Compiling the list of adoption shelters for this month's Pets magazine reduced me to tears.
I could not help scrolling through every site, looking at the forlorn faces of animals in cages… their eyes all seemed to say the same thing.
If I could, I would adopt them all … The theme of October's Pets magazine is “Adopt, don’t shop”, an adage that has become a clarion call in the past decade as shelters burgeon with rescues and SPCA centres around the country sound out daily pleas for animals waiting for their “forever homes”.
Their fate, without rescue, is often death.
The magic that pets add to our lives cannot be fully explained or comprehended. Indian author Ruchi Parbu came close, saying: “Pets understand humans better than humans do.”
When considering getting a pet, how ethical is it to buy from breeders when there are so many animals waiting for homes at shelters and rescue centres?
It is even possible to find a specific breed of dog, with the right amount of looking – if that is your preference.
Check out Page 3 of the magazine for a list of shelters around the country - just click … and find love.
We also feature the ultimate guide to adopting a pet, breaking down everything you need to know and need to get to make the experience and joy for both you and your new fur baby.
And, a story to warm any heart … when a little boy with a cleft lip meets a shelter puppy with a cleft lip, it was love at first sight.
The IOL Pets team implores you to open your hearts to fur babies around the country looking for forever homes. Saving a life would be a pawfect way to end 2020.