How bad do you think the homeless pet situation is in the U.S. today? According to a PetSmart Charities research study, it's probably worse than you think. Close to 8 million pets are living their lives in shelters nationwide and about half of those will be euthanized every year. These aren't the 4 million animals that are inappropriate for adoption, although there are certainly some of those. Most of these millions of animals are perfectly healthy and would be thrilled to have a family who loves them.
When older cats are brought into shelters, often people wonder what is wrong with the cat. Does he spray on the furniture? Does she have an illness that will cost you thousands of dollars? Does he bite? Is she unfriendly? More often than not, the answer to those questions is "no." Cats are taken to shelters because a new husband has allergies, owners might pass away or must relocate and cannot take the pet, or there may be a tragedy of some kind (fire, storms) that separate the pet from its human. Sometimes the animal is rescued from an abusive situation.
If you have another cat in your household, admittedly, it is often easier to introduce a new housemate if the newbie is a kitten. The joy of adult cats is they are more settled. If you don't have the energy for a kitten, older cats are far less likely to climb to the top of the refrigerator to jump on your head or attempt to catch their dinner in your fish tank.
PetSmart Charities, Inc. has launched a social movement to help find homes for 4 million animals. People Saving Pets is hoping to find homes for these animals by giving people a place to obtain information and share it with other community members. They can help you find volunteer opportunities and homeless animals in your area waiting for someone to love them. You can also make a financial contribution to local animal welfare agencies.
The program was officially launched in Oklahoma City and Phoenix, but over 115 animal-welfare organizations are already supporting the movement. If your city isn't already involved, it probably will be soon. You can also "Like" People Saving Pets on Facebook.
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