Adopt. Don’t Shop. 6 Essential Facts About Adopting a Shelter or Rescue Dog.
Beginnings
Growing up, I wasn’t allowed to have pets. My friend down the street had a dog named Skeeter. My friend at the other end of the street had a dog named Fluffy. And, my best friend had a chihuahua and a boxer. I found myself inviting myself over to my friends’ house to play with their dogs. When I grew up and moved out on my own, I knew I had to have a dog of my own.
Meet Chatita. She had been abandoned, was wandering the streets, and happened to follow my friends’ dog home. Naturally, she came to live with me. After a few vet visits and some research of my own, I learned about caring for a pug and the love and attention they need. Chatita came to me when she was 6 months old and is now a senior pug at the age of eleven. Not only did she teach me about potty training, feeding schedules, and cleaning wrinkles and ears, but she has also taught me patience because they will play with and test you, and the love and the bond a dog and it’s human share. There is nothing else quite like it.
Meet Misty. I made the decision to find a companion for Chatita.
Enter Misty. I adopted Misty from a rescue and from the moment I brought her home, she was a total spaz. Misty was itchy, scratching at her eyes and ears and the back end of her body near her tail, and had patchy hair loss in this region. After a few baths in Dawn dish soap killing off fleas, she began the process of becoming a healthy dog. After a few vet visits to take care of ear infections and allergies, she is no longer the spaztastic pug I first met. Instead, she loves to cuddle with her sister and sit outside in the grass taking in the scenery.
On my journey with Misty and Chatita I have been through snoring, farting, sleepless nights of lightning and thunder, and a cancer scare, and I wouldn’t trade any of those experiences for the world.
6 Facts About Shelter Dogs
The joy and utter delight brought to me by Misty and Chatita and seeing how they were so much better off with a little love and care, I knew I had to help other dogs. While I cannot adopt every dog I come across (although I want to), I settled for the next best thing: a dog shelter.
FACTS
- Homeless animals outnumber homeless people. According to https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-animal-homelessness there are five homeless animals on the street for every one homeless human.
2. Many are normal dogs and are given to shelters or a rescue because their owner can no longer take care of them because of time or monetary limitations, their owner has to move and cannot take the dog with them, or one of many other normal circumstances.
3. No matter what age dog you have your heart set on, it can be found at a shelter. Young and middle aged and senior. If you are looking to adopt a puppy to raise from a young age, chances are high you’ll find one. Many of the dogs in shelters are puppies under the age of 2 according to depts.ttu.edu
4. Many are purebreds. One in four dogs found in shelters are purebred…humanesociety.org
5. Another quality to be found in many shelter dogs is training. Many are house trained and accustomed to living with a family…humanesociety.org
6. Dogs from shelters and rescues are carefully evaluated. In my experience when adopting my dog Misty, not only was she already spayed, had her shots up to date, came with medical records, and had been to visit the vet a couple of times, but also I had a questionnaire to fill and the adoption process included a visit to my home to make a safety evaluation so the rescue could ensure she would be placed in a safe and loving home. Many of the fees for spay/neuter and such are included in the adoption fee of the dog. The adoption fee is usually between $25 and $250 and is less than if purchasing a puppy from a breeder. https://www.humanesociety.org/
The Cause
Whether you choose a shelter or a rescue, their aim is to make the lives of dogs better and there are many ways you can help.
Here are some of the options:
You can VOLUNTEER your time in many different ways. Sometimes it is directly with the dogs and some organizations may need help with social media and marketing or even office work and event work.
You can FOSTER a dog. Many of the rescues need a foster home to place dogs which have been surrendered until a permanent home is found for the dog. This gives you a chance to meet and help a variety of dogs.
You can ADOPT a dog. Whether it’s from a shelter or a rescue, there are so many that need a forever home.
You can DONATE. Maybe you don’t have the time to volunteer or cannot take on the responsibility of a foster or adoption, but instead you have a little extra money leftover in your budget every month. A little goes a long way!
Let’s help dogs #livethatbestlife
You May Also Like
