The choice to welcome a dog into your life requires a lot of thought, especially when it comes to choosing where your next family member will come from. There are several options, including adopting a dog from a shelter such as the SPA de l’Estrie. This alternative has many advantages, but what are they exactly?
Give an animal a second chance and save many others
Adopting from a shelter means giving a much-needed home to a dog. Shelter animals are usually found as strays or abandoned for a variety of reasons (moving, lack of time, death, allergies, medical needs, behavior, etc.).
By adopting from a shelter, you are not only saving the life of your dog, but also the life of another dog that can take its place at the shelter. In addition, you are helping to slow down the overpopulation of animals (and consequently reduce the number of unwanted animals) since all shelter animals are sterilized.
Save on essential veterinary care
Dogs from a shelter like the SPA de l’Estrie are examined, sterilized, vaccinated, dewormed and microchipped before being placed for adoption. However, adoption fees represent only a fraction of the cost of all these services in a veterinary clinic.
According to the Association des médecins vétérinaires du Québec (AMVQ), the cost of all these services combined could be close to $800, but the adoption fees at the SPA de l’Estrie are only between $250 and $450. Not to mention that the shelters must house, feed and take care of the physical and psychological well-being of their resident animals for the duration of their stay.
Get personalized advice
At the SPA de l’Estrie, as in many shelters, dogs are evaluated and supervised by qualified dog behaviorists. Their observations allow them to get to know the animals in the shelter and to offer personalized advice to adopters. This means you can learn more about your pet upon adoption and be assured that his or her needs and temperament are appropriate for your family.
For example, if shelter staff notice that an animal reacts strongly to children or other animals, they will ensure that the dog is placed with a family that does not have them. Or if a dog presents a particular challenge such as separation anxiety, they will be able to properly educate new adopters. All of this is to ensure the well-being of our canine companions and to prevent a family from ending up with a dog that is unsuitable for their lifestyle.
In addition, beyond the work done before and during the adoption, our workers do a follow-up once the dog is settled in its new home. Adopting from the SPA de l’Estrie also means taking advantage of rigorous, personalized and continuous support.
Now that you know all the good reasons to adopt a shelter dog, it is important to remember that adopting an animal must be a well thought out and responsible decision. It’s a long-term commitment that requires a big investment for the whole family. If you are ready to welcome a shelter companion into your life and heart, we invite you to check out our animals for adoption!