Teaching the 3 R’s – A Pet Project

Today, many of us are trying to teach our families how to be good stewards of the environment and how to “go green” as much as we can. We show our kids how to cut down on waste by swapping our light bulbs for longer-lasting, more energy-efficient CFLs. We convince them to reuse plastic packaging instead of using disposable plastic bags. We encourage you to recycle old newspapers, glass and cans.

When it comes to adding a new pet to the family, you have another chance to teach your children how to apply the 3 R’s in one more way. Starts with:

Bailing out. If you’re worried about a rescue not joining you, you shouldn’t. After all, this is an animal that has somehow been let down by another human. Given the chance, this pet will do everything in its power not to let you down and make sure you don’t disappear like the previous owner.

When we rescued our Airedale Terrier, Max, he immediately got in the way of everything we did. We have photos from birthdays, vacations, and other family events where he’s always there, even if it’s just head, tail, or paw. Rescues are deeply loyal and loving.

Reduce. Whether shelter mismanagement or irresponsible owners, coupled with a lack of qualified homes for homeless pets, is the primary cause of pet euthanasia in this country is a matter of debate in the animal community. Regardless of which position you take, euthanasia of healthy, adoptable pets is a real issue in this country. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that between six and eight million dogs and cats are turned into shelters each year and that more than half of that population is euthanized annually. When you commit to rescuing and neutering your pet, you have a real impact on reducing pet overpopulation.

When we were in the process of adopting Max, we had to go through the kennels of the local animal control center. It broke my heart to not only see so many healthy and happy dogs begging for a forever family, but especially to see a homeless mother nursing a litter of 8 small puppies. The admissions officer told us that a family had left the garbage before their children “were able to witness the miracle of birth.” The officer had been polite enough not to ask if they now wanted to witness the phenomenon of death. What were these children learning about their responsibility as pet owners?

Renew. When you rescue an animal, you have renewed a life and I think the pet knows it. With Max, we were always impressed that no matter what life brought him, he was always happy. It’s as if he knew that he had had a second chance at life and that he was going to make the most of every minute.

Contrary to popular belief, the dogs and cats that come to the rescue are not all wild, sick or abused. For example, more animals are now being converted into shelters due to the economic downturn and rising foreclosures. Typically a bit older, these pets are usually calmer, more focused when it comes to obedience training, and many are already house trained.

So when you add a new pet to your home, encourage your family to go green with the 3 R’s: Rescue, Reduce, Renew. There is no doubt that there is a pet out there looking for greener pastures and imagine what it could teach your children.

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