Loving Leo: Dearborn Pet of the Week

DEARBORN, MI — Loving Leo would love to cozy up to you! The 9-month-old (as of Dec. 3) cat with a short brown tabby-and-white coat found his way to the shelter as a stray and can't wait to meet you in the Cat Room.

He is just $35 to adopt, and that includes the cost of getting spayed/neutered, microchipped, and up to date on age-appropriate vaccinations. Scoop Leo up at the Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit (2661 Greenfield Road, Dearborn) or give Leo a buzz (313-943-2697) to let him know you’re on your way. View Leo and his friends (who are excited to get adopted, too!) and follow the shelter on Facebook.

Why You Should Adopt a Shelter Pet

There are many, many reasons you should consider adopting a pet from a shelter, rather than going through a breeder or commercial pet store, according to the Humane Society of the United States.
Here are five of them:

1. You’ll save a life. More than 2.7 million pets in shelters across the country are euthanized each year because too few people adopt.
2. You’ll get a great pet. Most of the pets in animal shelters are there because of a human problem - for example, a move to a place pets aren’t allowed or a divorce - not because the animal did anything wrong.
3. You’ll get a great bargain. The fee for adoption normally includes the cost to spay or neuter the animal, vaccinations and microchipping. All animals at the Dearborn Animal Shelter are microchipped before they’re adopted. The fee varies at the Dearborn animal Shelter. Adoption fees for kittens are higher than for adult cats. The same goes for puppies and adult dogs.Learn more here.
4. You’ll take a stand against puppy mills, factory style breeding facilities that put profit over the welfare of dogs. Many are housed in shockingly poor conditions, receive inadequate medical care, and are often very sick and behaviorally troubled as a result. If you’re buying from a pet store or online seller, chances are good that you’re financially supporting a puppy mill.
5. Research shows that having a pet is psychologically, emotionally and physically beneficial. Because adopting a shelter pet is a choice you can feel good about, you can add improved self-esteem to the mix of benefits.

Friends for Metro Detroit Animals is a 501c non-profit organization. The shelter is located at 2661 Greenfield Road, Dearborn, MI 48120.

Photo courtesy of Friends for Metro Detroit Animals