Actor Joey King Says Adopting Her Shelter Dogs Has 'Given Her Life Purpose'

Joey King, star of The Kissing Booth, Ramona and Beezus and Hulu's The Act is not only talented and beautiful, she's also a huge advocate for animal rescue and adoption. In conjunction with Hill's Pet Nutrition, who just released a special report on the State of Shelter adoption, King sat down with PetHelpful to answer some questions about her own experiences with animal adoption.

Here's why Joey feels it's so important for people to consider shelter pets, especially with lack of resources for those who work with animals and shelter overcrowding. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

PetHelpful: 

Growing up, did your family have any pets?

Joey King: 

I'm 24-years-old and in my entire life I have never not had a pet. I've always had pets. I've had so many dogs, I've had fish, I've had hermit crabs. I grew up in a big pet family and we are such big animal lovers. I cannot imagine my life without pets.

PetHelpful: 

What made you decide you wanted to adopt your own shelter dogs?

Joey King: 

Well, so my husband has an adopted shelter pet and I fell in love with him so much and I knew that I really wanted to keep expanding our pet family (laughs) and there was no other option for me but adopting a rescue pet. So I was lucky enough to come across my dog Fable when I was on location filming in Romania and she just kind of came into my life at the perfect time and I absolutely fell in love with her. There's such a big overcrowding issue in those eastern European counties, and in every country that has animals in shelters, but it was just really exciting for me to able to fall in love with a beautiful animal while on location filming and it was important to me that she was a rescue.

Related: Shelter Full of Dogs with No Potential Adopters During the Holidays Is Heartbreaking

PetHelpful: 

When visiting a shelter, what do you think are important factors potential adopters should consider before adding a pet to their family?

Joey King: 

I think there's a lot to consider. I mean most people who want to adopt are coming from such a pure, loving place and that's the best place to start. You have to consider a lot of things, you have to consider if you have other dogs at home, if you have kids at home, if your other dogs gets along with other dogs, but I have to say a lot of the barriers that people place in front of them to prevent them from adopting a pet, while some of them are realistic and good to think about, I think a lot of people put them there as a barrier or as an excuse to not adopt. It will always be the perfect time because real life is always going to get in the way of everything and implementing a pet in your daily routine it just makes your life feel so much more full and full of love and full of happiness and so I feel if you're able to find that time to kind of dedicate moments to training them, making them feel loved, making them feel at home it's a beautiful thing! I think there's never a perfect time so every time is the perfect time!

PetHelpful: 

Have you encouraged your family members/friends to adopt instead of shopping?

Joey King: 

Absolutely! I am a big - I talk a lot about rescuing pets and I know a lot of people who adopt dogs and a I know a lot of people who shop for dogs and it's one of those things where it's very normalized to go to a breeder and I don't want to judge anybody but as often as I can try to encourage someone to adopt I do.

PetHelpful: 

If someone isn’t in a place in their life at present where they can adopt, what are some of your other favorite ways they can help their local shelter?

Joey King: 

You can donate to your local shelter , you can foster, you can volunteer. That's kind of how I came across Fable, I was volunteering at a shelter in Romania for fun because I really missed my dog at home and by volunteering I fell in love and I took her home but outside of that I kept going back every week. So you know it's really important that people kind of realize that there's so many ways to help even if you're not fully able to adopt. That's why I'm excited to be partnering with Hill's Pet especially during the Hill's shelter report because in that document there are so many solutions to how you can get involved even if you're unable to adopt a pet.

PetHelpful: 

Considering older pets have a more difficult time finding homes compared to younger cats/dogs and puppies and kittens, how would you encourage people to consider an animal in their ‘golden years?’

Joey King: 

That's a great question. I think that a lot of people want a puppy, want a blank slate, want something where they can kind of raise and create this puppy's personality but what a lot of people don't realize is that these dogs, no matter how old they are when you get them, they come with their own personalities all ready, it's all ready ingrained in them. Getting an older dog, who has all ready got their personality, who has seen a lot of stuff who has seen some shit to be frank (laughs) they're often so sweet, they're so empathetic, these dogs and cats have a lot of love to give and they just maybe haven't been shown the proper love in their life. So giving a pet in their golden years a chance to live out their days with a lot of love in their life is one of the most special gifts that you can give a dog or a cat.

PetHelpful: 

How has adopting your pet enriched your life?

Joey King: 

In unspeakable ways. It's honestly like - there's no shortage of reasons adopting a pet enriches your life. My two dogs are both rescue pets and first of all, it's constant entertainment. Like between them playing with each other and making weird noises, running around the house, they crack me up all the time. The amount of love they provide is the sweetest thing. It's unconditional. Coming home to them, cuddling with them, giving them kisses, taking care of them gives me such purpose. I love my family, I love my life, I love my career but being a pet owner has given me the ultimate purpose.

PetHelpful: 

Is there anything you wish you had known before adopting a pet?

Joey King: 

I wish I had known how exciting it would feel to watch them come out of their shell. It's so hard to describe how meaningful it is to see them grow and change and develop personalities.

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