teach her basic commands?
• Will you need to leave your puppy alone for hours on end while you work?

If all of this seems like too much work, you might want to think about adopting an adult dog who already has some training.

Bringing a puppy into your life is definitely an adventure. If you're seriously thinking about adding a pet to your home, look into your heart and consider adopting a puppy from a shelter. It just might be one of the best decisions you'll ever make and you'll be saving a life in the bargain.

• LittleShelter.com, online cat and dog adoptions.
• PetsMart.com, pet adoption centers.

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