A Review of “Why Adopt?” by PetRescue

by Abbey T.

Over the last decade, the number of people adopting cats and dogs from animal shelters has doubled. For the pet rescuers of Australia, this is terrific news, but to continue on this path the general public must be bought over to their side. So in the article “Why Adopt?” written by PetRescue, the goal to achieve a country free of abandoned or homeless pets begins with convincing the public that pet adoption as opposed to typically purchasing a pet is a great and viable option for most people. Do I think they have made a valid argument to support their goal? We shall see.

The writer begins the paper with a good summary of current statistics concerning rescued pets and euthanasia rates, as well as their goal for creating change throughout Australia. It was pleasing to learn that by adopting pets the number of euthanised animals has been declining. To be specific, statistics collated by the RSPCA between 1997 and 2005 show a 40% decline in the euthanasia rate, and I found this information quite motivating as the idea to create a no-kill rescue-loving Australia was very appealing. After reading it I went into the article feeling a sense of confidence that this would be a worthwhile read.

Seven super reasons were then given with the goal of showing the reader how adopting a pet was just as worthwhile, if not more so, than buying a pet from a breeder or pet shop. The list included things like owner-pet pairing, the strength of bonds and the cost, all of which I found decent in the way they portrayed the information. Some of the statements, like “It sets a good example for your kids,” though true, I found did not move me in either direction, unlike the reasoning around it being a cost-effective choice, which ticked an immediate box inside my head. The author's decision to include that statement was a good one, as it would appeal to many people. Overall I found the points they gave reasonable, if not sometimes obvious, and by the end of the section I could see no reason why adopting wouldn't be the way to go. 

We then move on to a section where a couple of basic questions are answered: “Why do pets end up in rescue?” and ”Why aren't rescue pets free?” I thought the decision to include this section was a good one, and by anticipating two of the most likely questions to arise after reading the document, they potentially gain even more support from their readers. Did I find the answers helpful? Yes. Though some of the responses were already known to me, I could understand that they would be common questions and they executed the answers well. I also found some of the statistics interesting. For example, less than 10% of rescue pets have been surrendered or dumped and most of the animals have merely been lost and haven't been able to be reunited with their owners.

Lastly, the writer then goes into a good summary of how to go about adopting a pet. At first I wondered if the information was necessary. However, they gave helpful guidelines and posed questions such as whether or not you're prepared to pay costs for the next 10 to 15 years. This causes you to think about whether or not you're ready for a pet, thereby preventing more un-homed or deprived animals in the future, which is the ultimate goal. In the end I came to think that the section was rightly included.

Therefore, having now thoroughly examined the paper, do I think PetRescue made a valid argument to support their goal? Yes I do. I thought “Why Adopt?” was well written and informative, and I had no real troubles with it aside from the occasional obvious statement. The right questions were asked and then answered in a short but still helpful manner, overall doing a decent job at achieving their ultimate goal: to educate people and therefore convince them that pet adoption is a wonderful option compared to purchasing a pet. In conclusion, I would say the effectiveness of the article in achieving said goal was well executed. I came away regarding the information as helpful and interesting and with a mindset that adopting a pet rather than buying one was a pleasing idea.