Why Consider Adoption?
Shaggy’s story and how you can make a difference
November 17, 2014
Shaggy was born into a litter of 5 puppies in Middletown, CT. Both his mother and father were strays. Since he was puppy, he had to fight other dogs in order to feed himself. Life was cold and harsh. After being caught and brought to the pound, there he stayed, with many other dogs, locked in small cages.
This scenario plays out every day across the US. Homeless dogs outnumber homeless people in America ten to one.
One day, a human came into the pound. She walked through the hallway, observing each of the dogs. The human then came to Shaggy, and pointed at him. An hour or so later, Shaggy was sitting in a dog car seat, being driven to what he thought would be his new home. This was not to be. His new owner was intimidated by his rough attitude, how he would snarl every time another dog walked by. Soon, Shaggy was returned to the pound. After numerous owners, Shaggy again and again ended up back at the pound. No one wanted to adopt him after hearing about how he was adopted and returned multiple times. One year later, Shaggy was euthanized due to him being declared “un-adoptable”
Many people go to pounds expecting to find a cute little puppy who is the kindest dog in the world. They are not ready to face the challenge of caring for a dog who has either lived on his or her own for his/her whole life, or has been abused before. About 1.8 million dogs a year are returned to pounds, many of which are euthanized. If you are planning on adopting a dog from the pound, make sure you know the full purview of what you are getting yourself into. Talk to friends about their experiences of adopting from pounds, their problems and how they overcame them.
There is a common misconception about the health of stray dogs. Many people believe that purebred dogs are healthier than strays. Actually, strays are the healthier ones, having come from many different types of dogs, instead of how purebreds come from only one. These animals direly need to be adopted, for if they are not, they face euthanization.
Here are a few scary facts about homeless animals in the US. One in ten dogs dogs will ever find a permanent home. It is less expensive to spay or neuter a dog than it is to euthanize one. Euthanization is expensive, it costs tax payers over two billion dollars each year! Thankfully, euthanasia reports have gotten better. During the 1970s, over fifteen million dogs and cats were euthanized yearly!
Before writing this article, I had no idea about the number of dogs needing a home. I bought my dog from a breeder, but now the next time that I am thinking of purchasing a companion, I will adopt. I am not saying that buying a purebred is wrong, keep in mind that there are thousands of healthier dogs in need of homes, ones that are locked in cold cages day-in and day-out, and not in warm homes like the purebred puppies are. Here are a few websites where I got my information from, and are good places for you to go for your own research!
“Pet Statistics.” ASPCA. Web. 17 Nov. 2014. <http://www.aspca.org/about-us/faq/pet-statistics> “Statistics & Facts.” The Dog Rescuers. Web. 15 Nov. 2014. <http://www.thedogrescuers.com/statistics–facts.html>
Mach, Andrew. “Behind the Big Drop in Euthanasia for America’s Dogs and Cats.” The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor. Web. 17 Nov. 2014. <http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2012/0210/Behind-the-big-drop-in-euthanasia-for-America-s-dogs-and-cats>.
“11 Facts About Animal Homelessness.” DoSomething.org. Web. 17 Nov. 2014. <https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-animal-homelessness>.
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Mitchell Nelson • Nov 21, 2014 at 3:12 pm
I like this article because it provides a lot of information about euthanization. I do not think stray dogs should be put in pounds. I recently volunteered at a dog adoption event in Portland, CT called Homeward Bound. After hearing stories of where the dogs came from and how they were treated I was amazed at how well behaved and affectionate they all were. While I was there for the weekend I developed a special connection with a dog named Robbie-Dox. He was the sweetest dog I had ever met and I begged and pleaded with my parents to adopt him. Throughout the weekend and the time I bonded with Robbie the thought of where he came from and how he was treated, until I was approached by a fellow volunteer that was surprised at how well Robbie was behaving around me. When I asked why he was surprised he said that Robbie was beaten by a little boy who was his old owner and since then he had been, “boy shy.” I myself was surprised by this because from the moment I met Robbie I was the only person that he even let touch him. By the last day of the event family friends offered to foster him until he got adopted so that I could see my dog that I had grown so close to. But within the last hour of the event an old couple came into the barn to look at dogs. I was not worried that they would adopt him at first because they said they wanted a bigger dog and, with Robbie being no more than a foot tall, I had no reason to. But when they took him out to walk him around I started getting anxious. The couple ended up adopting Robbie and I could not stop grieving for almost a week. My point is, that all dogs have a place in the world. No dog deserves to be killed because no one seems to like him. Maybe the reason no one liked Shaggy was because he spent most of his life in a cage. But if he had a chance to be nurtured and loved and cared for at a place like Homeward Bound, he would have the chance to find his place.
Jonathan Farrell • Nov 18, 2014 at 8:49 pm
The picture features “Winston”, my neighbor Carla Jason’s rescue dog.