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Open Paw in Shelters •
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Most shelter animals were once perfectly normal, well-behaved, loveable and loved puppies and kittens. Yet many are surrendered to shelters or abandoned when they are six months to two years old. Why have these animals become unwanted? In most cases, because of behavior, temperament, or training problems, all of which could easily have been prevented. Many of these problems are already well established before three months of age – that is, before owners normally come into contact with animal professionals who could help them.
The solution is to educate prospective pet owners before they get their pets. By teaching people how to select the best companion animal for their families what to expect and what to watch for, and teaching them variety of user-and-animal-friendly training techniques and preventive measures, we can help people to raise their new puppies and kittens into perfect dogs and cats. Thus, animals are happily kept in their original homes and many fewer animals end up in shelters. Preventing the problem is the only permanent solution.
To accomplish this, Open Paw advertises and distributes FREE educational materials to prospective and existing pet owners and veterinary students. We offer the Open Paw Community Lecture Series, an informative, fun, and FREE series of talks by renowned behaviorists and trainers giving crucial advice to potential and existing pet owners in the community. By championing this preventive approach, we help to ensure that animals do not become unwanted in the first place.
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