Since the moment Melissa Montemayor stepped into a shelter in San Diego, she had her eyes on a particular yellow kitten. She just knew her kids would love that kitten forever.
βWeβll go with that one,β Montemayor said, pointing to Spiderman.
Bringing a pet into your home is a beautiful experience β but the decision to adopt should not be taken lightly. Montemayor waited until she felt her kids were old enough before bringing in a furry family member.
"I think they're at a perfect age where they can maintain the cat with what it needs, to feed it, to care for it, to love it," she said about her three children, ages 5, 7 and 9.
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While Spiderman embarks on a journey with his new family, more than 1,000 dogs, cats and bunnies are ready to be adopted, waiting for their turn to be "someone's pet."
San Diegoβs Humane Society makes adopting a pet easier than ever, with experts ready to help you find your perfect match.
"Our adoption team will consult with you and walk you through exactly what is the best fit for you and the pet," Nina Thompson with the San Diego Humane Society said, while standing next to several cats and dogs looking out of their cages.
Thompson says the pets are fully vaccinated, microchipped and assessed by behavioral and medical teams.
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Whatever your lifestyle may be, she says there is a pet anxiously waiting to be a part of it.
If, for some reason, things do not work out, the shelter has an adoption guarantee that allows you to return the pet.
βWe want it to be right for both sides. We want you to be happy, and we want the pet to be happy,β Thompson said.
Another option exists β fostering a pet for a week or two. This option lets you understand what it takes to have a pet in your home.
"[Pets] do require attention and love. They deserve it. It's our choice to bring a pet into our family," Thompson said.
Fostering also creates more space at the shelter. The shelter also takes care of more than 2,000 other animals that are not ready for adoption, so they could definitely use the extra space.
This month, San Diego Humane Society is offering more than 1,000 adoptable pets for 50% off as a part of Clear the Shelters, NBC 7 and Telemundo 20βs pet adoption campaign.
For more information about Clear the Shelters, visit NBC7.com/ClearTheShelters and T20.com/DesocuparLosAlbergues. Follow the latest updates on social media @NBCSanDiego and @Telemundo20 using #ClearTheShelters and #DesocuparLosAlbergues.