Shelter Pets

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the PP: I'm not the one who posted the comment about the rural shelters, but I"m guessing the poster was referring to the physical conditions and the fact that animals who are not adopted out cannot be kept long-term. I would bet that the people who work there are saints and must truly believe in saving the pets, or they would not be able to come to work.

And to the poster about birds - YES - shelters have birds, guinea pigs, snakes, etc. So even the little pets you could get for $5 at petsmart could be saved from a shelter.

Yeah, I'm the poster who posted about rural shelters. The conditions are really, really awful. They are overcrowded and so the animals aren't there very long if not adopted (if you get my drift). And, they frequently gas the animals to euthanize them, which if you don't know what goes into this process. . . . it is horrific, scary for these animals and painful. They are also woefully underfunded and understaffed. Very sad situations.

Also, yes, almost any animal can be found at a shelter. Reptiles, rodents, birds, etc. These are the pets "bought" at Petco, etc. (who get their animals from "mills" also) and then discarded. I see birds and hamsters and such at Fairfax Animal Shelter.

Also, just putting it out there but "Metropets.org" is a good resource for finding rescues, incl. breed specific rescues.

[Anonymous]

I am glad I opened this cheerful thread! I have a puppy mill dog. Don't worry, I didn't buy him from a pet store -- the lovely organization we adopted our dog from specializes in accompanying animal officers into suspected illegal puppy mills and freeing the pooches. We were nervous that he'd have problems, having lived in what must have been deplorable conditions, but he's the best dog in the world! Our cat is from Petsmart's Last Chance Animal Rescue shelter. My first cat (who passed away 2 years ago) was a stray who I took to a shelter after finding her as a kitten in college and then crying all night and going back to get her the next day.

Hooray for shelter pets and shelters! The shelter staff and volunteers do wonderful work and the animals make our lives a better place.

[Anonymous]

We got our (adult) dog from Lost Dog and Cat Rescue and we couldn't be happier! He's a great dog and we didn't have to housetrain him.

[Anonymous]

Rescue organizations are great, too! They often work closely with shelters. We got our now 13 year old beagle from BREW (Beagle Rescue, Education, and Welfare) and they do great work! They often pick dogs up at far flung shelters and deliver them to foster families until the dogs can find a permanent home.

[Anonymous]

Just wanted to chime in with the PP who mentioned that full-grown dogs are sometimes house-trained. This was the case with all our shelter dogs. All were about 1 year old at time of adoption and had plenty of energy to romp and play -- without the hassle of house-training.

Also, if you're concerned about taking your kids to a shelter, you might check out the adoption events that many shelters and rescue groups have. We saw our current dog, adopted from WARL, at a Mother's Day event at Politics&Prose. Alternatively, rescue leagues usually have dogs at foster homes, so you can go to the house and see your prospective pet there. The foster families usually have tons of experience with dogs and can provide lots of helpful info and advice.

[Anonymous]

We got our dog from Petfinder.org. Sadly, she's passed away now, but she was wonderful.

Just another plug for shelter dogs. We hope to get another one once DB is a little older.

[Anonymous]

I am so thrilled to read this thread. I have volunteered in a shelter for several years and worked very hard over the years to find homes for dogs labeled "unadoptable." A group of people I "met" over the internet have helped fund the work of hiring trainers to work with some of the dogs in the shelter where I volunteer, and using the trainers' suggestions, some of us have been able to make huge strides with dogs who have known nothing but abuse, neglect, and horror. We also have been able to send dogs into new homes with a session with a trainer thrown in -- this means that new owners have the peace of mind that they will have support as they help their new shelter dog (all adults, many pit mixes) adapt to being in a loving home for what may be the first time in their lives.

We have a great track record of placing our "unadoptable" dogs in loving and forever homes, and I agree with what others have said: These dogs tend to be very quick studies in their training and very appreciative of the love and patience they receive, once they get used to their new surroundings.

Our dog was adopted from GRREAT - golden retriever rescue education and training, in the mid-Atlantic area. He had been through four homes before he met us, but he is the best dog in the world for our family - my children both learned to stand by grabbing hold of him and pulling up

Thank you for this thread. We are moving to DC shortly, and while we are excited, I am very sad about leaving the shelter where I have volunteered for nearly four years. Unfortunately for all, I am sure there are plenty of abandoned and abused dogs in DC shelters, so at least I'll be able to continue to volunteer.

[Anonymous]

I grew up with shelter dogs, and they were great. We're thinking of adopting a dog now that our kids are older.

One question: Can you get specific breeds at shelters or via rescue groups? We need a hypoallergenic dog (poodle mix or Portugese water dog like the Obama's, for example).

Any groups rescue these dogs? Any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up with shelter dogs, and they were great. We're thinking of adopting a dog now that our kids are older.

