A year ago, I saw a picture of the cutest Austrailian Shepard mix on Facebook. The caption read, needs rescue, owners are moving and don't want her to go to the Shelter. Her name is Rose, and she had the absolutely sadest look in her eyes I had ever seen. I should be in to my new house with my bigger yard by then for sure I thought, so I said we would foster her if no one else took her. A month or so later, no one had stepped up to save this beautiful girls life, and my friend from the local volunteer animal rescue asked me if I could still foster her. Our new home (New to us, it is really old actually.) had turned out to be unlivable so we had to stay in our tiny apartment with our tiny little patio. I knew my husband, Robert, was going to be upset, but I said yes anyway. I couldn't let those sad eyes go to the shelter, no matter how long Rob did not talk to me.
What a mess the poor lady was when we got her. They said she was an outside dog, think Aussie Shep outside all summer long, with long , thick matted fur! Her fur made Bob Marley jealous! Did I mention I live in the desert? Her fur was so matted that when we took her to the groomer they shaved it off it three chunks. She had been so neglected she had sat with her head down, depressed so long that her muscles in her head and neck had started to atrophy. She could barely chew it was so bad. She was so dehydrated that her nose was dry, cracked and even raw in spots from where he had tried to lick moisture back onto it. She was so afraid of everything that she cowered and hid at the slightest noise, and she absolutely refused to go outside unless you leashed her and made her go out because she was terrified she was going to get locked out.
I am a softy, I admit it...
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...ing to get her to where she is now, that is a commitment most people don't really want to make, and I have a feeling if anyone less commited to helping her had ended up with her she would have gone to the Shelter, and there she would have been one of those dogs that never gets adopted out because they just gave up and laid down in a corner to die. You see pictures of them, and a lot of people think they can not be helped,but I know I had one of those dogs, and we did turn her around. We made her life better, and by doing so have made our lives so much richer. She taught us that in helping something so broken we could find a part of who we wanted to be, and we taught her that humans are good too, and can be trusted, and will return your love. I think it is a fair trade, so next time I get a dog, I will rescue a dog. That is a promise I made to her, and to myself.
Most pets are put down or run away rather than have gone through expensive treatment. Even in the aforementioned article “The Last Meow” it mentions a statistics that states, “ Every year, while pets like theirs are saved by the most elaborate means some six million strays are put to sleep.” I have personal experience with my first ever dog whom I loved and the sweetest beagle named Snoopy. In his adult life, Snoopy had ear infection, to which we laid out the money for his ear medication. We paid for the medicine because it was a reasonable price that wouldn’t financially harm us.When he got really old he suffered from back discus problems which hindered his ability to walk and it slowly got worse. The only option was to pay for an expensive surgery that most likely wouldn't lead to a long term solution for is back. We didn’t have all the money in the world so the obvious decision was made and we put him to sleep. In cases like mine, people do not give up the money because of unrighteous selfish reasons but because of their obligation to take care of a family or just themselves. Plus it is just common sense not to go into debut for a pet and the few examples of people who do overspend are considered to be financially irresponsible
And do you remember the story that I started with about the little girl and Mom purchasing that cute little brown Cocker Spaniel? Well the Mom soon realized that the little puppy was too much to handle. So the Mom took the puppy to local animal shelter and gave up her rights. The puppy was sad, but was excited of the opportunity of a forever home. Unfortunately, days, weeks, months past and no other family came around. Soon the shelter was at its max and since the puppy had been there the longest; she had to endure the same fate as many animals in the animal shelter do. That of a perfectly healthy innocent puppy has to be
“I’ve always loved dogs. I love all animals,” she said. “I’ve always felt a need for more community awareness towards dogs and cats and their issues.”
...es to all of the other dogs in the world. In a country proud of our diversity and freedoms, we should be granting dogs the same lives. They deserve that diversity in what breeds they are mixed with and the freedom of a life outside of the bars in a shelter. Do your part and give a dog the life it deserves.
Many of us are animal lovers, and I know that it hurts us to see any animal hurt, abused, or neglected. When you are ready to have your own dog and responsible enough to take care of it, make sure you are looking in the right places to find one. The pet store or an online ad is not the place to find your next best friend. By purchasing a pet from these places, you are fueling the pet mill industry, research laboratories and causing more animals to go through this everyday suffering. Shelters and rescue organizations are everywhere, and there are many animals that would love to be adopted and need your affection there. Think twice before buying your next puppy, you could save a life!
Countless lives locked away in cages and forgotten about have overwhelmed our society, it has left blood stains on our history as a species and if history has taught us anything, it’s that we have a choice to change our ways of adjusting to situations. A war which was fought in pursuit of ending such criminal means, yet we as human beings do little to nothing to end the horrific crimes of animal deaths in shelters. It is no secret that this world has become infused with problems that have extended from one side of the globe to the other. Amongst these problems lies a terrible truth: nearly every year, sums of almost eight million cats and dogs have been placed in shelters around the world. Out of these vast numbers, half will be euthanized; that equals to one animal being put down every 8 seconds. Animals that are not adopted are kept in shelters until they find a home. Most of these shelters do not have enough space or resources to care for the animal. Only 15% of dogs and 2% of cats that enter animal shelters are reunited with their owners. The majority of pets are obtained from acquaintances and family members. Twenty-six percent of dogs are purchased from breeders, 20 to 30 percent of cats and dogs are adopted from shelters and rescues, and 2 to 10 percent are purchased from pet shops. In addition, only 56% of dogs and 71% of cats that enter animal shelters are euthanized. The 10% of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered, while 78 percent of dogs and 88 percent of cats are not spayed or neutered, in 2009 Statistics from animal shelters in 55 counties in WV (West Virginia) shows that nearly 54% of all animals entering shelters are euthanized, The euthanasia rates ranged from the lowest at 5% to the highe...
