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When my dog, Reiley, was killed on February 16th, 2004, it was like losing a member of the family. I thought I would never recover. Reiley was my companion, my best friend. I couldn’t even go into my office for days because he wasn’t laying under the desk keeping me company. The loneliness was a terrible thing to bear. It wasn’t long before I realized I needed a new friend in my life. Much like I found Reiley, I began my search on the Internet. Through a random search, I happened upon www.petfinder.com It was very simple. I typed in my zip code, breed options, size of dog, etc. to personalize my search.
Your search is of course, not limited to dogs. Any type of pet you may be in search of can be found there or on a similar site. My heart broke at the stories of these abused, neglected, and forgotten animals. I decided that paying a breeder a lot of money for a particular breed was not for me when there are so many pets looking for homes. I inquired about several of the dogs I found on the site. All the foster parents and facility staff I talked to were honest about the needs of each dog. They do not want to place a dog in an unsuitable home. One of the dogs I asked about was sensitive to loud noises and would not do well in an active household. Another was frequently getting outside his fence and running through the neighborhood.
Besides searching the web, I also visited local animal shelters. It is tempting to bring every dog home. My husband was suffering as much as I was over our loss of Reiley, but he would have drawn the line had I done that. So we took our time to find the dog that best suited our home and lifestyle. After thinking and praying and researching, we decided on Angel.
Angel is an affectionate Lab-mix, a lap dog in a fifty pound body. She had been found wandering the streets of Wilmington, Ohio. The woman who took her in had two small children and two other dogs, whom Angel got along great with, but the household did not have the room for another dog. The woman kindly turned her over to the county shelter instead of turning her back out onto the streets. From there she was placed her in a foster home with seven other dogs. A social butterfly, Angel blended right in. When we brought her home though, she seemed lonely. Several months after we adopted her, I told my husband she needed a companion. My sister suggested a younger dog with a submissive nature, preferably a female. That way the new dog would accept Angel as the alpha dog.
The very next day while I was outside playing with the kids, a puppy entered our yard. She looked to be about three months old. She was skinny and hungry. She wore a collar and knew the ‘Sit’ command so I knew someone had lost a sweet little dog. I called the neighbors for a few days, but never found her owners. Angel had a new little sister.
Even the vet can’t identify Molly’s breed. A little Border Collie, a little Setter, and definitely a little Terrier since she can escape any fence built by man. But she’s lovable, sweet- tempered, and she and Angel are the best of friends. Best of all, she was housebroken after only one accident on the carpet. Who could ask for a better addition to the family?
So I implore you, if you are in the market for a pet, do your research and make sure you have the time and energy to provide a home your new pet deserves. This does not include being forgotten in the backyard tethered to a short lead. Visit your local animal shelter or one of the many sites available on the Internet about adopting a pet. Just because you aren’t paying top dollar for a designer dog, doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck with a stupid, homely, neurotic, vicious dog who has no chance of becoming part of your family. There are thousands of loving, warm, friendly animals waiting at your local shelter to fill your life with joy. They need your love, and the love they give in return can not be measured by pedigrees.
Whatever you do, think long and hard before buying a dog from a pet store or a breeder in your local paper’s classifieds. You may be unknowingly buying a pet from a puppy mill. The only way to shut down such heartless operations is for prospective pet owners to stop buying from them.
Go to www.StopPuppyMills.org or www.PuppyBuyersGuide.com to find out more about how you can help stop the abuses of commercial dog breeding. After all, our best friends deserve better.
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