ADOPT DON'T SHOP

There are so many reasons to adopt a pet into your family, but here are just 10 we hope will help convince you.

you’ll save a life.

The biggest reason to adopt, is that you’ll save a life (maybe more than just one life).

Each year, it’s estimated that more than 920 00 adoptable dogs and cats are euthanised in South Africa, simply because too many pets come into shelters and too few people consider adoption when looking for a pet.

The number of euthanised animals could be reduced dramatically if more people adopted pets instead of buying them. When you adopt, you save a loving animal by making them part of your family and open up shelter space for another animal who might desperately need it.

you’ll get a great and loving companion.

When you adopt a pet, especially an adult dog or cat, you are giving them a second chance at happiness and they make the most loyal companions.  Because shelter pets are used to the company of other animals, it often means introducing them to your family will be much easier and less stressful.

Doing the charitable thing and get the bragging rights

When you adopt from a shelter, you are helping a ‘not-for-profit’ organisation.  No one needs to see another selfie, unless it’s a selfie with the adorable pet you’ve just adopted.  Adopt a pet, post those pictures and let the well-earned ‘likes’ roll in.

Fight against puppy mills

Puppy mills are factory-style breeding that puts profit before the welfare of animals.  Normally, the mums of these puppies are kept in confined spaces to breed over and over again without human companionship and with little hope of ever joining a family.  After they’re no longer profitable, they are simply discarded.  These are the puppies that you buy from pet shops, online pet markets or flea-markets.  Puppy mills will continue to operate until we stop supporting them.  By adopting a pet, you can be certain that you are not giving them a cent!

It will cost you less

When you adopt, the adoption fee normally includes the cost of spay/neuter and vaccinations, which can save you some upfront costs of adding a new member to your family.

Many of the pets from shelters are house-trained (and we certainly try to house-train our KAWS animals!), which means you’re not only saving a pet’s life, you are saving your rug from a puddle or two.

taking pressure off aNIMAL shelters

Most shelters operate on the donations made by the public and the service of volunteers.  By adopting an animal, you are helping KAWS free up room and resources for another animal in need, resulting in less stray animals wandering the streets.

GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

All pets are good for your health, but adoptees offer an extra boost.  Animals give unconditional love and they have been shown to be psychologically, emotionally and physically beneficial to their companions.  Caring for a pet can lessen feelings of loneliness and will give you a sense of purpose.  A wagging tail or a loving purr can immediately brighten up your day.

HELP WITH OVERPOPULATION

When an animal is placed in the care of a shelter, it gets sterilised;  this aids in putting an end to so much suffering due to unwanted pet overpopulation, which is a huge problem worldwide.

learn valuable lessons of life

In addition to the love and companionship our furry friends provide, they can teach us what matters most in life and how to be your best self.  They live openly and freely, leaving indelible pawprints on your heart.  They’ll teach us:

• how to play again
• how to live in the moment
• how to be positive
• not to judge a book by its cover
• how to love unconditionally

you’ll change a homeless animal’s whole world

AND get a new best friend out of the deal!