The first full week in November (Nov. 7-13, 2021) is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week. National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week was founded in 1996 by The Humane Society of the United States to recognize the importance of animal shelters and the people dedicated to rescuing animals.

 A big part of what any shelter does is help homeless animals find permanent homes. While adopting pets is a great way to find a new best friend, there are several other benefits to pet adoption. 

  1. Adoption gives animals a second chance to have safe and loving homes.
  2. Adopting pets is a way to support local shelters instead of supporting breeding facilities or puppy mills that have cruel practices.
  3. Adopting a pet from a shelter saves more than just one life. By adopting, you are helping to free up space in the shelter, which gives the shelter more space to rescue more animals.
  4. Adopting an animal means you are getting a pet that has received appropriate medical care. Most shelters will vaccinate, spay/neuter, and microchip animals before they are adopted.
  5. Adopting animals supports community animal shelters. Animal shelters often provide services beyond pet adoption. For example, Crossroads Animal Shelter offers numerous veterinary services to the community to help ensure animal well-being.

  How can you help?

  • If you can adopt a pet, adopt from your local shelter.
  • Follow Crossroads Animal Shelter on Facebook to stay up to date on our fundraising events.
  • Think about becoming a foster. Fostering an animal helps create more space in the shelter and gives an animal the chance to live in a low-stress environment while waiting to be adopted.  
  • Volunteer your time at Crossroads Animal Shelter. There are many different ways you can help.
  • Make a donation to Crossroads Animal Shelter. (Just a reminder that Nov. 18, 2021 is Give to the Max Day.)

 

 Sources

“10 Reasons To Adopt A Shelter Dog.” ASPCA, 2021, https://www.aspca.org/news/10-reasons-adopt-shelter-dog.

“Pet Statistics.” ASPCA, 2021, https://www.aspca.org/helping-people-pets/shelter-intake-and-surrender/pet-statistics.

“Top Reasons To Adopt A Pet.” The Humane Society Of The United States, 2021, https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/top-reasons-adopt-pet.