Meet Quincy, our new 3 month old puppy. He was adopted 2 days ago at a local animal shelter in Lubbock, TX.

Thank goodness for the humane society, SPCA, rescue organizations and hardworking, dedicated animal shelter volunteers! Without them, there is no telling how many more dogs and cats would die each year. Dog rescuers and cat rescuers scan animal shelters constantly, looking for puppies and kittens of all ages whose time at the animal shelter has almost run out due to overcrowding, and giving them a second chance before they are euthanized.

They all rely on volunteers and donations to keep their efforts going. Many rescues use a network of foster families, who keep pets for adoption in their own homes while they assess their personalities and often provide any necessary training. Rescues are very careful to make sure their adoptable dogs and cats go to the right homes. Each organization has its own application and screening process for potential adopters.

In addition to protecting the pets, this process is designed to make sure you end up with the right pet for your family. Since pet rescues really get to know their dogs and cats for adoption, they are able to match you up with the perfect companion for you. Volunteers also follow up with you after the adoption to make sure everything’s going well.

They can help you get through any rough spots by offering training tips and other advice. Adopting from a pet rescue group has another benefit: if, for some reason, things don’t work out with your new friend, most rescues will take the pet back, saving you a lot of heartache and headache.

Rescue groups come in all shapes and sizes. Like a humane society or SPCA, some rescue groups have a physical animal shelter facility, where adoptable dogs and cats are kept until they are get homes. Other pet rescue organizations use a network of dedicated foster families, volunteers who care for the dogs and cats in their own homes. Some rescue groups only take dogs and cats from public animal shelters; others take in strays and accept pets relinquished by their owners.

There are even groups that specialize in senior or disabled dogs and cats. Some specialize in small dogs, some rescue only giant breeds. There are thousands of rescue groups devoted to a particular breed of dog or cat, too! At the heart of the rescue world, however, are the all-breed pet rescues. These are rescues that take in all kinds of pets of various breeds and ages, and concentrate on saving as many lives as possible.

All rescue groups have a few things in common. They are made up of extremely caring, passionate volunteers who work tirelessly to save pets’ lives. Unfortunately, they all spend their days cleaning up the messes of irresponsible dog and cat owners, and trying to prevent new messes by educating the public about the responsibility of dog and cat ownership and the importance of spay and neuter. Even purebred dogs and cats end up in animal shelters because they were purchased at a pet store or from a dog breeder, and then they were no longer able to be cared for. Perhaps someone moved or died, or the pet grew too large.

There are many reasons a pet ends up in need of a home. All rescue groups, SPCAs and humane societies deserve our most sincere gratitude for making this world a better place for dogs and cats!

Pet Adoption is the loving option!

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