Terri Ramsey Beavers 
Are you thinking of getting a pet?
People often consider getting pets for their home to bring some life into the house, especially for those who live alone. Doing so can give them a purpose to their lives as a bond grows between them and another living creature. Many often think of going to the closest animal shelter and get a cute pup or kitty to raise.
Before you think about doing the same thing, why not consider a different option? Why not consider adopting pets with disabilities?
Most people get put off only in the beginning while others continue to feel the same way towards special needs pets their whole lives. For the most part, it’s because they don’t realize there are certain benefits from owning such a pet.
Read on to learn some underrated benefits of living with disabled pets.
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Learn Good Values
As you can expect, owning pets with disabilities isn’t going to be as easy as owning a regular pet. You will need a certain level of patience to keep up with your new disabled pets. However exhausting and grueling the experience may be, adopting them will be a good thing for you.
Managing these pets allows you to improve on some of your qualities. For example, with how hard it will be to get used to them at first, you’ll find that you’ll have more patience than before. You’ll get used to their routines, needs, and quirks as time passes.
Also, you’ll find a newfound respect for any animal or any person with special needs. Disabled pets can give you a glimpse of the hardships humans experience in their everyday life. You’ll become more empathetic by owning a disabled pet.
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Feel Rewarded by Saving a Life
For the most part, aspiring pet owners look for cute puppies or kittens to adopt. Others prefer older animals a chance to get adopted instead. This is good as it ensures they don’t get euthanized in the shelter.
Only a few people are willing to adopt disabled animals though. This is because people often look for the pet which would be a perfect fit for their house. For that reason, a lot of disabled animals don’t get to live a life outside the shelter.
Choosing to adopt a disabled animal can mean you saved them from getting put down. That’s something you should feel proud of.
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You Can Still Train Them Like Other Pets
A reason people choose to adopt regular pets instead is that they think training disabled ones will come with great difficulty in addition to having certain pets be hard to train already. If that’s what you’re worried about, then you should be glad to know that isn’t the case.
While a deaf and/or blind cat or dog won’t be able to follow traditional training methods, they can still understand patterns and they still understand the positive reinforcement system. All you need to do is set up a training regime where they can learn through positive reinforcement.
Blind and deaf pets can also rely on vibrations as a signal for them. You can consider this as a way to trigger a reaction or action from them.
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Special Needs Pets Often Have Boosted Abilities
People view disabled pets as weak because of their impairment. What they don’t know is they often have hidden strengths to make up for these.
There are cases where some 3-legged dogs can jump higher than other dogs of the same breed and age. Blind pets have empowered hearing, too. This makes them able to hear you from farther away.
Deaf pets also make up for their impairment in that they can see better. They may be weak in one area, but they’re far superior in others compared to regular pets.
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Special Needs Dogs and Cats are Perfect for Certain Routines
Can a dog be autistic? What about a cat?
Yes, they can be. This results in a unique mindset in them where they’re repetitive in their behavior and have a specific diet tied to their tastes. For others, this can be a deal-breaker.
Before you decide that though, you should know autistic pets can be perfect in certain situations. As mentioned above, they live their life in patterns and routines. This makes them perfect for guarding the area around a house or field.
It will take a while, but they will get used to the new environment in no time.
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You Inspire Others to Take in Special Needs Pets
When people see what you’re doing, you may inspire them to adopt disabled pets as well. With your simple act of getting a disabled pet for yourself, you may increase the number of special needs cats in the neighborhood. You may even start a small haven for special needs pets if your neighborhood’s active in doing this.
This can even save the lives of special needs animals doomed to get put down.
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They’re Often Tougher
When it comes to the behavior of animals, the ones with special needs often display a more positive attitude. You’ll notice your new pet will have more life and energy than those without. It’s unsure as to why this is but you can only reap positive rewards from it.
They also tend to display tougher traits than normal pets. For example, a dog with 3 legs would shrug off falling from a significant height. A regular one may end up yelping and hiding after the incident.
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Special Needs Pets Form a Stronger Bond with You
The best part of getting a pet with special needs is you get to form a stronger bond with them. Special needs pets expect to get a lot of attention from you. This is because it will rely on your help to get around more than a regular pet does.
Pets like these tend to be more loyal than regular ones and they’re always great with kids. You can expect a great relationship with a special needs pet.
Adopt Pets with Disabilities Today
Pets with disabilities make up for them with their behaviors and the benefits they can give. Get yourself a special needs cat or dog today and form a bond that lasts a lifetime!
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