To start and to help you understand why I sound very opinionated, I have to tell you that I am a big animal person...even though I am allergic to most animals that shed.
The other day I was scrolling though Facebook and I came across picture that make me stop:
This picture rings very true. Animals do not give up humans -- it's humans that give up animals.
Some people think that you should adopt, not shop, when it comes to finding your four-legged friend. If you really think about it though, we should not have to adopt. People should not give up their pets because "they got too big" or because "they are too much work." You should consider those things before you get the pet to begin with. Although, I am not saying that we should not adopt animals from pounds. Every animal deserves a loving, forever home.
You probably will not find a pound out there that is not half full of Pit Bulls that no one wants. Pit Bulls are one of the cutest dogs out there but they have picked up the reputation of being aggressive so no one will adopt them. Believe it or not, Pit Bulls are very sweet dogs if they are raised correctly. Pit Bulls are often raised to fight or to be guard dogs which is how they have picked up their bad reputation. A lot of people get rid of their Pit Bulls as well as other dogs because they will be too aggressive around their kids...well here are some pictures that help prove them wrong:
I volunteered one Saturday at school at the Humane Society. I walked by cage after cage of dogs who had been abused or abandoned. It hurt. Some of those dogs had the saddest eyes. Some of the dogs were afraid of human contact. They all had a couple things in common: they all wanted a loving home and they all stole my heart.
I wanted all of them. Every pet deserves a loving home.
That same day I watched four families come in and not ever look at the older dogs, They only looked at the puppies in the first room, who I will admit were quite adorable.
Going back to my original image: Pets do not leave us, so why would we even consider leaving them?
Next time you are looking for a new dog, do me and the dog a favor and consider how big the dog will get, how much work the dog will take and consider adopting a dog that someone else has abandoned.
Here's a picture of my two dogs just for your benefit: