Americans as a nation love their pets, but unfortunately, animal shelter statistics are still shocking. One ray of hope comes from the soaring number of pet adoptions. Let’s look at the statistics in general, and discuss why adopting a pet far outweighs buying one.

Statistics from animal shelters in 2020 show that approximately 6.5 million pets enter shelters each year. Unfortunately, this number is a small portion of the 70 million stray animals on U.S. streets at any given time.

Over the last decade, the number of animals entering the approximately 14,000 animal shelters and rescue groups in the U.S. has declined by over a million. This is thanks to adoptions and re-homing. The total number of pets (both cats and dogs) adopted from animal shelters is increasing each year, and the current rate is just under 50% at 3.2 million.

Some of these shelters have a no-kill policy, but of the animals that enter them, 90% are either re-homed or adopted, and the other 10% falls into the margin which may need to be put down because of an illness or old age.

Animal activists in the U.S. are hoping to make the country a no-kill zone by 2025. Even though this is challenging, there is hope that this is achievable since the number of euthanized animals keeps decreasing.

In 1994, San Francisco became the first city in the U.S. to establish an adoption pact to become a no-kill city. The first state to implement a no-kill policy was Delaware. From 2019, the state has an annual save rate of 92.9%, or 12,000 out of 13,000.

Animal shelters reveal interesting facts

About 30% of animals are left at animal shelters by their owners. Unfortunately, only 10% of the pets received at shelters have been spayed or neutered, and the more the population of abandoned animals grows, the more euthanizing is necessary.

As a matter of fact, estimates show an unspayed dog and her puppies can increase the dog population by 67,000 in six years. In cats, that number increases exponentially to 420,000 cats in just seven years if these are left unchecked.

Moreover, 25% of dogs entering shelters have documented pedigrees, and the majority of these are pit bulls. Sadly, these are the least popular dogs wanted for adoption.

Microchipping ensures pet owners have greater hopes of finding their pet if it strays, and 710,000 pets (620,000 dogs and 90,000 cats) are reunited with their owners each year. Microchipped cats are 20 times more likely to be reunited with the owners. It is 2.5 times more likely to reunite microchipped dogs with their owners.

Neutering and microchipping our pets are the surest ways to help reduce the number of euthanized animals.

COVID-19 adoption statistics

The pandemic has not changed American societys’ love for pets. According to the American Pet Products Association, over 11.38 million households got a new pet during the pandemic. The COVID-19 Pulse Study found that 10% of respondents in December 2020 said they had got a pet. Previous surveys in May, June, and September of the same year showed 7%, 6%, and 9% respectively.

Nationwide, increased animal adoptions have been observed. According to Shelter Animals Count, organizations recorded 26,000 more pet adoptions in 2020 than in 2019. That is an increase of 15%, and the data comes from 500 rescue organizations across the country.

At the beginning of the pandemic, the group issued their COVID-19 Impact Report in which data showed the adoption rate jumped by 34% in April 2020.

The rise in adoptions during the pandemic is partly attributed to the fact that pets can help reduce stress and increase peoples’ sense of well-being. Many households would not have committed to a pet before the pandemic, because of their busy schedules. Yet, being confined to their home during lock-down made many people realize a pet would be a welcome addition to their home.

Animal rescue operators are already dishing out advice to these new pet owners about how to prepare their pets for when they need to return to their normal working routine. Pets need to get used to being alone and should be introduced to the people who will be caring for them during their owner’s absence.

Unfortunately, even though the number of cat adoptions was on the rise before the pandemic, it has slowed down since.

Benefits of Adopting a pet as opposed to buying

Too many people give away pets and too few adopt pets. Pet adoptions allow space to be freed up in shelters for other animals. For anyone deciding they want a pet in their household, adoption, as opposed to buying from a pet store, has many benefits.

1. Adoption saves 2 lives

Limited space in shelters means they eventually must euthanize pets that could have gone to a good home. Statistics mentioned earlier in the article show that the number of euthanized cats and dogs stands at over 3 million every year.

Deciding which animals to euthanize is hard for staff members at shelters, and these numbers could decrease if more animals were rescued by loving owners. Adoptions are the best way to help shelters make space for new intakes. One adoption saves the lives of two animals – the one going to a new family and freeing up space at a shelter for another rescue.

