(#5152) Adopt a pet dog or cat from the pounds

      Over the last year or so I have seen many wandering dogs and cats outside. I often go to my neighborhood page and see posts about animals who are straying with no one looking for them. I assume, and it is an assumption only but likely I think, that many of these animals have been set loose because their previous owners could not afford to keep them. I think that may be true because I have seen the price of food and medicine for pets increase quite a bit since Covid. It breaks my heart to see these animals as strays but what can be done to help them other than capturing them and sending them to the county or city pounds. The pounds these days are at capacity so unless people who can afford pets adopt the already impounded animals we will have a bunch of animals dying without anyone to care for them.
     I already have 4 adopted animals under my care despite straining my limited budget. Yet I wouldn't give one of them up no matter what. So if people out there would adopt some of these dogs and cats who have no home it would be great and give the rest of us a break from the constant heartache of knowing these little animals have no future. I cannot tell you how much a pet makes a difference in my life. I would be much less a human without my little companions constantly hanging with me. They need me and show that with happiness and love. We as a society need to do more to make sure that the costs of animal care and maintenance is within more budgets to accept.
     Every family should have at least one pet. Every retired person should have at least one pet. Every young person who can manage it should have a pet. All of us need to allow a pet into our lives when we can so that we have a constant reminder of what life is all about. There is nothing in the world like having a pet that shows its love back for the care we provide. My animals often come to me just to be up against me as a hug. Happiness is not easy to find but with a pet happiness is suddenly all around. Quality of life should be a priority for all of us and having a pet will make life much more bearable and satisfying all the while giving the pet a chance to have a life free from despair.