Many people think of their local shelter when they are looking for a dog or cat, but did you know your local animal shelter can be a good place to find exotic pets, too?
Shelters and rescues are often overlooked as potential sources for exotic pets, especially the more common "exotics" like rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, ferrets, rats, chinchillas, and reptiles. With the Internet as a tool, you may be able to find your ideal pet at a shelter or rescue nearby.
Adopt a Pet, Save a Life
In terms of sheer numbers, exotic pets aren't suffering the same overpopulation problems seen with cats and dogs. However, there are still far too many exotic pets ending up at shelters, and it can be difficult to find them all new homes. Many shelters don't have the resources to care for pets indefinitely (and especially exotic pets), so by adopting from a shelter you have the chance to give an animal a good life and possibly even safe them from death.
At the shelter, you should be able to meet and handle an exotic pet you are considering adopting, so you will have a good chance to see the personality of the pet and decide if he or she is a good fit.
What Kinds of Pets?
The more commonly an exotic pet is, the more likely it is you will find one at a local shelter. Rabbits and ferrets are usually quite easy to find at shelters, and you may also find a variety of small rodents at shelters such as hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, degus, chinchillas, mice, and rats. Reptiles of all sorts also seem to find their way to rescues and shelters frequently, perhaps because people tend not to realize the extent of equipment and care they will need. Certainly, iguanas, bearded dragons, geckos, snakes of all sorts, and turtles (especially sliders) are pretty commonly found at shelters and rescues.
Adopting Older Exotics
While young exotic pets can usually be found at shelters, many of the pets available will be adult animals. While I often advise that starting with a young exotic can make taming and handling easier, older pets have some advantages too. With an older animal, you can be more sure of the temperament of the animal as an adult -- there are no concerns about temperament changes at puberty. Grown-up pets tend to be a bit calmer and less likely to get into mischief. You may find an older pet that is already tame and easy to handle, but if not, it's often just a matter of taking a little extra time and patience to gain their trust (but, as always, avoid animals that are overtly aggressive or excessively timid).
Finding An Exotic Pet at a Shelter or Rescue
You local shelters are likely to have web sites where pets for adoption are listed, or you can stop in for a visit from time to time. Even better, consider volunteering at a shelter -- you can help a lot of homeless animals this way, and you will be among the first to know when pets come up for adoption.
The Internet can be very useful for locating exotic pets at shelters and rescues. You can simply Google the following combination of terms: your location, the type of pet you are looking for, and the term shelter or rescue. In addition, Petfinder.com can be a great help in locating exotics for adoption in North America. Here, the "Animal" drop down menu (top left) can be used select the group you are looking at (e.g. rabbits, small and furry, reptiles, pigs). Or, skip the Animal menu and try putting the type of animal you want under "Breed" (e.g. ferret, turtle, hamster, etc.). I usually use either one of these boxes, leave the age, size, and gender boxes untouched, and then put my postal code in the location box. This is a great way to not only find animals for adoption in your area, but also to identify shelters and rescues where you might find your next best friend.
A Few Species Specific Rescue Listings
These sites have quite extensive lists for ferret, rabbit, and reptile rescues:
- American Ferret Association - addresses and contacts for ferret rescues/shelters
- House Rabbit Society - Adoption and Rescue - listings of chapters of the society (online and off) which offer adoption/rescue resources.
- Reptile Rescue Lisitngs - maintained by Melissa Kaplan, reptile and iguana-specific rescues in the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom.
More Pet Adoption Resources
These articles may focus more on cats and dogs, but the general concepts of what to consider when adopting a new pet are essentially the same no matter what species we are talking about: