Unwanted.

Abandoned.

Uncared for.

Stray animals of numerous kinds, left behind from past owners, incapable of caring for them any longer. 

The Montclair Township Animal Shelter is run by (big surprise) Montclair. The shelter provides animal care and control for the township of Montclair, intakes stray animals and pets whose owners are unable to keep them, and offers adoption services for the animals taken. 

A dog who smiles all the time. A puppy who landed a new home at a business conference. These pets are living the good life after being adopted from the shelter. No matter what, everyone loves to see a furry companion. It’ll always bring a smile to your face, and give your eyes the gleam of I can’t believe it!

So what kinds of animals are available in the shelter right now? Take a look at 10 animals that are awaiting adoption.

Contemplate the 5 dogs, 4 cats, and guinea pigs above. Those aren’t the only ones waiting. On just the adoption website alone, more than five dozen animals are waiting to be adopted- and I’m sure that there will be more (especially those with weird names- I’m scared for what they think of next). 

You might think “Oh cute!” or might travel on the “Ehhhhhh” path. What should be known is that there are over a billion pets in the world, and 6.5 of them enter shelters every year. Less than half of them even get adopted into homes again.

You might not want a pet. Your parents might not even want one (I know from experience). But there are other ways you can help and support the shelter.

1. Donate: MTAS has been accepting donations for a long time. Whether it is that you give 5 dollars or a hundred, you should know that every single dollar is cherished. Everything that is donated will be going towards the well-being of the animals, and the shelter makes sure that all donations are worth it.
2. Offer: Volunteer! Enter the shelter to take care of the animals inside. There are a variety of jobs that need to be done to care for pets, and how can you resist playing with cute puppies and miniature kittens?
3. Give: If you already have a furry companion, then you can have the option to donate spare items for the pets.
4. Share: Educate your peers on the shelter. The more people that know about the shelter, the more plentiful action can be taken. We can all take small steps towards bringing cheer and delight to all pets and people- not just in our lives, but to the lives of everyone around us.

See what was done there with the acrostic?

Overall, there are many shelters in the world, holding many animals waiting to be adopted. The MSAT is just one of these shelters. There are ten animals listed above that are waiting- never knowing if they will retire to a life of love. We should at least try to make a difference in the lives of pets all around us.

My wish is that this article gave you something that you can take away today, like your lesson for the day. Pets bring joy to all around us, no matter how old- or young. I hope that we can support and care for the things that will come at us in the coming years, and live the best lives possible, side by side with companions.