2. Adoption ensures you get a healthy and well-balanced pet

From the moment a pet arrives at an animal shelter, it is examined by a veterinarian, vaccinated, microchipped, and neutered or spayed. These pets are healthy and happy and perfectly ready to be taken into a new home with a good family.

Screening of pets is done at most animal shelters. This means they know more about their specific temperaments and behaviors, making it easier to match them to owners. They are not only as intelligent and loyal as pets bought from pet shops, but also as loving.

It is a myth that most pets at animal shelters are badly behaved or have been abused. The majority of these are put up for adoption because of unfortunate circumstances their “people” face. These reasons may be because of a move, lack of time, divorce, financial constraints, etc.

3. Financial benefits of adoption

Depending on the breed of cat or dog, purchase prices from pet stores or breeders are usually very expensive. For example, a pure-bred dog can easily cost thousands of dollars. On the other hand, pet adoption is much cheaper.

Adoption costs are never more than a couple of hundred dollars for dogs and less for cats. These pets are usually already spayed, neutered, microchipped, and have been vaccinated. All these procedures need to be done to a pet store-bought animal and require a big initial monetary outlay.

Additionally, shelters often waive adoption fees for older animals. Adopting a mixed-breed also helps save money in the long-term because they are usually healthier than purebred pets.

Lost and surrendered animals at shelters are usually already house trained. This means they require less effort and cost less to housetrain than buying a young animal from a store or breeder.

Another consideration is licensing fees. Adopting a pet that is already spayed or neutered has another benefit – the licensing fees. In some states pet licensing fees double if they are “unaltered”, and some states mandate sterilization.

4. Support animal welfare by not supporting pet breeding mills

Pet breeding facilities usually concentrate more on profit than the welfare of their animals. These animals are sold at high prices to unsuspecting consumers through pet stores, or newspaper and internet advertisements.

Cats and dogs are kept there for breeding purposes and are often housed in poor conditions. Female breeding pets are kept in cages and bred constantly. As they age and can’t breed anymore, they are simply abandoned or euthanized.

Because of improper healthcare, these animals are often not very healthy and tend to have behavioral problems caused by a lack of companionship. These problems are also exacerbated by inbreeding.

It is estimated that 90% of animals sold at pet stores come from pet breeding facilities. The crowded and unsanitary conditions they are reared in can lead to health problems in the future. For the owners of these pets, it means that above the initial purchase price, they inevitably spend a lot on their pet’s healthcare in the future. Problems range from genetic deformities to dental issues. Many pets also have severe infections.

Adoption ensures pet owners are not supporting the conditions at pet breeding mills.

5. Adopt a pet at an easier age

As cute as puppies and kittens are, the first few weeks require a lot of effort on the part of their new owners. Adopted pets tend to be older and are inevitably already house-trained. This allows them to instantly adapt to the lifestyle of their new human family.

Final Word

Bringing home, a new pet is equivalent to getting a new best friend. Whether a family prefers a young pet or is looking for an older hassle-free pet, animal shelters have a variety of dogs and cats to choose from.

Besides all the pros already discussed, adopted pets from shelters come with an added support system. Animal shelters provide the added support missing from breeders and pet store owners. They are there to answer questions and help deal with any problems. Their interest is to provide a good home for the pets they have given so much love and care to.

Grooming is an essential part of your adopted friend’s routine and a special treat for you. Find a groomer near you for your cat or dog at www.petgroomerfinder.com.

Your precious pet deserves the best care and you are responsible for ensuring that he gets it. Pet care includes a healthy diet, ample exercise, visits to the vet and, most importantly, good grooming.

Good grooming constitutes a bath, hair trimming for some breeds, nail trimming, teeth cleaning, and ear cleaning. If you have the time and knowledge to do these then you could do it yourself, otherwise, it’s best for you to only do the odd shampooing and leave the rest to skilled professionals who are trained to carry out these grooming tasks with great care.

Finding pet groomers that you can trust

In order to find a good pet groomer in your area, you will need to carry out some meticulous research after which you can narrow down your options before finally making a choice.

