How many pets have you had?
There are so many needy animals up for adoption that it is really hard to believe that so many people patronize the pet shops. We humans as a race have done a rotten job caring for the animals that we claim to love. We let so many unwanted ones be born, and then simply have them put to sleep when they become inconvenient. If you are thinking of getting a new animal companion, I must suggest as strongly as possible that you think of getting one of the animals for adoption to care for. After all, you will still have all the benefits of caring for a pet, and in addition will be making an important difference in the life of an animal.
There are practically as many animals for adoption as there are animals for sale, and maybe even more. One of the first pets I ever got was a rabbit up for adoption. It was absolutely adorable – a brown lop-eared one from a neighbor down the street. They had two pet rabbits and, so, soon had many baby bunnies. Too many, in fact for them to keep. Fortunately, there is never any shortage of fans of animals for adoption if those animals are small, furry, and cute.

The situation is much different for adult animals for adoption, or critters who have had a hard go of it. Even traditional pets, such as cats and dogs, become much less popular once they grow up. It isn't just that people find adult animals for adoption to be less cute and playful than the babies. Adopting a full grown animal poses many difficulties that people are simply not prepared to deal with. Usually they are already trained to a particular master, and often they have problems getting close to a new owner.
The problem is even worse if the animal for adoption has had a history of abuse at the hands of its owners. Dogs, cats, and other animals, just like people can be emotionally scarred by being brought up by abusive people, and unlike people, they stand a very small chance of completely recovering from this early abuse. If you are looking at animals for adoption that have been beaten or abused, you will often have all kinds of problems raising them that you would not have anticipated. Some of them can be downright dangerous! Still, caring for an injured animal can be a wonderful and rewarding experience.

Treadmill vs. Outside Running

Which is More Effective?According to an article published in Fitness Prescription magazine, running outdoors has the edge since it burns around five percent more calories than running on a treadmill. This is due to the lack of wind resistance indoors and the fact that the moving treadmill belt adds momentum. Running outdoors is also more motivating for some people than running indoors on a treadmill – particularly when the weather is nice outside.Treadmill vs. Outside Running: The Downsides of Running OutdoorsRunning outdoors has some disadvantages other than the weather. Running on hard pavement such as sidewalks and roads increases the risk of stress fractures and overuse injuries – particularly if proper shoes aren’t worn. Injuries sustained from running outdoors can mean weeks spent on the sidelines which requires starting over in terms of fitness. Plus, anyone who has orthopedic issues is better off running on a treadmill as opposed to outdoors.Interval Treadmill Running Despite the fact that running outdoors burns more calories, there are ways to make treadmill running just as effective. Try interval treadmill running to burn more calories. This involves running at a slow pace for two minutes followed by one minute of an all out effort to maximize oxygen consumption. Alternate back and forth for twenty minutes. This is a tough workout that gets fast results. You can also make treadmill running more effective by continuously varying the gradient to simulate the varying terrain you deal with when running outdoors. Resist the temptation to keep the incline low and the pace steady. Treadmill running should be challenging too.Treadmill vs. Outside Running: The Bottom Line?Running outdoors may be a more effective way to burn calories, but treadmill running can be as challenging as you make it. Challenge yourself by upping the speed and gradient and you’ll get an effective workout on those snowy days when running outdoors isn’t possible.