Animals
CONSDERING A FURRY FRIEND? Are you considering buying a new addition to the family? Maybe a cute little puppy or a cute kitty with adorable tiny paws? Marilyn Sheridan asks us to consider adopting a pre-owned pet, as after all, they need love too!
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ave you ever considered getting a dog or a cat to be part of your family? Before you rush out to a breeder to get an adorable new puppy or kitten, maybe you might consider a ‘pre-owned’ pet – there are plenty out there that need a new home, and in fact there are so many waifs and strays needing homes that the charities and shelters supporting them are really overwhelmed.
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Visit any shelter and take your pick, there are large, small, young, old, female or male – but you can guarantee that they all arrived stressed and confused and the staff involved in their welfare would love your help in providing food or money to pay for the vet to help heal wounds or sterilize, or just to volunteer to help out and show the animals some love – but the greatest gift you could give would be a new home.
I personally have only ever had previously unwanted animals as pets, and each and every one has turned out to be a stable and much loved addition to the family. What can happen is that a kitten or a puppy is purchased or acquired and despite being cute and cuddly, they need a lot of training and attention. Soon their owners become not so enamored for whatever reason, and the animal is abandoned. The reasons dogs in particular need rehoming are varied – the new pet could be too much like hard work, the new owner didn’t figure in the costs involved or the temperament of the animal didn’t suit the dynamics of the family.
Once the decision is made, visit the shelter more than once, and get to know the animal you have selected. In the case of a dog, take him or her for a walk away from the clamour of the shelter as they will often behave in a totally different manner away from their kennel-mates. The shelter may have some background information to share – perhaps the animal doesn’t like children, or doesn’t like other animals, or has special needs to be considered. The shelter wants nothing more than to see the animal rehomed successfully, and although they would gladly take him or her back if it doesn’t work out, a little research first would prevent this hapenning. Nothing is more rewarding than to see your new pet happy, relaxed and loving every minute of their new life.
The advantages of picking a pet from a shelter is that they are often already house-trained and are probably past the destructive puppy or kitten stage. An older animal is usually calmer and just wants a loving home, a warm bed and someone who will take care of them.
If you are interested in sharing your love with a furry friend, consider visiting the following shelters: Goldra dog santuary - thegoldradogsanctuary.com ARA - facebook.com/animalrescuealgarve Canil de São Francisco de Assis, Loulé - canilsfa.pt
January 2021
