Are you considering bringing a canine companion home with you? This October, the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) kicks off the national Adopt-a-Shelter Dog Month to encourage prospective dog owners to consider shelter adoption first and raise awareness of the plight of overcrowded animals shelters.
According to the ASPCA, eight to 12 million animals enter shelters each year nationwide, and more than half of those animals are euthanized. Aside from the grim facts, the ASPCA advocates shelter adoption for the following reasons:
- Most shelters offer adoption programs that match prospective owners’ lifestyles with an appropriate dog.
- Most shelters screen for health behavior problems
- Many shelters offer services such as training materials, vaccinations, medical checkups, spay and neuter surgery, and microchip administration.
- Dogs range from puppies to adults. Some owners who would rather not deal with housetraining and puppy destruction can adopt an older dog.
- Shelters house both purebreds and mixed breeds.
- ASPCA President and CEO, Ed Sayres, says “Studies show that being a pet parent offers serious health benefits, including lowered heart rates and blood pressure.”
As part of Adopt-a-Shelter Dog Month, the ASPCA is holding its second annual photo contest that opens on October 1, 2007 and ends on November 1, 2007. Winners are announced at the end of November.
For more information on dog adoption, the photo contest, and the ASPCA, visit www.aspca.org.