This past Saturday, Hill's Pet Nutrition pet food and hundreds of animal shelters across the country teamed up to host "Change Pet's Life Day", an effort to lessen the barrier to pet adoption (waiving the normal adoption fees) while lessening the burden on animal shelters during this economic crisis (due to the resulting spike in pet surrenders nationwide).
Technical difficulties prevented us from spreading the word in time on Saturday, but wanted to share with you our interview with Dr. Louise Murray (above, left) director of medicine for the ASPCA in New York City. Dr. Murray is a regular guest and veterinary expert on CNN, the Today Show, and Animal Planet's Animal Precinct, as well as the author of Vet Confidential.
Read on for her thoughts on deciding whether or not pet adoption is right for you, and how to go about finding free or low-cost adoption centers near you, or check out this pet adoption story from USA TODAY, including photos from our favorite shooter, Jessica Rinaldi.
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Shoestring: What are your thoughts on Change a Pet's Life Day, sponsored by Hill's Pet Nutrition?
Dr. Murray: It’s essential that we get the word out that adoption is the best option! Events that help broadcast this message help to combat our pet overpopulation crisis. We all need to work together to solve this issue.
Shoestring: How is the ASPCA helping to defray the cost, either on Change a Pet's Life Day or otherwise, of adoption in order to lessen the burden on shelters?
Dr. Murray: Pets up for adoption at the ASPCA are already spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. The adoption fee doesn’t cover the cost of these procedures and other care provided to our shelter animals, but we feel it’s important to provide these services to protect the health and welfare of the dogs and cats, and so that the adopter’s financial situation will not be a barrier to bringing home a new animal companion. The ASPCA does provide periodic no-fee adoptions in conjunction with special events at the organization.
Shoestring: What should potential adopters know or think about before going to a local shelter to adopt an animal?
Dr. Murray: Adopting a pet is a big responsibility! Before making the decision to bring any new pet home, from a shelter or any other source, think it over carefully, and have a serious discussion with your family. Even the best-behaved pet needs a significant amount of care and attention. Once you’ve decided to adopt, carefully consider what type of pet is best for your own situation. Although both cats and dogs require a time commitment, some people who work long hours or have space limitations find cats to be easier pets; for example they don’t require walking outside and can get plenty of exercise within your home. You should also think about the personality of the pet you may adopt, and how this will fit into your lifestyle – is a boisterous or quiet pet best for your family? Would you do better with a couch potato, or a pet who’s always on the go? Don’t choose your new pet based solely on looks, which can be a temptation – in the long run, it’s your pet’s temperament and compatibility with your lifestyle that will matter most.
Shoestring: What advice do you give to potential pet owners, in general, in making the decision whether or not to adopt a rescue animal?
Dr. Murray: I encourage everyone to consider adopting rather than purchasing a pet. There are pets of all shapes, sizes, and temperaments eagerly awaiting homes in animal shelters all over the country. As President Obama has reminded us, we all need to work together to solve the problems we face as a nation, and one of the issues we need to address is our significant pet overpopulation, which results in a tragic number of healthy animals being euthanized. This is a problem that is completely solvable if we all choose adoption, as well as spay and neuter our pets. When selecting any new animal companion, it’s important to make the choice wisely, and consider your lifestyle and home situation in order to find the most appropriate pet for you and your family.
Shoestring: What can you tell us about the unfortunate increase in pet surrenders due to the economy and resulting adoption crisis?
Dr. Murray: When families lose their homes due to foreclosure, some find it difficult to bring their pets to their new, often temporary, accommodations. This can result in relinquishment of pets to shelters. Some people have made the error of believing that if they leave their pets behind in a house or apartment, someone will come along and care for them--this has resulted in abandoned pets being left without food or water for long periods of time, with tragic consequences. I encourage pet owners who are experiencing housing difficulties to make an attempt to find temporary placing for their pets, for example, with a friend, family member, or neighbor, until the pet can be reunited with the family.
Shoestring: How can interested animal lovers find a participating shelter?
Dr. Murray: On the Hill’s Feeding is Believing website, potential adopters can locate a participating shelter in their area. Even if there is not a participating shelter in your neighborhood, the event may inspire you to adopt from your local shelter or rescue group.
Other than pet adoption (especially for those animal lovers who are allergic) how can people help, on Change a Pet's Life Day or all year round?
Dr. Murray: We can all encourage friends, family, and coworkers to adopt, rather than purchase, pets. There’s a pet of every description in an animal shelter right now waiting for a home. It’s especially important to let people know about the problem of puppy mills, and to explain that puppies in pet stores come from puppy mills. If people stopped buying puppies from pet stores, and chose adoption instead, we would make great strides towards solving two serious problems: the animal suffering that occurs in puppy mills, and the euthanasia of healthy animals who don’t have homes. We can also encourage friends and family to have their pets spayed or neutered; well-meaning people often let their dog or cat have one or more litter, not realizing that there are homeless puppies and kittens in animal shelters all over the country.
Shoestring: How can we solve the adoption crisis in this country?
Dr. Murray: Of all the problems we face, this is one that is completely solvable! We simply all need to make the choice to adopt, rather than purchase, our pets, and to have our pets spayed or neutered. There are dogs and cats of every size, shape, age, and breed to be found in animal shelters and rescue groups across the country; we can all find our perfect animal companion through adoption. We need to get beyond the outdated notion of purchasing purebred pets as status symbols; the truly hip people these days are those who adopt!
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To search for dogs and cats available for adoption in your area--by pure breed, age, and other specific criteria that fit your family--check out (and bookmark!) PetFinder.com.





