Animal Shelter details for Humane Society of Manatee County Please visit Humane Society of Manatee County and adopt a homeless pet.The animal shelter page for Humane Society of Manatee County. Humane Society of Manatee County is located in Bradenton, Florida.Pet adoption available.Bringing Home Your New Family Member----- Before you go pick up your new pet, get your family involved in deciding what type, size and breed of animal you'd consider. Take a trip to the bookstore or library, and read up on which breed's characteristics might fit in best with your family. Once you've got an idea what you're looking for, where should you go? An animal shelter. According to the ASPCA, each year millions of dogs enter shelters, yet of the approximately 59 million owned dogs in this country, less than 20 percent are shelter adoptees. By adopting at a shelter, you're giving a homeless pet a new chance at life. But there are other great reasons for going to a shelter. The cost is low, and there are often discounts on spaying and neutering. "They're in the business to help animals have good homes, not to make money," says Zawistowski. They also have a good selection of pets and knowledgeable staff to make sure you're getting the right animal for your family. Zawistowski also suggests logging on to PetFinder.com, either at home or at the library, which allows you to search more than 4000 different shelters by breed, location, size and more for animals up for adoption. The whole family can get involved, looking at pictures and profiles to find the perfect pet. "You can turn this whole experience into an extraordinary experience for the kids," says Zawistowski. "It's fun to surprise, but it's as much fun to have kids be a part of the process." When you've done it right, your child will likely end up with a longtime friend and companion. Says Zawistowski, "A child who can have a pet, it can be one of the most magnificent parts of their life." Age-appropriate Pets Use the following guidelines when choosing pets for your children, as provided by the ASPCA: Under 3 – Focus on introducing Baby to your current pets. It's not appropriate to bring in a new pet at this point. 3 to 5 – Guinea pigs are a good choice, as they like to be held, seldom bite and will whistle when excited or happy. Your child can help fill the water bottle or food dish. 5 to 10 – Choose shelf pets like mice, rats or fish. Kids can help clean cages with adult help, though you should always check to ensure that pets have food and water and cages are secured. 10 to 13 – Your child is now ready for the responsibility of a dog, cat or rabbit. Your child can help feed the pet, walk the dog, clean the rabbit cage and clean the cat litter, but you should always check to be sure pets have everything they need. Participation in dog training classes is an excellent learning opportunity for children. 14 to 17 – Your child may have more activities competing for his time and less time to spend with a pet. Birds or aquariums are a good choice. Remember, you will have the pet once they leave to go to college.