I Have Been Adopted!

Although I absolutely love the medical end of the animal field, after spending so much time at the shelter over the past year, I have grown to have a passion for adopting over shopping for pets. I've never been pro-pet stores, but over the past year I've become an active advocate for adoption! Over the weekend, I volunteered to do an adoption event at PetSmart. I was assigned a dog to walk around the store and introduce to people. I was excited to do this event all week because I would get to talk to complete strangers and inform them on why they should consider adopting from the shelter. 

Maria and I taking a rest.

My assigned adoptee was Maria, a suspected beagle/basenji mix. I was responsible for transporting and showing her at the event. I used a doggy seat belt for the first time! It was interesting to say the least! Maria was excited to go on a field trip and was chatty on the way over, eagerly looking out the window. Once she was all dolled up in her "Adopt Me!" vest and lady bug bandana, we were ready! The event was three hours long, but it felt way shorter! While there, the dogs had water accessible and many treats and love to keep them entertained. There were also some blankets put down in front of our booth to lay on (which Maria took advantage of) when we got tired of walking around. While there we met a few different people who thought Maria was a sweetheart, but they weren't looking for another dog at that time. Towards the end of the night, we met an extremely nice couple who took a special interest in Maria. We talked for a good ten minutes and they decided to go over to our booth to talk to our adoption staff about adoption! A few days later, Maria is listed as adopted and she is off to her life-long home!

 

Volunteering at a shelter is one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had the pleasure of taking part in. Although I didn't do anything medical related that day, I directly got to help an animal find a place to call home and someone to love! I can't stress the importance of adopting from your local shelter rather than buying from a breeder or pet store. Even if you are looking for a certain breed or age of animal, some shelters have a program set up to contact you in case they get in what you are looking for. There are also pure-bred rescues where one can adopt from. 

Taking part in this process puts a pretty big smile on my face but what makes that smile even bigger is seeing this: