We have a guest in the Dog House for Be Kind to Animals Week!

I'd like to introduce you to Susan Daffron, the founder of the National Association of Pet Rescue Professionals and the author of books on caring for adopted dogs called Happy Hound and a book about adopted cats called Happy Tabby.

Johann: So Susan tell us about what a special week this is!

Susan: This week is Be Kind to Animals Week. The American Humane Association created Be Kind to Animals Week in 1915 to celebrate the human-animal bond. One of the best things you can do to be kind to a companion animal is to save his life. A staggering number of animals are euthanized in animal shelters every year and most of them are not "bad" dogs or cats. They are just unwanted and unlucky. When you adopt from an animal shelter or rescue group you lessen the amount of animal suffering in the world and do a good thing for your community too. (Impounding animals and tracking down cases of animal cruelty do have financial implications, after all!)

Unfortunately, even now after many years of promotion and increasing awareness of humane issues, statistically, many people still do not adopt from shelters and rescues. Sure not every shelter or every animal is going to be a perfect match for you. But it's easy to find a wonderful pet through a shelter or rescue and save a life. If you are one of those people who has worried about adopting from a shelter or rescue

Johann: Do you have a few tips for our readers?

Susan: Yes I do!

1. Go with your instincts. If a shelter/rescue "feels wrong" to you, odds are good that it's poorly managed. Animals pick up on human emotions. If the humans running the place are miserable, the critters know. You'll know too.

2. Watch for "cage crazy" animals. Some humane societies keep animals for literally years in small cages. If you see animals lunging against the cage and snarling, odds are good the shelter/rescue isn't doing any behavior testing at all. Ask about their techniques.

3. Avoid "feeling sorry" for animals in poor conditions. A clean shelter is a good shelter. A filthy shelter is often a sign of things gone very wrong. In fact, filthy conditions can indicate a situation that is really an animal hoarder using a "shelter" as a way to collect more animals. Contact the Humane Society of the United States if you see animals in dirty, inhumane conditions.

4. Fees should not be a stumbling block. Reputable rescues may charge high fees because they have invested a lot of money in getting an animal spayed/neutered and other health care costs, such as heartworm treatments. Owning a pet is expensive and if you are worried about the fee, you might want to rethink getting a pet at all.

Remember that whether or not you go to a shelter, the animals will still be there. Avoiding the homeless animal problem doesn't make it go away. There are always animals waiting for homes. Adopting an animal gives you an opportunity to do your part to help ease this serious problem. Plus, if you're an animal lover, the satisfaction you experience when you adopt a pet is incomparable.

Johann: Do you have any final thoughts?

Susan: Yes. Thank you again for helping me spread the word about why adopting pets from shelters and rescues is so important. The whole reason I wrote my books and started the National Association of Pet Rescue Professionals is to help get more critters into their "forever homes." Here's to saving more lives!