National “Adopt a Shelter Pet Day” is April 30 and Vancouver has a line-up of heart-melting pups in need of "fur-ever" homes.
Before you buy a furry best friend from a breeder, you might want to consider the level of care that goes into raising a puppy.
"Adopting a pet is a big commitment," Vancouver Animal Services Manager John Gray told V.I.A.
"It can be a long-term commitment. Dogs live 15 to 17 years and cats can live even longer."
And since puppies are untrained, new owners will have to put a significant amount of time and energy into raising them.
All of the city's animals are strays that typically belonged to a previous owner, which means they are usually trained and have been sprayed or neutered. They are generally housebroken, too. This can be a boon for people who don't have the time to put into raising a pet or who lead busy lives, Gray described.
Older dogs also have an established personality so the prospective owner can gauge if the dog will be social or anxious.
"If you are someone who is highly athletic and you're looking at a dog that might not be quite as athletic as you are, it may not want to go on that five-kilometre run with you on Sunday," he said.
"And similarly, if you are looking for a couch potato to watch Netflix with, then you might not want that rambunctious shepherd."
Vancouver Animal Services currently has eight dogs, a couple of guinea pigs, three rabbits, and a budgie available for adoption but they are always taking in new animals and updating their adoption page.
While the shelter doesn't handle cats, people looking for a feline friend should head to the BC SPCA or the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue (VOKRA).
Vancouver dogs available for adoption
Gray describes one of the resident canines, Aladdin, as a "super smart" basset hound mix "who loves his toys and shaking a paw," while husky Tiana is celebrating her one-year anniversary of being at the shelter.
"She has been here for a long time and she needs some special attention and a special kind of owner," he notes.
Bronson, a "loyal and affectionate" mastiff mix, is great with people and loves to play ball. And Yeti, a Great Pyrenees and Maremma sheepdog mix, is described as a "very sweet" and curious dog who will make a "great friend." Dotti is another Great Pyrenees mix, who is young, energetic, and very athletic, Gray said.
Shanti, a "very shy" German Shepherd mix, loves to be around other dogs and would thrive on a property with lots of space and other canine companions.
Roughly 97 per cent of the stray dogs that end up at the shelter are returned to their owner, meaning that the only dogs available for adoption are ones that haven't been claimed. Unlike the BC SPCA, Vancouver Animal Services doesn't accept surrendered pets.
Before you adopt a pet, make sure you research how much care and commitment is involved and evaluate how it will fit into your home.
Vancouver Animal Services adoption fees cover spaying or neutering, a veterinarian appointment, micro-chipping, and vaccination.
Residents can visit Vancouver's pet adoption page online for more information. All its adoptable animals are available on their Petfinder page.
For those looking to adopt via the BC SPCA, on April 30 fees will be discounted 50 per cent to mark National “Adopt a Shelter Pet Day."
