(StatePoint) Dogs make a house a home; there is no doubt about it. If you have ever thought about including a dog in your family, here are several reasons to consider moving ahead on a furry adoption.
Health Benefits
Between walks in the morning, walks in the evening and daily play time, dogs get everyone in the family active and moving each day — an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
Dogs may have pervasive positive effects on human health, according to the National Institutes of Health, which reports that groups of new pet owners showed a significant reduction in minor health problems compared to those without pets. Other studies have shown that spending time with animals can reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Why Adopt?
Between six and eight million homeless pets enter shelters every year. Because shelters cannot handle all the dogs that need a place to live, many that don’t get adopted are euthanized. Adopting a dog is a conscientious decision to make because it means you are saving a life.
Furthermore, animals in shelters receive medical care during their stay. As an adopter, you can be better informed about the state of your new pet’s health, as shelters keep great records on vaccinations and other treatments.
Lastly, adopting a pet is a much more affordable route to dog ownership than buying a dog from a breeder or store.
Where to Adopt
Dog adoption events are an excellent way to meet lots of potential pets at once, helping you find a dog whose temperament would be a good fit for your home and family.
Thankfully, many groups are helping to make such events happen. For example, Coldwell Banker Real Estate recently teamed up with Adopt-a-Pet.com to organize the Homes for Dogs National Pet Adoption Weekend. This nationwide event built on the success of the “Homes for Dogs Project,” a national campaign hosted by Coldwell Banker and Adopt-a-Pet.com, which aims to find homes for 20,000 adoptable dogs in 2015.
“It’s shocking to think of how many homeless dogs enter shelters each year,” says Sean Blankenship, chief marketing officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “That’s why we launched this program; between our 86,000 sales associates and the 15,000 Adopt-a-Pet.com shelters, we’re hoping that we can truly make a difference.”
Coldwell Banker offices in communities across the United States, along with shelters and rescue groups in the Adopt-a-Pet.com network, joined forces for one of the largest adoption events of the year. And they are planning future adoption weekends. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/HomesForDogs.