Where can I find a new pet?

This is a question I am asked a lot at work.

There are three main types of organizations to look for in your area when finding your new pet. Find them using your local phone directory/yellow pages or the Internet. The best place online to find adoption groups from anywhere in the U.S. is Petfinder.com. As they say about themselves:

"You can:
Search 213,653 adoptable pets...
Locate shelters and rescue groups in your area.
Browse our resource library to learn more about pet care.
Post classified ads for lost or found pets, pets wanted, and pets needing homes.
Sign up to be a volunteer to help your local shelter or rescue group."

City or County shelters take in any and all animals turned in to them as lost, unwanted or "nuisance animals". You can usually find their listing in the phone book under County Government. They will euthanize ill or unadoptable pets, or those that stay in the facility "too long".

Humane societies are run by both salaried and volunteer workers and supported by donations. They may be selective in which animals they accept.

Local area fostering groups are often "no-kill" volunteer groups who don't have a physical location. They make arrangements with pet stores to have "adoption days" each week or even have permanent facilities in larger stores to which the adoptable pets are brought. If they are a big enough group, they may have other programs, such as bringing specially chosen calm pets to nursing homes. These groups will have people that catch strays. The strays are evaluated for health issues, vaccinated, neutered or spayed, fostered, and then put up for adoption. Whatever fees a group charges to finally adopt a pet does not come close to covering the costs they incur in this pre-adoption care.

cat adoptions adopting a cat animal shelters