Shelters

Shelters, are they good, or bad?
Most people say they are great, I won't disagree with them. I think it is lovely that they are standing up for abused animals, taking in abandoned and injured animals that people have so ignorantly discarded. Whenever I am out shopping, and there is one of those donation boxes for a shelter, I always put my change in them. Or fundraisers where a volunteer is standing in the bitter cold, I'll give them all my change, because someone should be there for the animals.

What is the bad thing? It is the people who take advantage of a shelter. Those who buy a pet for the glory of having it, then dump it at a shelter when they are bored of it. Dumping the animal at the shelter is a quick way of solving your problem by making it someone else's problem. You do not want it any more, it is far cheaper to dump it at a shelter then have it put to sleep or take the time to find the animal a new home. So having a place available to take in unwanted animals, makes people think that animals are disposable, when they are not. If people were unable to dump unwanted animals in a shelter, that would make them think twice about getting muffin the potbelly piglet, because they saw one in a movie and "wanted" one.

Of course you have a legitimate reason why you need to dump muffin. Like you are moving and you cannot take Muffin with you. Where are you moving? Mars? Most places allow animals nowadays. Your landlord cannot say "no animals" if you already have one unless that animal is certifiably deemed vicious.

You developed allergies to Muffin. Haha yeah right, you developed allergies to cleaning up after Muffin. Chances are if you are not allergic to them when you buy them, it is very unlikely you will develop an allergy after, in fact you have probably had a big 'ol boost to your immune system from owning muffin.

You have a new baby. Muffin is a living thing too, dumping a pet because you do not want to take them time to get them use to your new "addition" makes you look bad. What is going to happen when your baby grows up and needs to be potty trained? Getting rid of a pet because you had a new baby is like saying, "well I just had a new baby, I do not need my 4 year old child anymore, lets sell him"

You can no longer afford to look after Muffin. My question is WHY did you get it in the first place. Anyone can tell you the cheapest part of the animal is buying the animal itself. How you seen the price of pet food? Or the cost alone to walk into a vets office? If the price of a vet trip makes your mind boggle, chances are you should not buy a pet.

Your 2nd aunt twice removed cousin's uncle's stepdaughter's niece past away. Unless they are the ones looking after the animal this is no excuse.

So please before you buy a "pet" do not dive headfirst into it. Look down the road, can you picture yourself with in 6 months down the road, 10 years? Can you afford to even look after it? And please if the reason you want it is because it is a cute baby, DO NOT BUY IT. If you saw one in the media and you want it DO NOT BUY IT. If you have carefully taken the time to research the animal, and are financially stable, to support an animal for its entire life, and you can picture yourself with it say 10 years down the road, then yes you are ready for a pet.

There are many legitimate reasons for not being able to care for a pet anymore, but do not sugar coat it, or lie about your reason because you simply do not want it anymore it makes you look like an idiot. And if you can avoid it do not dump it in a shelter, take the effort to find it a good home because the animal deserves that much.