1. Get recommendations or go online
Start your research by asking trusted friends and relatives for their recommendations. Your veterinarian, kennel manager, and neighbors can also help. If you see someone walking a perfectly groomed pooch in your area, ask them to recommend their pet groomer.

Look for groomers on social media and read their reviews. However, be cautious as these may not always be accurate.

If you are new to an area or can’t get good recommendations from friends, family and other pet specialists then take your search online. Pet Groomer Finders is the perfect online tool to help you find professional pet groomers in your area. Reviews on Pet Groomer Finder are only allowed from Pet Owners who have had appointments with the groomer booked through the website, so you can trust that they are authentic.

2. Narrow down your options and meet them in person
In order to ascertain that you are comfortable enough to leave your pet in the hands of the pet groomer that you have found, take the time to go meet with those that seem like the best options for you.

Ask them a few questions and voice some concerns and see how they respond to these before deciding.

Questions to ask:

• Ask about the services that they provide and see if they are knowledgeable enough to identify problems like skin and ear infections or tooth decay.
• Request prices for the various grooming services that you need for your pet’s breed (some breeds take longer to groom), and find out what’s included and what you need to pay extra for.
• Ask about their hours of operation and about any restrictions or rules that they have.
• Will your pet have a bathroom and a play break while there?
• Find out about what kind of products the salon uses for washing and grooming pets. Be concerned if they are not using high-quality, hypo-allergic products with a minimum of unnecessary chemicals.
• Find out about what grooming and medical records (including vaccinations) the grooming facility keeps.
• If your pet breed needs specific grooming then find out if the salon has any experience with the breed.
• Will they allow you to stay with your pet, at least for the first time? This will help to alleviate any anxiety on your part and you will be able to see how your pet interacts with the groomer.
• Do they keep contact information in the event of an emergency?
• How do they handle evacuations in an emergency?

Since you are showing an interest in their place, the groomer should also ask you about any health issues that your dog may have, indicating that they do know that special conditions need special handling and specific products.

3. Request a tour of the facilities
If this is denied then you are advised to rather take the place of your list. When looking around take note of the cleanliness of the grooming areas and see if the salon is well ventilated. Look at the sturdiness of the work stations. The cages where pets are kept should be spacious enough for pets to move around comfortably while there. Take note of the staff and how they interact with the animals that they are grooming. Are they friendly and do they handle the pets gently?

Check that all pets under the blow-driers are monitored at regular intervals because overheating can cause them extreme discomfort and even burns.

4. Request certifications
The National Dog Groomers Association of America recommends that pet lovers check for certifications or memberships at their association or the other two certifying organizations in the U.S.: The International Society of Canine Cosmetologists and the International Professional Groomers Inc.

5. Ask about their training
Groomers get their training through training and mentoring programs, pet grooming schools or through apprenticeships with on-the-job-learning. Ask them questions about their training and find out if they attend voluntary continuing education courses that help to improve their skills and continue to offer safer services to their four-legged clients.

Groomers who have an AKC S.A.F.E. certification are committed to following the Safety Oath, promising to use the best health and safety practices while grooming and caring for pets.

6. How do the staff deal with any medical emergencies?
In the event of a medical condition flaring up or an accidental event while your pet is being groomed, does the staff have any basic medical experience? There should be a first aid kit that is visible and instantly reachable in the event of any medical emergency.

7. Run background checks
If your vet was originally reluctant to advise you on a groomer in the area (they often are) choose to rather ask if they have seen any injuries from the groomers that you are leaning toward choosing.

The Better Business Bureau in your area will also be able to tell you if they have had any complaints against any groomers that you have narrowed down on your list.

Making your final choice

Now that you are armed with all the information and have conducted your interviews, trust your intuition and make your choice of the pet groomer that you deem best. The first time will be difficult for both, but you are certain to have conducted your research perfectly, and it’s up to you to give the groomers instructions about how you want your pet groomed and which other services you want each time.

Pay close attention to your pet’s post-grooming behavior, this will be the best indication of his relationship with the groomer and if they haven’t clicked (this can happen) and your pet is unhappy, don’t fret, just find a new groomer.