A Vet

A vet is very important for a long and healthy life for your pet.  You need to find a vet that you can talk to and understand.  It is best to take your new pet to the vet as soon as possible to make sure that everything is okay.

Dogs and cats need yearly shots to stay healthy and free of disease.  They also need to take Heart guard once a month to prevent the deadly heartworm disease. 

Size Matters

Large dogs need a wide open space to be able to run and exercise. It is also nice if there is a child to play with the animal. They also eat more than small dogs.  Small dogs are great inside or outside.  They usually cost less to maintain.

Missy's Story

Missy was found by some soldiers near Camp Shelby.  She had been at the animal shelter for about 2 months.  When my family and I saw her for the first time, we feel in love with her.  There was something about her eyes that just caught our attention.  I then went to talk to the manager of the shelter.  I found out that I could feel out some paper work to be able to bring Missy home for 2 days for a trail run.  We have cats at the house and wanted to make sure that they could get along. 

When we got Missy home, we realized that she was already house trained and was an all around well mannered dog.  We fell more in love with Missy and decided to adopt her.  She has been a part of our family for 3 years.

My Adopted Dog

This is Missy.  She is a Jack Russel Terrier and she was adopted from Southern Pines Animal Shelter.  She is very loving and loves attention.

Visit Animal Shelters

When visiting an animal shelter, there are some things to pay attention to:

1.  Is the animal making eye contact?
2.  Is the animal over excited to see you?
3.  Is the animal shy?

These are important questions that you need to be asking yourself when you find a pet you are interested in.
If the animal is making eye contact and waging its tail, then the animal is open to you.  An animal that is very excited to see you may require a wide open space and lots of attention.
Shy animals may have been mistreated by former owners. I know from experience that an animal realizes that you are trying to love and take care of it.  The animal will eventually open up and become that pet that is always very happy to see you.  I tell people that my Jack Russel Terrier, Missy, throws a welcome home party for me every time I walk in the door.
Remember, a pets love is unconditional.  Your pet will love you as long as he or she is alive.

Molly

Molly is a Toy Rat Terrier.  She is full of spunk and rules the house.

Getting Started

If you have decided to adopt a pet, here are some things that you need to consider:
1.  Do you have the time to take care of an animal?
2.  Do you have the means to take care of an animal?
3.  Do you know if you want to adopt a cat or dog?

For instance, dogs need more attention than cats do. Also, cats are easier to house train than dogs are.