Responsible people searching for a way to enrich their lives need look no further than the local animal shelter.

Some pet owners and animal services said although many responsibilities go along with owning an animal, a pet can be wonderful and rewarding.

The Ames Animal Shelter provides cats and dogs for people wanting to share their home with a pet.

Lorna Lavender, animal control and shelter supervisor, said although students aren’t the shelter’s target audience, they encourage having pets if the potential owner lives in a permanent home.

“We don’t want to be a revolving door [for pet owners]. Pet ownership is more long-time oriented,” Lavender said.

Jane Biddle, an animal-control clerk, said students sometimes get pets, but aren’t able to take care of them after a few years because student owners move often.

“If it’s not going to be a permanent home, the animals should stay here. It’s too hard on the pet owner and the animal,” she said.

The shelter stresses the many responsibilities which come along with owning a pet.

The state law of spaying or neutering pets is an important requirement of the shelter. The shelter’s flyer says, “The only solution is to have your pet altered.”

Without these procedures, “one animal would cause thousands of other animals to be put to sleep because of the problem of overpopulation,” Biddle said.

Both Biddle and Lavender said the shelter has great animals, ones which contradict the myth that they must have something wrong with them or they wouldn’t be at the shelter.

“We get so many wonderful animals here,” Biddle said.

Lavender said her family owns four animals from the shelter, and they are adjusting well. Lavender said she feels the animals are more outgoing and affectionate with people than ones bought from other suppliers.

Lavender said by adopting the animals, her family’s life has become more interesting.

She said having pets brings mutual benefits because owners learn more about responsibility and patience while the animals get to live in a loving home. “Unwinding with our pets [at the end of the day] is very relaxing — it brings us joy,” Lavender said. The Ames Animal Shelter is located on 325 Billy Sunday Road. Hours are Monday and Saturday, 12 p.m.-4, and Tuesday through Friday, 12 p.m.-5:30.