Only 30% of pets in US households come from rescue facilities. Meanwhile, over 3.5 million pets’ lives are prematurely ended without a family to call home.* Remember Me Thursday is a day to spread the word that adoption is important – and can make the difference between life and death for a sweet homeless pet.
Mike Arms, President and CEO of the Helen Woodward Center, created the annual event, Remember Me Thursday – a day set aside to emphasize pet adoption. It is a day to talk about your own adoption story with others, to shed light on the wonderful gift an adopted pet can be in our lives. It is a day for activities and events that bring the light of adoption to the community. Visit the website and light a candle for a homeless pet.
It is important that we all share our stories about adoption, and to encourage all we know to adopt, not shop. While there are some people who prefer to purchase their pet through a quality breeder, the majority of households in our country do not require a purebred with champion lineage. So most people would do just fine adopting from a local shelter or rescue.
And yet, too often families walk into the local pet store or mall, and purchase what they believe to be a superior, well-bred puppy. In truth, they’ve bought themselves a dog with questionable lineage, vulnerable health status, and have ensured the parent dogs are enslaved to produce yet another litter and suffer the inhumane conditions of a puppy mill.
They’ve overpaid for a dog that at the very least, is no better than the one they could adopt from the shelter.
Not only do the parent dogs (and cats and rabbits) at the mills suffer, but this kind of decision also affects homeless pets languishing in shelters. Too often, animals are put to sleep to make room for newcomers, never having that second chance to be someone’s best friend.
Our world is filled with disregard for the welfare of the animals that garner profits for the greedy. And our shelters are filled with wonderful animals that want nothing more than to love, adore, and be loyal friends to the humans who would give them a home.
It is time for a gentler, kinder world. We are so much better than what we have been. Please continue to share, inform, enlighten … while you might feel like a broken record, or that surely by now everyone knows this stuff — not everyone does. Too many need to hear your message.
What’s your adoption story?
*Source: Humane Society of the United States 2013
Thanks for letting us know about this!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Glad you appreciate it – we here think it’s a pretty important message! 🙂 (Hugs!!)
What a great idea. Sampson was from a back yard breeder (which is how I always got my pets as a kid) and Delilah is our rescue dog. I’m afraid the crazy antics of Delilah might actually turn people off, although it’s been a bumpy road, she’s really a good dog now.
I wouldn’t worry too much about turning people off by her antics – some of the behavior issues (and health issues) in dogs from those pet stores are really frightening. Quality breeders aside, there just isn’t a difference in what you can expect from BYBs, pet stores – or rescues. And any rescue volunteer can tell you many a story of the most amazing, awesome pets waiting for a second chance!
Delilah, you’re one of a kind, and we love you just the way you are 🙂