October is "Adopt a Shelter Dog" Month.
Do you own a shelter dog? Have you ever? Do you volunteer for any dog shelters or dog rescue clubs?
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
9 comments:
We adopted a terrier from the shelter seven years ago. She had been stray for awhile, and was matted to the point where we had to have her shaved. After just a few days, she acclimated to us and our lifestyle.
She is, by far, my all-time favorite pet. Most days, she also serves as my best friend.
The shelter here in Wicomico has been getting some bad press, most of which is deserved. The pets are the ones that suffer from this controversy. I'd love to see Wicomico become a no-kill facility.
What would that take? They manage to operate that way in Worcester.
Back in November I adopted a 4-month old puppy from the Humane Society. She is a rotti/german shepherd mix. She is the best dog I ever had. She was easy to train and very smart. She is also the sweetest dog ever!! I think anyone who is considering adopting a dog should check out the Humane Society. I also had adopted a kitten from them two years ago. They both co-exist together well. Both were so grateful to be adopted. There were so many other animals that I wanted to adopt from there and it is so heart breaking to see their sad little faces in those cages. I too have heard the bad press the Humane Society has been receiving lately. It's unfortunate. I am very grateful to have both of my "children" from there. They are both members of my family. Thanks to the Humane Society for allowing me to be blessed with two very healthy happy kids. I couldn't imagine my life without them.
I had a shelter dog and a shelter cat. That dog died so I took in two mutts. But the cat is going strong some 8 years later.
Well, we've had shelter animals, but lately (through the past few years) have adopted or fostered almost a dozen rescue pets (cats & dog) before they reach the shelters.
Our rescue dog (with us now for over 7 years) has serious health issues and requires meds 3x a day. The meds alone run over $3,500 a year. This does not include the major surgery; the follow up, bi-annual ultrasounds and blood work; the prescription foods; the regular shots; etc.
Our home is big and rural. Often, folks in animal rescue ask why on earth we have "only one?!?" rescue in our family - why don't we "keep the foster pets" in our own family?
HAH! GUESS!$!
BTW - My latest experience with the Delaware SPCA, local "shelters" and a rescued ferral cat...
A young, intact male cat was picked up in a small neighborhood after it had hung around for a couple months.
When directly asked, no one in the neighborhood would claim it as their own (though many were putting out food for it, no one would take proper care of it).
We took the cat in and called the DE SPCA. They told me, and this is EXACTLY what they told me (I will NEVER FORGET), "If you won't keep the cat as your own, you have 2 choices. You can bring it to us [meaning 50 miles to the Kent Co. SPCA] or you can take it to another neighborhood or area and let it go."
I was SICKENED AND FURIOUS! No question if it was a pregnant female, no question what it looked like and check to see if a lost report had been filed in the area, no "we have an agent who will pick it up" - just dump it.
I called a large, widely publicized rescue shelter only to find that they have no facility for animals - they have merely been collecting monies for it for YEARS and dumping the donations into excessive designs and board member salaries. They referred me to the local, small, cat rescue groups...
The cat rescue groups in our area are "full", too, and their response was pretty much the same. No "shelter" could be offered there, either. "If you can't keep him, its best to release him where you found him. Of course we'd hope you would have him neutered and get him shots first..."
Well, we had him neutered, tested for major disease and brought to date on shots. $80.00+ later, he has been a darling fellow living without trouble in our garage for almost 3 months now. We advertise, contact "rescue" groups, put up posters and do what we can to find him a good family forever home.
We will not dump him and will no longer support DE SPCA nor the "shelter" who is not rescuing but still "building" and we will not be as willing to pick up strays in need.
ARGH. Thanks for listening.
Adopt a pet from a shelter and have it spayed or neutered.
Three years ago my daughter asked me if we could get a dog. We've had dogs before and thought it would be nice to have another.
We first went to pet stores and couldn't believe the cost of an animal. We then went to Wicomico Humane and found there were lots of wonderful animals. After wading thru all the pit bull mixes (they all looked very unhappy and scared) we found a wonderful 2-3 year old beagle named Jake.
To make a long story short, he has been a wonderful addition to our household. A loving companion and a friend to all. Please give your local shelter a chance first. Do you homework and make sure your not getting an animal that will cause you more hurt than anything. If you have the time and money to care for ailing pets, that's wonderful, but don't take on more than you can handle.
Jake was fine and only needs food and love. He's my best buddy.
I have adopted from shelters in the past, but my current dog whom I've had for 7 years came from a Golden Retriever Rescue. What's nice about a rescue organization is that the animal is fostered in a home with a family before being adopted out. We were aware of her temperament around children and felt safer than adopting from the shelter who could not tell us anything about the dog.
While there is a Golden rescue in Maryland, we fell in love with one from the Memphis Tennessee rescue group and drove 12 hours one way to pick her up in Knoxville. She has been a great addition to our family and I cannot say anything but good about our adoption experience.
We currently have two "shelter" dogs from the Wicomico Humane Society, a Peke-poo who was about 9 months old and a long hair Doxie who was about 2 years old. Both are good dogs and get along great. We don't know anything about the Peke-poo, but the Doxie was picked up as a stray in the Pocomoke area. By his actions and reactions we believe he had been mistreated before being dumped or running away. The Peke-poo is a very active lively dog who keeps us laughing at his antics and the Doxie is pretty much a couch potato. Now they are both loving happy dogs and think the best thing in the world is to share the recliners or couch with us. We had a shelter dog many years ago when we lived in Ky. and she lived to the ripe old age of 16 before crossing the rainbow bridge.
We adopted our dog from the Humane Society four years ago. He was a half-starved, neglected and scared sweetheart on four paws. No one could have a kinder and gentler dog than mine. I thank the Humane Society for rescuing him and for allowing me to provide his forever home. This is a debt I can never repay.
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