One question: Can you get specific breeds at shelters or via rescue groups? We need a hypoallergenic dog (poodle mix or Portugese water dog like the Obama's, for example).

Any groups rescue these dogs? Any suggestions?

YES! Go to petfinder.com and put in the breed you are looking for. If you put in poodle then it will come up with poodles and poodle mixes. It was even reported that when the Obamas got their dog there was a Porty that was being fostered right in DC.

[Anonymous]

We've seen lots of purebreds in our few recent trips to the shelter. Give a call or check their websites.

Also, go to petfinder.org It's a website that a lot of shelters and rescue groups post their adoptable pets on. If you do an advanced search (on the left) you can put in a specific breed. I just put in "poodle" with my zip code and lots of poodles and poodle mixes came up. I'm sure you can find the right pet for you without going the breeder route!

[Anonymous]

We got one of our dogs from a poodle rescue group in the south. There are definitely breed-specific rescues out there!

[Anonymous]

Do not rule out dogs that look "adult" or "old", by all means! We have adopted all of our dogs (for the $20. fee in Fairfax, it just so happens). We had one awesome "white faced" (not "old") beagle for over ten years. She was so amazing and cuddly and smart - she was so well trained, we didn't have to do a thing! Our current dog we have had for almost 15 years - and he was full grown (just 40 lbs., not huge or anything) - when we adopted him. Again, he was completely trained, calm and awesome! I hear of people paying thousands of dollars for a breed they saw Paris Hilton carrying around, and it justs breaks my heart. (It's usually the people who cant afford it, which kills me.)

[Anonymous]

Yes, you can get purebred dogs from shelter or foster groups. You can even get a puppy through those groups (though I highly recommend considering an older pet -- many of these animals are the beloved pets of people who have passed away and whose families were unable to take the dogs, or people who had to move abroad, etc, and the pets are trained, housebroken, and usually very, very loving -- and lonely!)

We wanted a spaniel mix (didn't have to be purebred) and found our pooch via petfinder as well -- we ended up going with a mix, but you can definitely find purebred dogs. Note that rescue organizations for purebreds have their own standards and rules -- some frown on adopting to families with young kids, some for instance. Others are basically just interested in knowing you have a good heart, stable home, and are capable of providing the dog with the care and training it may need and won't be getting in over your head. Just make sure you are comfortable with the rules and adoption process favored by the organization you're working with, for the best possible experience.

To the shelter volunteer, yes, it will be wonderful when you get to DC, volunteers ARE needed from what I understand. I am 8 months pregnant and am planning to start volunteering again once I get the hang of this whole parenting thing.

For those of you with room and ability, they are always looking for foster families, as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Note that rescue organizations for purebreds have their own standards and rules -- some frown on adopting to families with young kids, some for instance.

Unfortunately for us, we learned this lesson first hand. Not to be a downer on this fabulous and worthy topic but I do issue a "watch out" to parents with small children. Our shelter dog had had a sad life early on -- he had been used as dog fighting "bait" and was eventually thrown into the street to die. We nursed him back to health (he had gangrene in his foot), and put 25 pounds of much needed weight on his body. Our guy was amazingly loving and resilient. He was the perfect companion provided he wasn't around -- or could even see -- other dogs, cats, squirrels or any other small animals. He was also a runner and he was incredibly needy, but quirks and all, we loved him whole-heartedly for 4 years.

Our love story ended when he went after DC, born 3 years after our guy came to live with us. We assumed we could keep them apart and kept a diligent watch on them at all times, but after the 3rd attempt, we gave him to another family with older children. Tragically, after living with that family for one year, he bit one of the girls in her face. I have since lost track of him but I heard that he now lives with another family, one with no children. I hope and pray that he lives out the rest of his life happy and well loved.

I think it is incredibly important to raise children with pets so we have another dog now, one we got from a breeder. I 100% support pet rescue so I am not proud of the what we did. However, a breeder gave me the opportunity to meet my girl’s mother, father and siblings -- and all were just as sweet as she is. I can now rest at ease knowing that the dog we love and share our lives with would never harm any members of her pack.

And before anyone gives me too much grief, we will definitely go back to rescuing dogs once our children are older.

[Anonymous]

PP - I am sorry for your story; you offer some important advice, but I really don't think people with small children must shy away from rescue dogs. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees with any pet, and a purebred could also bite children.

I think your story is a good example of learning the dog's history and learning about breed temperaments before making any decisions (you can guess at the predominant breeds in most mutts). A rescue dog who has been abused will probably not be good in a house with boisterous children. However, a shelter puppy who has little life experience, or a dog who was dropped off due to death of owner, apartment situation, etc may be a wonderful family dog.

All potential owner should do research before getting a pet. It is better to wait until you meet the perfect match than rushing into a mistake.