I have two dogs, who I typically refer to as my babies, because yes I am that type of animal lover. The second and the oldest of these dogs was shelter adopted, which at first I was hesitant about. My ex-boyfriend had convinced me that shelter adopted dogs were more prone to violence and any dog that you didn’t adopt as a small puppy would never truly bond with you. So my first dog was adopted as a baggy skinned baby from a less-than-proactive couple who never thought there was a reason to get their female and male dog fixed until all of a sudden there was a litter of puppies crowding them out of the house. And he is my 70 lb. sweetheart and I don’t regret getting him, regardless of how I went about it. What I do regret was my ignorance of shelter dogs’ situations and not doing more research into that route of adoption. That was, thankfully, not the case the second go around, when it was decided that my dog needed a companion closer to his own size than the cat who prefers to be left alone. This time I knew that the pound was the place for me and my next best friend.
Many people who believe in responsible pet ownership choose to rescue instead of buying from a possible puppy mill or some similar route; and there are two main ways to go about rescuing. One is to adopt from a no-kill shelter like the dogs you will find at http://azrescue.org/ or http://www.badrap.org/dogs-available-adoption or other humane societies in your area. The other is to go the closest government funded care and control center and visit the dogs there (these centers usually have websites also but they rarely have much information or any pictures to accompany their adoptable dogs, making it much easier if you simply go for a visit in person).
People tend to prefer one of these methods over the other, because it is true that they each have pros and cons. Humane societies and shelters usually have their adoptable dogs in better shape, both mentally and physically, because they choose to take in the select few dogs (and the occasional feline) with the best chances of being adopted in the long run and they dedicate their (frequently volunteer based) time and money to those animals. They will usually offer more information on the dog’s personality, needs, and available health records right up front and they take time to make sure the adopter is the best fit.
These dogs are also typically fostered with various volunteers prior to being adopted, meaning that they aren’t transferring from the stress of a kennel life directly into your home. All of these benefits are accompanied by higher adoption fees (understandable, as they need money to keep their shelters running and their remaining dogs cared for) and a more drawn out adoption process involving interviews and introductions and such, to decrease the chance of the animal being returned to them (and of course, for the best chance of happiness for all parties involved). On the other hand, a walk through any kill shelter is bound to break your heart if you have the least bit of sensitivity. I am sure that some of these places are better run than others, but the last few times I took a walk through one of these locations I came out in tears from the sight of so many terrified, scarred, skinny, helpless animals with begging in their eyes.
Today is not the day for a rant on how these animals got into this situation in the first place (I am trying to get this blog off to a more hopeful start J ) but they are in a bad place and you walk before them with the knowledge that some of these animals will have to be put down without your help. I know quite a few people who adore animals but just can’t take that sort of pressure, or the risk that the dog they adopt may come with unknown health or aggression issues. But of course, the adoption fees are much lower (usually even lower still if the dog is a typically “undesirable” breed) and there is almost no process to the adoption. Fill out this form, hand over the cash, and you have yourself a new pet.
For myself, I am determined to stick with rescuing from care and control centers from here on out. It may be far more difficult emotionally, but I think the dogs are worth it. And even with all the risks involved and the commitments you need to BE SURE you can make, the benefits are unimaginable. You are bringing a new relationship into your life with a creature that has the capacity to love you completely and without judgment. And I cannot describe to you the joy it brought me on the day my second dog, my pound rescued baby, realized that she was loved and she was safe and she was home.
All the dogs pictured in that post are currently available for adoption and can be located either through the Maricopa County Animal Care and Control site http://www.maricopa.gov/Pets/OurPets.aspx or through http://www.petfinder.com They and their many homeless brothers and sisters are waiting for someone like you to save them.
If you do decide to go through with a rescue, whether through the pound or a humane society, this website offers a free guide on Adopting a Rescue Dog: The First Seven Days From Shelter to Home.
http://www.dogfencediy.com/rescue-dog/
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