Adopt a Shelter Dog | Blog the Change for Animals #BTC4A

Biscuit at Bella Vista AR animal shelter

Today I'm barking about Adopt a Shelter Dog Month.   According to the Humane Society of the United States, between three and four million dogs and cats are euthanized each year in animal shelters in the United States.   I know for a fact that there are wonderful shelter dogs who make the very best pets.  

If you're a Talking Dogs blog reader, you already know that Jeffie and Rosie were shelter dogs. Since I've already told their stories, I thought I'd share another with you today.

Tossed into a ditch near Bella Vista, Arkansas

These two little angels were tossed in a ditch a few weeks ago, found, and taken to an animal shelter in Bella Vista, Arkansas.  

My friend, Carole, had been thinking about adding a yellow Labrador Retriever to their family.  Carole had been checking with Lab rescues and even contacted a few breeders.  Then one day last week she surfed Petfinder and saw the little yellow pup in Arkansas.

Biscuit playing with her sister at the animal shelter

After completing an online adoption form, a telephone interview, and her veterinarian references checked, the shelter called Carole with one more question:  Could they, would they, possibly consider taking both puppies?

Yes!

Then began the rapid planning for a cross country trip from their home in Tennessee to western Arkansas to pick up their new family members.
 

Rest stop break in the trip from Arkansas to Tennessee

Within 48 hours they found themselves in a "spotlessly clean, fresh smelling shelter."  Shelter staff microchipped the 8 week old girls, gave them the deworming meds for that day and two weeks later, a certificate to transport the pups across state lines.  Biscuit and Lily snoozed all the way to their new home, other than a few water/potty breaks.

Carole writes:  

After so many years of having many doggies - I think 9 or 10 at once was tops - just having 3 seemed a bit lonely and we were ready to give another one a good home.  We didn't plan on 2, but glad it worked out that way.  For some time, we knew that too many of our doggies were about the same age and that the time would come...   Since losing my beloved Sam [yellow Lab] about 2 1/2 years ago, there was Yucky, Jaxx, Molly, Betsy and Casey.  This has not been a fun place to be.  Some people enjoy hobbies like sewing or baseball, but our love is our doggies and the joy they bring us.

 Biscuit (yellow) and Lily (black) exploring their new home in Tennessee

Biscuit and Lily join older dogs, Mickey, Foxy and Cubbie.  Carole's husband, Gary, rescued Mickey from the highway near their home one Friday during rush hour and is lucky neither one of them was hit by a car.  Foxy was a stray rescued from near Carole's office.  Cubbie was rescued from a TN river campground.

Mickey - Lab/Golden Retriever mix rescued

 

Foxy - Carole's shadow

Cubbie - Gary's highway rescue dog

I know Carole would agree with me:  one of the most rewarding aspects of adopting a shelter dog is the fact that you're saving a life and giving a deserving animal a new home.  Plus, by adopting a dog, your adoption fee helps other pets and you make space for another to be rescued.

October 15^th is Blog the Change Day - a day when pet bloggers and pet lovers come together to blog, read, share and Be the Change for Animals!  Bloggers are encouraged to write about pet fire safety in July or about a cause near and dear to their heart. Readers are encouraged to read and share their favorite posts.  Join Team BtC on October 15^th to Blog the Change for animals