Each year, 6.5 million animals are surrendered to shelters in the United States. By adopting a pet, you are freeing up space in a shelter for more homeless pets as well as giving your new friend a second chance at life. Many adopted animals are already housebroken, already have their shots and are spayed/neutered. By adopting from A Better Life - Pet Rescue, you are helping decrease the number of homeless animals in Central Florida and you are giving a pet the chance at a better life.

10 Reasons You Should Adopt

1. You get to save a life

2. You’ll get a great, happy and loving animal

3. It’ll cost less as you will save money on the costly first vet visit, vaccinations, deworming and spay/neuter

4. A great way to fight against puppy mills, who put profit above the welfare of the animals they breed

5. You gain a new best friend who will unconditionally love you

6. Adoption often means you’ll get a house trained, more mature pet

7. Pets have been shown to be psychologically, emotionally and physically beneficial to their companions

8. By adopting, you make room for more animals at the shelter and your adoption fee goes towards saving more pets

9. Because we help match you up with your perfect pet to join your family for the rest of their lives

10. You will change an animal’s whole world by bringing them home

Credit to The Humane Society of the United States

The Numbers Nationally

• Less than 30% of pets in U.S. homes come from shelters

• Each year, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized (670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats)

• 80% of kittens born each year come from stray cats and ultimately end up in shelters

• Number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year: 6-8 million but only 4 million get adopted

• Of the 3 million cats and dogs euthanized in shelters each year, approximately 2.4 million (80%) are healthy and treatable and could have been adopted into new homes

Credit to The Humane Society of the United States and the ASPCA

The Numbers in Florida

• A total of 400,498 cats and dogs were admitted to Florida shelters in 2019

• Free-roaming/stray cats and dogs comprised more than half of all intakes

• More than twice as many cats are euthanized compared to dogs

• Shelter intake of cats remains stubbornly high

• About 17% of pets entering shelters in Florida get euthanized, more cats than dogs, who could have otherwise been adopted into new homes

• There are only 68 no-kill communities out of 463 in Florida

Credit to the University of Florida and Best Friends Animal Society

How Do Pets End Up in Shelters?

The top reasons people relinquish their pets:

Moving, landlord not allowing pet, too many animals in household, ost of pet maintenance, owner having personal problems, inadequate facilities, no homes available for litter mates, having no time for pet, pet illness(es), biting, allergies in family, house soiling, incompatibility with other pets

Pets find their way to shelters due to:

Previous owners dumping their pets outside, abandoning their pets in previous home or community, animal services collecting the animal, pets get out of their yards/homes without proper identification, previous owners relinquish their pet to a shelter

Credit to Pet Finder

How can you make a difference?

• Donate to A Better Life - Pet Rescue to help us save more animals and find their furever homes

• Foster our dogs or a cats to help our pets at A Better Life - Pet Rescue, at other local rescues or your local animal control to help pets find their furever homes

• Adopt a pet from A Better Life - Pet Rescue, at other local rescues or your local animal control and save a life

• Spay and Neuter your pets or feral cats to control overpopulation of pets

• Research Breeds of pets that you are interesting in welcoming into your home! Look at the common energy level, grooming requirements, health conditions, temperament with children and other pets, and adult size of the pet you are interested in!

• Educate your friends and family about adopting pets, responsible pet care/ownership and spread the word about our cause at A Better Life - Pet Rescue

• Avoid Backyard Breeders & Puppy Mills by doing your research about where your pet is coming from if you choose not to adopt and shop for a pet instead. Avoid puppy stores since a majority of them get their dogs from puppy mills, which are known for not caring for the long-term well being of an animal. Please do extensive research about a breeders professional background, animal breeding/facility conditions, previous litters the breeder had and conditions of the breeder/parent animal.

• Lastly, Do NOT welcome a pet into your home and family if you are not willing to put in the work and keep that pet in your family forever!