Picture this: You walk into your local animal shelter and spot a charming dog that's available for adoption. But the shelter tells you the pup is a "bonded pair" and comes with a best friend, who is also available for adoption.
But what is a "bonded pair"? According to Doreen Jakubbak, the executive director at Marty's Place Senior Dog Sanctuary, a New Jersey-based animal shelter, it all boils down to the bond both animals have developed with each other.
"It is the term we use for when two dogs come from the same home or owner and we make a commitment to not separate them."
Bonded pets come in all shapes and sizes. They could be a dog pair, a cat pair, or even a cat and dog pair. They may be littermates, come from the same household, or just developed a strong bond after being rescued.
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When a shelter labels a pet pair as a "bonded pair," it means both animals have a healthy relationship and usually sleep and play together so they want the pair to be adopted as a pair instead of separate.
"The one constant was them having each other so we believe that (separating them) would create unnecessary anxiety and further trauma to break that bond," Jakubbak said.
What are the benefits of adopting a bonded pet pair?
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Despite being a major commitment to adopt two pets, a bonded pair does come with its benefits, some experts say.
For starters, adopting bonded pairs has been proven to reduce separation anxiety, barking, destructive behavior and even potty accidents among some pets.
Similarly, bonded pairs might tend to learn quicker than single ones.
"Pets adopted together continue the learning cycle they experienced with their mother and siblings by watching what each other does," said NOCO Humane, a Colorado-based nonprofit animal shelter. "As they socialize, play, and observe, they see how to behave along with associating the consequences of their actions."
Lastly, if you're in the market for two new pets, a bonded pair might be a better choice than adopting to separate animals since the pair is already comfortable together and no introduction is needed.
