It's raining rescue cats and dogs

At a time where people are spending hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars looking for the perfect cat or dog, there is a potential goldmine of heart-filling, soul-soothing, life-changing pets that are right under our noses. They might only be a fraction of the price but are equally, if not more, fulfilling than their more expensive counterparts!

All over Northland there are countless numbers of pets in need of rescue within numerous rescue organisations. One of the oldest and busiest being the SPCA, which is full of fantastic people who care for all these pets in preparation that someday someone will come along and invite them into their lives.

The feeling you get when rescuing a pet is one of the best feelings you can have. Sure, it may not feel like the biggest thing in the world to you, but, to the animal and the people in places like the SPCA, it means everything! Every year thousands of pets are taken in by the SPCA and they try diligently to ensure the best outcome for all of them. But they need help from prospective pet buyers to consider looking beyond the glitz and glamour of the pedigree pet world and opening their homes to these wonderful rescue canines and felines.

There was a time it was maybe deemed a little unfashionable to own a rescue pet and there has been a common misconception that rescue pets are aggressive, badly trained, not sociable, have health problems etc… This is simply not the truth as rescue pets are every bit as cute and cuddly as a pedigree and there is never a pet adopted out of the SPCA that is not suitable. All pets are checked over by vets and vaccinated. They also have behaviour and temperament assessments and, if there are any medical or temperament issues, then any prospective adopter will know about these from the start. Because all this work has been put in by the SPCA staff and volunteers, it means that they can then help match you with a rescue pet that suits your family, your lifestyle and, most of all, your personality!

So, if you are thinking about getting a new pet or have room for one more, then take a visit to the SPCA or any of the other recognised rescue organisations and help make some new memories for some pets who probably haven't had too many good ones! And if you don't have space in your life for a pet but still want to help, then maybe take a look at volunteering or making a donation to a rescue charity. It's the next best thing to adopting a pet!