It should come as no surprise that we here at Bordas & Bordas are extreme animal lovers. Many of our attorneys and staff are very active in volunteering for our local animal shelters and we strive to support these worthy organizations any way we can. While checking my social media this weekend I saw that a handful of my friends had recently purchased a puppy. With the summer months being warm it only makes sense to get a puppy now because it is easier to housebreak them in July than in the cold month of December. After looking at all the new puppies, I continued scrolling and saw that the Marshall County Animal Shelter had a variety of dogs both young and old up for adoption. It made me stop and wonder where my friends had gotten their new furry friends and whether or not they supported the local animal shelter.
I myself have made the mistake of finding my dog through the internet, which is not always the most reliable source because many online animals do come from puppy mills. According to the Humane Society, there are about 10,000 puppy mills in the United States with about 2.4 million puppy mill puppies being sold each year. Comparing that to the 3 million innocent animal shelter dogs and cats that are euthanized each year makes me wonder why people choose to purchase from a website or pet store instead of checking the local animal shelter first. The answer being a variety of things like the breed a buyer is looking for, the age of the animal, or even the fact that they don't want the new pet to have a bad past.
With the second anniversary of my internet purchase coming up, I have to be honest and say that although I love my dog, I wish I would've adopted from my local animal shelter. I recently visited the Marshall County Animal Shelter and the amount of dogs and cats waiting to be adopted was truly heart breaking. If I had more time I would most definitely adopt one and give it a forever home. Many people do not like adopting from an animal shelter because of the history of the dog, but what many look past is the fact that this is the animals second chance and if you show him or her a better life than what they had before they will love you forever.
Puppy mill puppies are usually overpriced and come home with various health problems that result in a pricey veterinarian bill; not counting the neutering or spaying operation. By adopting from an animal shelter like Marshall County's, one can adopt a cat for an $85.00 fee and a dog for a $100.00 fee both including vaccinations, a flea treatment, spay/neuter operation, a tattoo ID and knowing in their hearts that they have been rescued. So many pets are unwanted and if we spay and neuter them, we as a country can limit the amount of euthanization. This is why Bordas and Bordas founding partners Jim and Linda Bordas have taken a stand for innocent animals and made a generous contribution to The Tiffany Dlesk Spay-Neuter Clinic.
By adopting instead of purchasing from an unknown puppy mill owner, you can be assured that you have saved a life. Remember that our pets may only be a part of our life, but to them we are their whole life. If you're looking for a new furry family member, I encourage you to stop down and check out the adorable dogs and cats available for adoption. The shelter is open Monday-Saturday 11-4 and Sunday 12-4.
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