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8 . Most shelters and rescue organizations do assessments on every new pet taken in , to determine things like temperament , whether the pet has any aversion to other pets or people , whether he is housebroken , has had obedience training . Many of these organizations also have resources to help pets with lack of training or behavioural issues . So when you adopt a pet from one of these organizations , you have a pretty good idea what to expect from your new dog or cat when you bring him home .
9 . Many shelters and rescues also provide lots of new owner support in the form of materials about training , common behaviour problems , nutrition , basic grooming and general care . In some cases there are even free hotlines you can call for questions on behaviour , training and other concerns .
10 . If you have kids , and especially if the new pet will belong to a child , adopting a shelter animal can open a young person ’ s eyes to the plight of homeless pets . It can also help him learn compassion and responsibility , as well as how wonderful it feels to provide a forever home to a pet that might otherwise live life in a cage , or be euthanized .
11 . An older adoptive pet can be the perfect companion for an older person . Many middle-aged and senior dogs and cats require less physical exertion and attention than younger animals .
12 . An adopted pet can enrich your life in ways both big and small . The unconditional love and loyalty of a dog or cat can lift depression , ease loneliness , lower blood pressure , and give you a reason to get up in the morning . A kitty asleep in your lap feels warm and comforting . A dog that loves to walk or run outdoors can be just the incentive you need to start exercising regularly . There are countless benefits to pet ownership , and when you know you saved your furry companion from an unpleasant fate , it makes the bond you share that much more meaningful .
WHAT PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS DO ABANDONED PETS FACE ?
It is surprising that humans can be so inhuman to the pain and sufferings of animals . Not only are people ignorant , they are also indifferent to such news .
An article on the website of Psychology Today by Bioethicist and writer Jessica Pierce , PhD , talks about emotional pain in animals . She talks about how people are unable to look at the psychological damage caused by abuse of animals and we only look at the physical damage . The following excerpt from her article explains in detail how animals suffer psychological damage .
We need to better understand the lasting psychological impacts of physical abuse , yet perhaps even more important , we also need to broaden our understanding of what constitutes maltreatment of an animal : a dog who has never been struck with a stick or punched with a fist can still have suffered abuse . What we know for sure is that animals do suffer psychological and not just physical pain , and that emotional abuse and maltreatment may be far more widespread and pernicious than physical abuse .
Based on a range of scientific studies ( many of them horrific and unconscionable ), we know that emotional harm actually hurts more than physical harm , and that animals will ‘ choose ’ physical suffering over emotional suffering , if forced to pick . McMillan cites an experiment in which an electrified grid was placed between a puppy and a person to whom the puppy was socially attached . The puppies crossed the grid , despite shocks the entire way , to be reunited with their social contact . In another electrified grid experiment , mother rats were separated from their infant pups . The mother rats consistently chose to cross the grid and retrieve their pups , one by one , and return them to the nest , despite being shocked the whole way there and back . One mother rat crossed the grid 58 times before researchers terminated the test . McMillan also mentioned the well-publicised case of a cat named Scarlett who ran into a burning building five times to rescue her kittens , despite severe burns to her face and head . These animals are willing to suffer physical pain to alleviate emotional suffering .
What kinds of psychological harm do animals suffer ? McMillan describes the following types of emotional abuse : Rejecting : an active refusal to provide emotional support .
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