It's Adopt a Shelter Pet Month

October is Adopt a Shelter Pet Month. The benefits of adopting a shelter pet are manifold. As a “pet parent” to an adopted shelter pet - my dog Bijou, I can easily and happily rattle off how much he has made a positive impact on my life. I wrote about it in a three part series “How do Find the Right Dog for You.” Check it out.

What can an adopted shelter pet do for you? Here are some of the answers according to the American Humane Association:

• Be an exercise buddy.
• Be a best friend and confidant for your child?
• Be a dog you can train with to learn animal-assisted therapy?
• Be a partner in agility competitions?
• Be a constant companion for your favorite senior citizen?
• Be a fuzzy face to greet you after a hard day at work?

The other reasons to adopt a shelter pet are altruistic. You would be giving an animal a second chance at life. It’s estimated that more than three million animals are euthanized in animal shelters every year. We can turn that statistic around by taking a new pet in. Are interested in adopting a pet but don’t know where to start? I recommend surfing over to petfinder.com first of all.