Celebrate ShelterPetLove On Shelter Pet Day

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the Homestead Bloggers Network, the Ad Council and The Shelter Pet Project. All opinions are my own.

December 2 is Shelter Pet Day and there is no better way to celebrate than showing a #ShelterPetLove by adopting one. It is so easy to look online for a local shelter or rescue group. In addition to finding out what local shelters or rescue groups are in your area, you can learn a lot of valuable information and even read pet adoption stories such as mine below.

Adopting a pet - especially around the holiday time when things are busier than normal - is something to really consider. Kids often ask for pets as gifts but keep in mind that the expense and care of that pet is ultimately the responsibility of the adults in the household. Many pets are abandoned days or weeks after the holidays are over when the reality of pet ownership sets in.

There are many pros and cons when it comes to adopting a shelter pet. Often you have the opportunity to choose an older dog or cat instead of a puppy. This is both good and bad because sometimes those pets come with their own set of issues like our Sasha did. On the pro side she was already potty trained and had good house manners. Her issue that later went away was being overly protective of the food dish - something I believe she picked up while at the shelter. Overcrowding is a real issue and the sheer number of pets abandoned by their owners is overwhelming. At the time that I chose to foster for our local humane society I already had a male lab mix who was five years old. Precious Angel was 2 weeks old when I got him so I trained him as I chose and dealt with all the puppy issues. I needed a foster dog that got along with him and hopefully would make a good companion for him.

I filled out paperwork and waited while it was checked. I looked at all the various dogs they had that day. I was about to give up when I saw Sasha. She was a black and white lab/collie mix. The humane society lady told me she came from New York. She was dropped off by her owners on July 4. They could not keep her after bringing her all the way to Indiana. It was the middle of September yet she had not found a home. She was 6 years old. I decided she was the perfect dog to foster and was able to bring her home that day.

Once she was in the front seat of the truck, she was friendly as could be but when we got home things turned a bit rocky. She laid right in front of the food and water dishes. She snapped at Precious Angel when he tried to get close to her. With us however she was fine. I decided to put down a second set of food and water dishes for Precious Angel and wait a few days to see what happened. Animals all have a pecking order and I knew that had to be worked out between the two dogs.  I figured she was upset about losing her family, being in the shelter, sharing a cage  as well as food and water bowls with two other dogs in that cage plus now she was in new surroundings. Animals have feelings just like us. Often patience is all that is required for them to show us how much love they can offer us.

Over the course of the next two weeks, I observed the interaction between Sasha and Precious Angel. I noticed she snapped less as time went by and even approached him at times. She began to get up on the couch to lay close to us instead of laying on the floor out of reach. I noticed they began to share food and water bowls. Sasha was beginning to fit into our family. I was thrilled and we began to talk about adopting her. She was the first shelter pet either of us had experience with but will not be the last. The adoption process was quick and easy - some paperwork, a vet visit and then she was ours. Sasha had so much love to give and I am glad we chose her.

Here are some statistics to consider -

Of all the pets in American homes, only 29% were adopted from a shelter or rescue. Each year approximately 3-4 million pets are adopted, but 2.7 million still lose their lives each year for lack of a home.

Seventeen million people will acquire a pet within the next year. The Shelter Pet Project, a collaborative effort between The Humane Society of the United States, Maddie's Fund^® and the Ad Council, hopes to encourage these prospective pet owners to adopt shelter and rescue pets

I encourage you to visit The Shelter Pet Project online to search for a local pet and find out how amazing shelter pets are should you decide to adopt a pet. As a gentle reminder, shelters and pet rescues are always in need of donations.

What Shelter Pet Adoption Has to Do With Homesteading

Animals are an important part of life on many homesteads, whether they help with daily chores or simply share the house and yard with us. Bringing a dog or cat home is not the same as adding another piece of equipment or starting a new garden bed. An animal needs consistent food, water, shelter, attention, veterinary care and a safe place to live. Those responsibilities do not disappear when the growing season becomes busy, when winter weather arrives or when household finances get tight.

My experience with Sasha reminded me that a shelter animal may need time to understand a new home. She was not simply stepping into an empty space in our household. Precious Angel already lived there, and I had to pay attention to both dogs as they adjusted. I could not assume that because Sasha was friendly with people she would immediately feel comfortable sharing food with another dog. Giving them separate dishes was a simple adjustment that made those first days easier to manage.

Preparing Your Home Before Adopting a Dog or Cat

Before bringing a new animal home, think through the places where that animal will eat, sleep and spend time. Keep food and water available without forcing a new pet to compete with an animal already in the household. Decide where you can separate pets temporarily if introductions become stressful, and check gates, fences and doors for possible escape routes. A dog that has just moved into unfamiliar surroundings may not know which spaces are safe or how the household routine works.

On a working homestead, there may be additional considerations. A newly adopted dog should not be expected to understand chickens, goats, sheep, rabbits or other livestock right away. Introductions should be controlled and supervised, with secure barriers between animals until you know how the dog responds. Even a friendly dog may chase a bird or become overexcited around animals that run. Protecting the animals already in your care is part of making the adoption successful.

Cats also need a careful transition. An indoor space with a litter box, food, water and a quiet resting place gives a new cat somewhere to settle before exploring the rest of the house. If you hope a cat will eventually spend time outdoors, consider local traffic, predators, disease exposure and the risks to wildlife before making that decision. Adoption is a commitment to the individual animal, not a guarantee that it will perform a particular job.

Budgeting for Animal Care and Emergencies

One of the most practical parts of responsible animal care is planning for the expenses that arrive after adoption day. The adoption fee is only the beginning. Food, routine veterinary visits, vaccinations, parasite prevention, identification and unexpected medical care can add up. Grooming supplies, bedding, carriers, leashes and fencing may also be necessary, depending on the animal and your property.

I think it is wise to include pets in household preparedness plans. Keep a supply of the food they normally eat, a way to store and carry water, copies of important veterinary information and a secure carrier or leash where you can reach it. If you ever have to leave home quickly, knowing how you will transport your animals is much better than trying to solve that problem during an emergency. Check supplies regularly so food stays fresh and medications do not expire unnoticed.

Helping a Rescue Pet Settle Into a Routine

A predictable routine can make the first weeks less confusing for an adopted animal. Feed at regular times, provide a consistent place to rest and introduce new activities gradually. Watch body language instead of expecting immediate affection. Some animals settle in quickly, while others need more time to feel secure. If guarding, fear or aggression continues, ask a veterinarian or qualified behavior professional for guidance rather than relying on the animals to sort everything out themselves.

Sasha's story is personal to our household, and another dog may respond differently. What mattered in our situation was noticing the problem, changing the arrangement and observing how the dogs behaved over time. I would never promise that every shelter pet will adjust in the same way, but I do believe that thoughtful preparation gives everyone a better chance of starting well.

Ways to Help Shelters Even If You Cannot Adopt

Adoption is not the only way to support animal rescue. Local shelters often need volunteers, foster homes, towels, bedding, cleaning supplies, food or financial donations. Their needs change, so contact the organization before dropping off items. Some shelters also welcome help photographing adoptable animals, sharing adoption listings or transporting supplies. Those are useful ways to contribute when adding another animal to your own household is not realistic.

For homesteaders, caring for animals means thinking beyond the excitement of bringing them home. It means making room in the daily schedule, the budget and the emergency plan for another living creature. Sasha became part of our family, and her story is why I continue to encourage people to consider shelter adoption thoughtfully rather than treating a pet as a holiday surprise.

The holidays are a time of giving so ask your local shelter or pet rescue what they are in need of this holiday season!