Shailene Woodley raises awareness for pet adoption

Shailene Woodley has revealed why a “grace period” is crucial for adopted animals.

The 33-year-old American actress chatted with PEOPLE magazine during Mars' Global Adoption Weekend to raise awareness regarding pet adoption.

Woodley shared that “grace period” is important for pet animals while finding a forever home for them, as it gives them time to acclimatize themselves to a new environment.

She said, "When you bring an animal home, don't assume that it's going to be immediately symbiotic — things take time, relationships take trust and patience. It's the same way for animals and humans.”

The Divergent star went on to note that every long-term and healthy relationship needs time, comfort, trust, and most importantly, patience.

Woodley explained, "Anyone in a long-term healthy relationship knows patience, understanding and grace are required, and bringing home a shelter animal, there must be a grace period too, of being patient and understanding that this animal comes with its own set of history and its own life that it lived before you, and you come with your own history and life you've lived before it.”

"That establishment of trust, of being slow with the process of gaining their trust and giving your trust, I think sets up a relationship that will only ever be productive and comforting for all of the parties involved,” the Adrift actress, who has been a zoophilist, noted.