Every year in June, American Humane celebrates Adopt-A-Cat Month. You may not be able to buy love, but you can certainly adopt it during this month-long event! If you have been thinking about adding a new cat to your family, right now is a purr-fect time. Whether they will be your first cat or the latest in a long line of feline family members, adopting from a shelter or rescue organization (instead of buying from a breeder) offers numerous benefits.

Fostering animals saves lives. In fact, if just two percent of pet-owning households in the United States fostered one pet each year, unnecessary euthanasia in shelters could end, according to Susanne Kogut, president of the Petco Foundation. It's a surprising statistic most folks are unaware of, and spreading awareness of this is one of the many goals of National Foster a Pet Month.

On May 3 every year, National Specially-abled Pets Day sheds light on our precious pets with disabilities, from blindness to limb loss. Not only does it educate the public about the need to adopt these special pets from shelters, but it also highlights why they make such exceptional companions and the unique needs to consider when it comes to their care.

Americans celebrate National Adopt A Shelter Pet Day on April 30th to raise awareness about the millions of companion animals living in shelters while awaiting their forever homes. It’s a great day to add a new furry friend to your family or spend some time volunteering at a local animal shelter, too. Over the years, you’ve probably heard a lot of myths about shelter pets.

As humans, we think of losing a limb as a tragic, worst-case scenario type of event. The loss of an arm or leg is a traumatic experience that has a massive impact on daily life. However, it is not nearly as big a tragedy in the animal kingdom. As veterinarians, we’ve seen countless dogs and cats recover beautifully following limb amputations. With proper care, three-legged pets can live long, healthy, and, most importantly, happy lives.

Summer may be slowly winding down, but there’s still one fabulous holiday on the horizon — Black Cat Appreciation Day! Celebrated each year on August 17th, this holiday aims to dispel the many myths and fears surrounding black cats and celebrate dark-coated kitties for the loving and beautiful creatures they are.

As the old saying goes, you can’t buy love. You most certainly can adopt it, though! June is National Adopt a Cat Month, and if you have been thinking about bringing home a feline family member, there is no better time to do it. Adopting a cat is a decision that you shouldn’t take lightly, but doing so could also impact your life in several wonderful ways.

One silver lining during this pandemic is how many people have been adopting dogs. In fact, one Chicago shelter recently declared themselves cleaned out of adoptable dogs for the first time ever. Doesn't that just bring a smile to your face? Some people, however, might agree that this time of home quarantine is an ideal period to adopt but they are hesitant due to certain negative things they've heard about shelter pets. As veterinarians, we've seen firsthand how the love of a shelter pet has changed lives for the better.