Rescue pets are big on our hearts at Leo&Lucky’s. There are so many lovable pets in need of homes. Unfortunately, the number of potential adopters doesn’t always match the number of animals that come through the shelter system each year. How can you help these pets?
Adopt
Adopting a rescue pet is an incredible experience! Not only do you get a new family member full of love and affection; you can feel good about providing a home for a pet, and making shelter space for another pet in need, as well. A common misconception is that rescue pets are all “problem children” with behavioral issues, but the truth is, any time you bring a new pet into your home, rescue or not, training will be required. Many pets wind up in shelters through no fault of their own.
Adopting a shelter or rescue pet has many perks:
Rescuing is a huge bargain. Shelter pets are microchipped, vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and any known medical conditions are taken care of before they are adopted out. This type of vetting can cost hundreds or even thousands with a pet purchased from a breeder or store. Sometimes shelters will run specials on certain days of the week, or for pets over a certain age, making adopting even more affordable or free!
You may get a history. Rescues often know the background story of a pet’s former life and can tell you about any quirks and special needs, to try to ensure a good match. Experienced vets working with the shelter or rescue can usually give a good idea of the pet’s age and breed or mix.
Save some exhaustion – adopt an adult pet. A baby pet is like a baby human – expect to go through all the same phases you do with children, in a shorter timeline. There will always be an adjustment and training period when you bring a new critter home, but adult pets are often potty trained and have been in a home with rules and routine before. You don’t have to start from scratch.
Give it a test run. If you’re nervous about adopting a pet from a shelter or rescue, fostering, explained below, can be a great way to see if a pet is a good fit for your family. Shelters often allow sleepovers or foster-to-adopt periods. Even if the pet isn’t right for you, they will enjoy taking a time-out from the shelter. A win/win!
Foster
Fostering means giving a pet a temporary home; a calm and quiet place to live until they can be adopted. Pets who are extremely anxious, don’t do well around other animals, or are recovering from an illness, injury, or giving birth, generally fare much better in the comfort of a home rather than the noise and bustle of a shelter. Many rescues don’t have shelter facilities or buildings, and rely on foster volunteers to house their pets until they are adopted. Shelters, rescues, and breed-specific rescues all generally need foster volunteers.
Volunteer
Many people love animals, but not everyone has the ability to adopt or foster pets. Rescues and animal shelters need volunteers to clean, walk and play with pets, do administrative work, promote, solicit donations, and the list goes on. Most shelters’ or rescues’ websites have information explaining how you can get involved.
Donate
This one is pretty straight-forward, but if you are able to donate to a shelter or rescue, it will go to good use. If you’re cleaning out your closets this spring, rescues need old comfy blankets or linens, and usually have a list on their website of items they always need.
—
Due to COVID-19, we haven’t been holding our usual adoption events in store, but we want to continue doing so in the near future. If you are a member of a rescue group, and are interested in bringing adoptable pets to Leo&Lucky’s, please reach out to us at parrish@leoandluckys.com to see if we will be a good fit.
Remember, you get 10% off your purchase at Leo&Lucky’s when you rescue a new family member (don’t forget to bring your adoption paperwork in with you.) See you soon!