Do you know that if you buy a pet from a pet store, there will be some animals die in the shelters? Do you also know that every year there are thousands of sheltered animals are euthanized—mercy killing— because there is no space for them? Many people buy pets rather than adopt from shelters because they think they are healthy, purebred and well-behaved. But actually the sheltered animals may be healthier, happier and much cheaper. In the recent years, more and more people decide to adopt animals since there are numerous advantages such as changing a homeless animal’s whole life, reducing illegal trade and puppy farms and benefiting from long- term advice and support.
It all started last year during summer break. I was with a couple of friends when he came along. He was short, round and had a learning disability. We thought that it'd be fun to pick on him for a while. We took turns shoving him around. I guess I shoved him too hard and he rolled down the hill we were on. When we found him he was barely breathing. We tried to help him because we thought that it'd be the right thing to do but then we realized that this was all our fault. We couldn't let him go so we carried him into the forest for the animals to finish him off. Days later, we returned to the forest only to find his body with teeth marks all over, he even lost his leg to a pack of coyotes. The worst part of it was that in the midst of all this, he was still alive slowly enduring this torture. We took our turns saying our apologies but we knew that it would never be enough.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 7.6 million companion pets enter animal shelters across the United States each year, nearly evenly disrupted between dogs and cats . These animals are abandoned for reasons including families no longer being able to care for them (sickness/death of an owner), to families not wanting them (the novelty wearing of the animal wearing off), to the animals being born into puppy mills to finally animals that are loved being lost from their owners. These animals do not understand what is happening to them and rely on the kindness of humans to provide for them in shelters until their forever home can be found.
There are many different types of service dogs. There are dogs that work with police and firemen, there are dogs that work with the military, there are guide dogs, and there are dogs that help people with a variety of disorders. In Debra McKinney’s online article “Service dogs provide barrier against anxiety” she researches the relationship between a woman named Sara and her service dog Hannah. Sara had a severe case of post-traumatic stress disorder as well as severe depression and social anxiety. She had tried many different medications, different therapists, but her brain was still overwhelmed with constant thoughts of suicide. When it seemed like all was lost, Sara found Hannah. Hannah was a golden retriever Labrador trained specifically to help Sara with her multiple...
Have you ever wondered, how it feels to be in a place where is overcrowded, and you are next in line to be euthanize? This is the life of the shelter animal when no one adopts them for a certain period of time. According to American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or known as ASPCA, each year, approximately 2.7 million animals are euthanized, which are 1.2 million dogs and 1.4 million cats. I am sure; most of you have some point in your life, owned a dog or a cat. Whether you are an animal lover or not, you don’t want to see innocent animals losing their lives. I personally have adopted a dog from a local shelter. There is no doubt that pet adoption from a shelter is a satisfying decision that will save innocent
Anyone, who visits an animal shelter, as I do, sees an extraordinary number of beautiful, affectionate, and desperate dogs and cats. The majority of animals in any particular shelter are dogs, usually adults, for whom there aren't enough adoptive homes waiting. A few may have come from responsible breeders, whose owners do not realize that the breeder will take them back,many are those who are lost, and/or from owners who simply got tired of them. Some are pet shop puppies from a puppy mill that did not meet the owner's expectations due to health, temperament, or other reasons. A large number usually turn out to be the result of deliberate and irresponsible home breeding. These people are known as "back-yard breeders." And that is not a compliment.
Almost everyone wants to have a fun, loveable dog to call their own. Not many people are aware that 1.2 million dogs are euthanized in shelters each year. Their lives end because no one wants to adopt them. If you are interested in adding a loving companion to your home, be a hero, save a life and adopt a shelter dog. Once you decide to bring a dog into your family, then you will have to make a decision from where. When begin your search you will find that you have many options. You can adopt from a shelter or a rescue group, or you can buy from a pet store or a breeder. There are many reasons why you should adopt from a shelter rather than buy from a pet store or a breeder. Instead of adding more dogs to the world by buying from a breeder,
They have a big job to do and it’s definitely not easy. The ultimate goal for all shelter dogs is to get adopted, and eventually find a home. Some amazing dogs have done more than that. They are stories where people say shelter dogs make the best pets. I have read some amazing stories like shelter dogs that have saved lives, and even have became bomb sniffing dogs. I read a story of a man who adopted a black lab, after the recent passing of his loyal hunting dog. The black lab that he adopted Kelly was an excellent hunter right out of the shelter. He had taken it hunting the very next day, and Kelly had done awesome as a hunting dog. The owner said that he got a hold of a porcupine while hunting, and showed no aggression while being treated for the wounds (Fisher). This story was definitely a happy one and I know there are stories like this every
Dogs are wonderful creatures. They are loyal, dependable companions if given the opportunity. In recent years I have come to the opinion that we could learn something from these animals. We should also take a look at the manner in which they are being treated. Abandonment, irresponsible breeding, and neglect are only some of the ways that humans are failing the canine species.