For the Love of Dogs

Photo via Monmouth County SPCA

College is a time for new experiences. It is a time to get involved, to branch out and to do what you’ve always wanted to do. College is actually the time when most people get their first pets. You’re living on your own, making your own money, so why not do something for you like getting that puppy you’ve always wanted. Pets are known to help you through tough times of homesickness, loneliness but they’re also known for their loyal companionship, uncontrollable love and endless amounts of sloppy kisses and cuddles. When I first came to college I really struggled being away from my dogs. My entire life I grew up with dogs so being without them, on top of being homesick, was almost too much to handle. So I started volunteering at the local shelters to get my puppy fix. When I moved out of dorms the next year, I realized I finally had the opportunity to get my own dog and I immediately chose to adopt.

I’ve always been a sucker for shelter animals. We’ve all seen the ASPCA commercial that shows the faces of sad, helpless and abused animals slide across the screen in painfully slow motion as Sarah McLachlan’s heart-wrenching song plays in the background. It’s not easy to sit back and watch the animals suffer.  If you’re an animal lover like me, by the end of the commercial, you’re shuffling through your purse looking for spare change to send in. There is something that just draws people to animals, especially helpless ones.

So why not adopt? There is something so much more rewarding about adopting a dog. When you adopt a dog, you don’t just make a new best friend, you also save their life., and without even knowing it, they may have just saved yours. Each year, 20 to 30 percent of cats and dogs are adopted from shelters and rescues. But that is nothing compared to the approximately 5 million to 7 million animals that enter animal shelters nationwide every year and the approximately 3 million to 4 million healthy and adoptable animals that have to be euthanized because the shelters are too full and there aren’t enough adoptive homes. No dog’s life should be cut short for matters that are out of their control. They don’t deserve to sleep in cold cages outdoors all alone for the rest of their life. A shelter is certainly no place for a grown dog, let alone a puppy, to spend their life. A dog’s place is where it can be surrounded by endless amounts of love, kisses and kindness, with fluffy dog beds (or, lets be honest, human beds) to curl up on with an unbelievably large and seemingly endless amount of dog toys.

Being in college and owning (or looking to own) a dog isn’t cheap. However, the animal shelters want the dogs to live and to go to loving homes. They don’t enjoy putting the dogs down. Most local shelters, especially in Tallahassee, offer varying adoption rates depending on the age of the dog. Some even will allow you to have the dog for free with a promise to spay or neuter within so many days. Actually, about 65 percent of pet owners acquire their pets for free or at low cost. Also, being a student pet owner gets you a lot of benefits. Organizations such as Be the Solution allow you to apply for vouchers to have your dog spayed or neutered and get their rabies shot for as little as $5 just for showing them your student ID card. Many local veterinarians give you a student discount with each visit, too.

Adopting a dog was the best decision I’ve ever made. She is a constant and humbling reminder that I made a difference and that I saved her life. It is possible to get involved and help the homeless animals. Whether you volunteer at the local shelter, donating your time, money and necessary food and blankets or you decide to adopt a furry companion of your own, every little bit makes a difference.

Sources: ASPCA.org, americanhumane.org