We adopted Spike when he was four years old, and it's been a party ever since. I could not be a bigger advocate for adopting a pet. You might think you are saving their life, but you'd never expect that they could save yours. Spike sure has! We were completely heartbroken when our first bulldog Meatball passed, but Spike brought the life, love, and light that we once had.

Here are just a few more reasons why adopting is wonderful! 

• You will be saving a life. And providing a safe, secure loving environment to a dog or cat who really needs it.
• Very often rescued or re-homed dogs are already housetrained and have some basic behavioral training as well.
• Shelters and rescue groups often include vaccinations, microchipping, and spaying or neutering in the adoption fee.

Check out more reasons here.

Consider adopting a senior pet! Check out the many benefits, as well as things to consider before adopting a senior pet here.

• There are no surprises with a senior pet. Their personality traits are established already and they are normally very accepting of whatever life throws at them. The puppyhood or kittenhood headaches of housetraining are well behind them, and their more mellow demeanor is a comfort to live with. 
• Senior pets are also usually less destructive. The urge to chew and scratch is much less likely to cause problems. Dogs are often content with a sedate walk in the neighborhood or a gentle game of fetch as a form of exercise, as opposed to the more energy draining needs of a younger dog who needs more activity. Many senior cats will also still enjoy chasing that little red dot of the laser pointer, but perhaps for not quite as long as their kitten counterparts.

December isn’t the only month to give back and you can help your local rescue with more than monetary donations. Check out a list of ways you can help that won’t break the bank here, many of which you can do as a family!

Eastwood Ranch Foundation, a non-profit animal rescue organization founded by actress/director Alison Eastwood, has launched FosterFurkids.com a website that connects rescue groups and animal shelters with a nationwide network of pet fosters and transporters. 

To support the launch of FosterFurkids.com, the first 100 people that sign up to be a foster pet parent will receive a Petcurean care package!

Disclosure: Compensation and product provided by Petcurean in exchange for this post. All opinions are Spike's and mine!