25 Reasons Why You Should Adopt Your Pets In Western New York

You've seen the shirts and bumper stickers about how rescue pets that say, "My rescue pet actually rescued me."  It might be cliche at this point...but it's true.

Rescue pets are incredibly special.  Most of them have been through more in their short lives than most people will ever see.  Some have been abandoned, abused, and used.  They've been discarded and left to fend for themselves.  It's not always a malicious situation.  Sometimes people realize that their pets will have a better life in someone else's home.  Maybe they've gotten sick and just can't care for them any more. Sadly, not everyone values the life of a pet like some do.

I've had pets all my life.  Most were dogs that were mutts people were selling, or dogs that people couldn't care for anymore.  Now that I'm an adult, we've made the choice to adopt as often as we can.

We have three dogs.  Two of them were rescued directly from rescue organizations here in Western New York.  Her name is Gerti and we got her to be a companion to the dog that we had already.  She was what they call a "Mill Mama."  She was literally used as a baby factory.  They would breed her as often as they possibly could.  She lived her life in a crate. When we got her, she didn't even know how to play.  She'd never seen a toy.  She never got to go to the bathroom anywhere but her crate.  Her life consisted of eating, drinking, and having puppies.

She's now my wife's best friend.  I've never seen a bond like the two of them have.  Gerti follows her around when she's there and never leaves her side.  She's one of the few people that Gerti will go to, but she's never far from her.

Our other true rescue is my English Bulldog that I talk about all the time.  Her name is Minnie Pearl and when I come home she comes up and sits with me and puts her head right on my chest as if she missed me.  It's one of my favorite parts of my day.

She was a "Mill Mama" too.  When we got her she was only 1 and a half.  She had to be spayed as all rescues are (to avoid someone getting them and continuing to breed them) before we could take her home.  They had found that just over 1 year old, she already showed 5 scars from C-Sections.  That could be failed pregnancies also...

They breed them until they can't anymore and then they dispose of them.  It's an awful life.  But you can be the change for them.  And they will thank you forever for it.

I know there are some people who have had a hard time with some rescue organizations.  Sometimes the requirements are high.  These dogs have often been through hell and back and they want to make sure that doesn't continue with their new families.  I'll admit, not all rescues are created equal.  If you're having trouble with one and you aren't meshing with them.  Try with another one.  There are lots of great organizations here in WNY.  Just keep trying.

I've got two reasons listed above why I think it's so important to rescue pets.  Here are 25 more.  These are all real pets from people here in Western New York who opened their homes to dogs (and a cat) who needed them.  Sometimes they take more work than others...but they're all worth it.