Why Adopt?

Our Story.

My husband and I have always adopted our pets. Our current spoiled dog is Sheda; a ten year old Husky whom we love very much and is a fantastic member of our family. We adopted her from a courtesy link off of Siberian Husky Rescue of Central Texas. She came to us abused and suffering from severe separation anxiety. You must know that if you adopt a dog or cat be prepared for an adjustment period. It took Sheda three months before she would come near my husband and it took her a year before she learned how to play. When we first got her we had just moved into the south Austin area, our fence was not yet secured for a large dog, and we did not have her kennel set-up. A storm was moving into the area and we had to make quick run to HEB (local grocery store). We decided to leave Sheda in the house since we would only be gone for about 30 minutes. We quickly zipped to the store, grabbed what we needed, and then headed back home. When we got home what we found was incredible! She had chewed a four by three feet wide hole in one of our interior doors that resembled a giant mouse hole, and destroyed one of our venetian blinds. After we got over our initial shock, thoughts of returning her to the rescue group became the topic of discussion. It was rather hard to imagine that a 70 lb dog could do such a job on the door and blind in such a short time. After a long debate we decided to keep her and we’re forever glad that we made that decision. However, we learned a very valuable lesson about adjustment time that evening. Now, about five years later, she no longer suffers from separation anxiety, my husband has taught her how to play, she absolutely loves her walks, and it’s us that now have separation anxiety when we have to leave her for any appreciable amount of time. We are currently looking to adopt another dog to add to our family. The main thing we have learned is that with a little patience and a lot of love you will wind up with a really great pet. I often think that we get more from her than she gets from us! 

The Austin German Shepherd Rescue – Before You Adopt website has some great information that we recommend you read before adopting. This information really applies to all breeds even though the information is mainly targeted towards the German Shepherds.

The Statistics (quite shocking).

This information is based on a 1997 National Council's (American Humane) study and the ASPCS Shelter Statistics and Facts.

  • Of the 1,000 shelters that replied to the National Council's survey, 4.3 million animals were handled.
  • In 1997, roughly 64% of the total number of animals that entered the 1,000 shelters were euthanized.
    • Approximately 2.7 million animals in just these 1,000 shelters.
    • These animals may have been put down due to overcrowding; but may have been sick, aggressive, injured, or suffered something else.
  • Approximately 5-9 million (56% of dogs and 71% of cats) that enter animal shelters are euthanized per year.
  • More cats are euthanized than dogs because they are more likely to enter a shelter without any owner identification.
  • Only 15% of dogs and 2% of cats that enter animal shelters are reunited with their owners.
  • Only 25% of dogs and 24% of cats that enter animal shelters are adopted.
  • It is widely accepted that an estimated 9.6 million animals are euthanized annually in the United States.
  • Average number of litters a fertile cat can produce in one year: 1 to 2 per year.
  • Average number of kittens in a feline litter: 4 to 6 per litter.
  • Average number of litters a fertile dog can produce in one year: 1 per year.
  • Average number of puppies in a canine litter: 4 to 6 per litter.

So, please spay/neuter your pet and ADOPT! You CAN save a life!!

Why adopt your next pet?

These two great before and after video clips really say it all.

This first video by Global Rescue Welfare League, clearly depicts the realities of unwanted animals in shelters - not a pretty picture!

Thanks for letting us use the clip Audra!

The second video by ABBY K-9, is much happier, and shows what great pets rescues can make with a little TLC!

Thanks for letting us use the clip Abby!

Things you can do as a pet owner.

  1. Spay/neuter your pet.
  2. Place some sort of identification on your pet.
    1. Register your pet. The Town Lake Animal Center, Round Rock Animal Shelter, and Austin Humane Society have lifetime registration services that cost $5.00 for a neutered / spayed pet.
    2. In addition to ID tags, consider getting your pet tattooed or microchipped; however, you must be aware that there are multiple microchip/scanner/reader technologies out there and, naturally, one type of scanner/reader may not “pick up” another type of chip. Not all scanners read all chips because the microchip may operate on a different frequency than what the scanner/reader was designed to detect.
    3. Be sure your pet wears an identification tag, rabies license, and city license. Include your name, address, phone number, and pet's name.
    4. Keep licenses current as they help shelters locate pet owners. If you are willing to pay a reward, put it on the tag.
    5. When moving, put a temporary tag on your pet. Include a phone number of someone who will know how to reach you.
  3. Don't assume that your indoor pet doesn't need tags. Many strays in shelters are indoor pets that got out of the home and were picked up by animal control.
  4. Purchase special cat collars with elastic bands to protect your cat from being caught in trees or on fences.
  5. Volunteer your time or become a foster home for a dog or cat.
  6. Make a donation to a local shelter or rescue. Not just in money, you can call and ask them if they need anything (i.e.: food, collars, frontline, dog-houses, etc.). You may also be able to donate your skills like carpentry, web design, or just labor.

Some Adoption Myths versus Facts.

  • MYTH: The only way to get a purebred dog or cat is to buy one.
    • FACT: On average, purebreds account for about 25 to 30 percent of a shelter's dog population. You can also do a web search for any purebred you want (i.e.: do a Google search for “Husky Rescue + Texas”). There are plenty of rescues that handle specific breeds. For example, Austin German Shepherd Rescue does great work rescuing, rehabilitating, and finding a home for German Shepherds. Also, the Town Lake Animal Center has a list of their Approved Dog & Cat Placement Partners.
  • MYTH: You don’t really know what you’re getting when you adopt.
    • FACT: Animals at the shelter are examined for health related problems, and have more than likely been screened by shelter workers for poor behavior or other problems prior to being eligible for adoption. Usually, a file is kept on each dog and/or cat which can be reviewed by someone interested in adopting that particular animal. Some rescue groups and shelters offer a “grace period” that can range from several days to several weeks, during which the perspective adoptive owner can return the animal if the adoption does not work out. This is much more than a breeder would offer.

Things you can do if you loose your pet.

  • Look closest to home first, post lost signs in your neighborhood.
  • Check with local veterinary clinics, notify neighbors, search found ads in local newspapers.
  • Contact other animal shelters in your area.
  • Check the new animal postings / featured animals at animal shelter web sites.