Wednesday, October 19, 2011

a warm and fuzzy cause

Hello, my lovely readers. I wanted to briefly share today on an issue that is very near and dear to my heart.

Did you know that October is National Adopt-a-Dog Month?  Many of you who read my blog know about my precious fur-child Hewitt. If you're new to my blog or didn't catch his story, you can read about it here.

There are literally, thousands of homeless dogs (and cats) in shelters waiting to find their forever home. Now, I don't want to make any of you feel guilty if you have a dog that you got from a breeder, but I would like to clear up a few misconceptions about shelter dogs in case you or someone you know is considering getting a dog.

1. You can't get a purebred dog from a rescue group or shelter. Friends, this is so not true. In fact, there are rescue organizations that are geared specifically towards rescuing and adopting out specific breeds. From Labrador Retriever Rescues to Bichon Frise's and Friends Adoption League, you can find ANY breed of dog that you are looking for WITHOUT having to go through a breeder. You can find breed-specific rescues here. Even if you think you've got very specific needs, you can find one that is perfect for you. I had to have a non-shedding (allergies) dog under 20lbs that was already trained and I found him!

But if a mixed breed is more your style, there are definitely a lot of those too!

You know the dog in the Traveler's Insurance commercial that "insures" his bone? Yep. He's a rescue dog.

Benji from the Benji movies, Petticoat Junction and the Beverly Hillbillies? He was a rescue.

All of the dogs in the Pedigree commercials? All rescues.

If you're gearing more towards a "mutt" or a Heinz 57 dog (as my mama says) then there are some CU-UTE options out there.

2. You can't train or housebreak a shelter dog. This is so bogus. In fact, most adult shelter dogs are already housebroken and/or have basic obedience skills BEFORE they are adopted out. This is done in an effort to make them more "adoptable" but also to teach them obedient behaviors early. I can't tell you how much I loved that my Hewitt was housetrained already. No inside accidents and no $$ spent on Puppy Pads!

3. Shelter dogs are mean, weird or damaged. Nope again. Now, I will say that some shelter dogs do come out of bad situations/home life and may require a bit more socialization and training than others, but the adopting agency/foster parents are very good about explaining this when you adopt. They'll tell you if the dog has phobias (thunder, other animals, etc) or if it is skittish around men or children. Most of these characteristics can be changed with proper rehab. However, the majority of shelter dogs are either born in the shelter to a mom that was relinquished or they were relinquished by owners for financial, emotional reasons. These dogs aren't damaged at all. They are perfectly "normal".

4. Shelter dogs cost a lot of money. No way! Most of the time shelter dogs are CONSIDERABLY less money than dogs purchased from breeders PLUS they usually already have had their shots/vaccinations from their rescue agency or foster parent. So that's another up-front cost that is avoided by adopting instead of buying.

Dogs are precious and wonderful no matter where they come from...a breeder or a shelter. Dogs help to give our lives meaning and direction. I can't imagine my life without my Hewitt and I'm thankful that he was "handpicked" for me. If you or someone you know is considering getting a puppy/dog, please consider adoption. There is a puppy or dog out there waiting!

For more information regarding National Adopt a Dog Month or dog adoption in general visit these sites for more info:
ASPCA
American Humane Society
Loving Care Pets
Petfinder
Adrian Hitt Photography (rescue and adoptable dog photos)


My Hewitt.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for posting this! I am an avid animal lover and got my dog from the shelter. He may be a "mutt" but he's the love of my life. No matter what happens, I know that dog will always love me. If you don't mind, I'm going to repost this on my blog. Get the word out.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Brit, I definitely don't mind if you re-post. If you comment with the link, I'll check it out. Thanks for reading!!

    ReplyDelete

Comments make me SO happy! Go ahead...make my day. ;)

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