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Please Double Up!

Please Double Up!

When looking for your next animal companion, give some thought to their daily quality of life. Many people looking only to add one companion animal to their family respond to adoption offers of groups of puppies, kittens, rabbits, or rats with little regard for the bonds and families these animals come from. As a species, we humans often place a huge value on family and friends, but when adopting animals, we often destroy bonds between animals who will never see each other again if not adopted by a guardian who is sensitive to the very real social needs of animals.

All animals will grow up happier with a sibling or friend of the same species to hang out with all day while their humans are away at work. Pack and herd animals such as rats, rabbits, and dogs are generally miserable without the companionship of their own species. Luckily, dogs can meet up with other dogs at dog parks, but adopting a rabbit or rat without a companion is to ignore the very nature of the species.

We understand the world is not ideal and keeping a rescued dog or cat and all her puppies or kittens is often near impossible. We hope, however, that whenever possible, you’ll never adopt just one rabbit, rat, cat, or dog and that when faced with a bonded pair of animals, you’ll take them both, or find an already isolated individual, then try to find companionship for him or her if another animal can be accepted.

Here are inseparable Everest and Azalea. They were dumped behind the IDA headquarters and adopted by a bonded pair of our staff members, Brendan Montgomerie and Anita Carswell. If you have a happy story of a friendship between two or more of your animal companions that you’ve adopted from a shelter or rescue group, and a good picture, please send your story to us. We’d be happy to share with our supporters some of the best stories and photos to reinforce the message that friendships between animals are important to cherish and recognize.

Please send your stories and photos to anita@idausa.org . Thank you!

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