The Shelter Pet Project – a PSA

Posted on October 30, 2009 dawniemom

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I’ve always been a pet lover. Well, for me specifically, I’m a cat lover. In fact, everyone in my extended family are pet lovers, pet owners. It’s just always been a part of who we are.

I was shocked to learn, then, that According to The Humane Society of the United States and Maddie’s Fund,of the eight million pets that enter animal shelters and rescue groups every year, approximately three million of these healthy and treatable pets are euthanized due to a lack of adoption.

of the eight million pets that enter animal shelters and rescue groups every year, approximately three million of these healthy and treatable pets are euthanized due to a lack of adoption.

While there has been steady progress on the issue (in the 1970s approximately 24 million pets were euthanized), the continued euthanasia of our best friends and family members is a national tragedy. This just breaks my heart. Three MILLION!

Adopting a pet is a life-changing and enriching experience. When adopting a pet, people are obtaining companions that give them unconditional love, affection, and attention. Adopting a pet from a shelter not only saves an animal’s life, but is also good for our own well-being as research shows that owning a pet has many positive psychological and physical health benefits. The animals rescued from shelters know you’ve saved their lives, and they typically treat their rescuers with lifelong loyalty and affection.

The Shelter Pet Project is working on changing the stereotype of shelter pets.

DID YOU KNOW?

Each year approximately 4 million pets are adopted.
Of the 8 million pets that enter animal shelters each year, approximately 3 million healthy and treatable pets are euthanized.
It is estimated that 17 million people will acquire a pet within the next year.
To save all the healthy and treatable pets that are euthanized, we just need 3 million of these people to adopt.
In its 60 year history this is the first non-human focused issue that the Ad Council has worked on.

Just take a look at this video:

The Shelter Pet Project website features lots of really helpful and fun tools for someone who is ready to adopt a pet. They even have a pet adoption “Pet Personals” section where you can identify the things that are important to you in what you’re looking for in your new pet, and they’ll find you a match.

If you or someone you know is looking to bring a new pet home, I urge you to visit the Shelter Pet Project site and give these little guys a chance.