Today is a very special day. Bloggers all over the globe are focusing on one thing.
Dog adoption.
Bloggers Unite For Dog Rescue
When I heard about this event, hosted by Be The Change 4 Animals, Blog Catalog, and Dog Rescue Success, I knew I had to participate. My own sweet Delilah came to us via rescue.
Rescuing a dog does not come without its challenges. Many times you don’t have an accurate history of the dog. That was the case with Delilah. All we knew was where she came from, and her approximate age. We quickly realized she’d had some training, but she needed more and she also needed structure, lots of structure.
When I think back today to the dog I met that day five years ago, I can hardly recognize her. She has grown and thrived with the love and training she has received. That first day I really second guessed my decision and wasn’t sure I really wanted to keep her, but there’s nothing that could pry her from me today. She’s my dog, through thick or thin.
My original thought for today’s post was to focus on one of the labs available for adoption at Labs 4 Rescue. When I reached out to Labs 4 Rescue, I was told they don’t like to focus on just one dog as they like to be fair to ALL the dogs. At first I was miffed, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized they were right.
So I’m not going to shine the focus on just one dog. I’m going to tell you when I checked the Labs 4 Rescue page at Petfinder they had over 129 dogs in need of homes. 129 dogs with just one rescue organization! That boggles my mind.
I realize that not everyone can adopt a dog. But please don’t think you can’t make a difference! There are so many ways you can help, even if you can’t adopt.
Don’t Breed or Buy While Shelter Dogs Die.
First and foremost we must let everyone know that adopting from a pet store equals supporting puppy mills, which are cruel and inhumane.
That’s not to say there aren’t responsible, ethical breeders out there, it just means they don’t sell their dogs through pet stores.
When someone tells you they want to get a dog, tell them all the wonderful stories you have heard about rescue dogs. Think you can’t get a purebred dog through rescue? Think again. I wanted a lab mix, Delilah is pure chocolate lab.
Not a lab person? Don’t worry, sadly there are rescues for just about every breed of dog.
Fostering is a short-term commitment.
Rescues are also looking for people to foster. Every dog a rescue can place in foster care means one more dog they can pull from a shelter. Fostering usually is a short term commitment, wherein you provide food, shelter and some training while the dog waits for his/her forever family.
Donations.
If you can’t adopt or foster, maybe you could manage to squeeze a little extra out of your budget to donate to your local shelter. I know money’s tight, but even change in a jar adds up.
Money really tight? Donate your time. Rescues and shelters are always looking for volunteers to taxi dogs to appointments or adoption events, they also need people who can walk and train dogs, which in turn makes the dog more desirable for future adopters.
Sharing is Caring.
If none of these options work for you don’t give up, there are still ways to can help.
Most of us pet bloggers have a social media accounts, and many of us share dogs available for adoption, please share our posts on your social media networks and encourage your friends and followers to do the same.
Please help us bring awareness to the joys of adopting a rescued dog and please do share on your social media outlets.
Together we CAN make a difference.
Yes, this is a blog hop. You can get your linky code here.
Terrific ideas, Jodi. I’ve just started fostering late last year and it’s been very rewarding. Plus, it’s a great way to give Honey a playmate while helping the shelter at the same time.
It’s also great to remind folks that Delilah was a rescue. She’s grown into such a wonderful dog and you two have come so far together.
Great post Jodi. 129 dogs! That’s a lot of dogs in need of loving homes. 🙁
Hope your post helps find at least one of them a furever family.
PS – As always, we are thinking along the same lines. I’m posting about a Lab rescue today, at least, hopefully, as they were supposed to get back to me with some more info by today, and I have not yet received the email. I may have to punt with something else later.
I just got a foster dog! She is handful, but such a happy girl.
It is so important to get people to stop buying from pet stores. There are so many great dogs, even puppies, available through rescues!
Great post! We’re big on rescue here at our house, though we’ve never fostered. I’m too afraid I would keep them all (judging from the times we’ve kept strays).
All very good suggestions. Fostering doesn’t turn out to be a short term commitment when one falls in love with the dog in question and can’t find a home good enough for her.
It is wonderful to raise awareness in this way Jodi. I do hope it results in lots of rescue dogs being welcomed into loving homes. Great post!
Hope some rescues find homes. Rescue dogs are not for everyone, but for some people they may be the best choice. I kind of hate that it is always couched as one or the other, adoption or rescue with the insinuation that buying a well bred puppy from a breeder is killing a shelter dog. 🙁
Since I’ve pretty much decided now is not a good time for dog number two, I am thinking more and more about fostering. It’s a daunting idea and I worry I’d screw the dog up, but I think it’s such an important part of rescue and an easy way to get involved.
Thanks for joining in on such a positive event! And thanks for giving Delilah the home she needed, even when it wasn’t so easy or very much fun.
That’s so great you wrote this Jodi. I am always late on the train when there’s a blogville event but you know I support this one in spirit! I hope lots and lots of people will give fostering a try–there really is nothing more rewarding.
I hope they all get wonderful homes!
As 2 Brown Dawgs pointed out rescue/adoption is not for everyone but as you said there are other ways to help out. I think raising awareness about some of the bigger so-called animal protection organizations such as HSUS, who are not what they appear to be would also be good, it saddens me when I hear about people donating to this. Support and donate locally I always say! And if you want a pure bred dog and don’t want to adopt please by all means seek a reputable breeder you can work with. Sorry didn’t mean to go off on your post.
I love that you highlighted something that everyone can do, regardless of what they have or don’t have.
Great post Jodi!
Hey Jodi,
It’s great to share with everyone that there are lots of ways to help out our buddies who are waiting for their forever homes! 🙂
Wags to all
Your pal Snoopy 🙂
Great post Jodi! There are so many ways to help dogs in need!
That’s a pretty cool thought, to not focus on one dog but to be fair to all of them. And 129 is quite a few! If only everyone would adopt…And thanks, you’ve offered some fantastic ways people can help dogs and rescues!
Such a fantastic post!