Pets would seem to be a deviation from the focus of Irish Attic but not so, I say. Spotlighting the practice of supporting a market for creating new animals by purchasing them from a pet store or breeder, while leaving existing animals to be warehoused is completely in line with the objectives of Irish Attic.

If you’re thinking of acquiring a pet, instead of purchasing one from a pet store or breeder think about adopting a “recycled” pet from an animal shelter or animal rescue center. Alright, I’m being cute about calling these “recycled” pets, but you get the idea.

If you love animals, but don’t have the time, space or inclination for one of your own why not check out your local animal shelter or animal rescue center for opportunities to interact with an animal without the commitment of owning one? Most shelters have a walking and/or visiting program.

To find out about volunteer opportunities with a local animal protection organization, check the Yellow Pages under the headings “animal shelter,” “humane society,” and “animal control,” or just call Information. You will need to contact each group directly to learn about volunteer needs and opportunities.

There are so many benefits to walking a shelter dog:

1. Free exercise for you.
2. The dogs need a good long walk for their own exercise.
3. It’s great for the dogs’ mental health.
4. Helps the dogs’ to adapt to friendly humans, making them better pets and more likely to have a smooth transition into a new home.
5. Knowing there are dogs waiting to be walked can motivate you to get off the couch and get the exercise you need.
6. If you have kids and choose to bring them along you have a  couple hours of free entertainment.

Many of the above benefits apply to animals that cannot be walked such as cats, monkeys and other exotic animals.

Find a nearby animal shelter at Pets911.

PetFinder and PetAdoption will help you find a pet you can adopt and Pets.Answers.com is a great site that contains lots of valuable information for animal lovers and pet owners.