Should you rescue a dog?
Why should you rescue?
According to ASPCA 6.5 million pets in the U.S. enter animal shelters and each year approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized. Sheltered animals deserve a chance and it’s up to you, me, and everyone else to give them that chance. Choosing to rescue a pet is one of the most rewarding gifts for yourself and for your future fur-child. When you rescue a pet, the bond is so strong. More than likely they have been through something traumatic and are looking for a loving companion to share the rest of their life with.
Benefits of adopting a rescue.
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE The second Izabella realized I adopted her, she started opening up and showing me how much she appreciated me. Every day, every minute, every SECOND, she would show how grateful she was. Even going through the abuse she had been through before, she trusted me to train and help her.
LIFTING YOUR SPIRITS Dogs always bring joy, but there is something about adopting a rescue that make you and your life seem 100x better. You saved a life and that life is so much better now because of your kindness.
YOU HAVE A NEW BEST FRIEND When you have a long day at work or school and you get home and open your door, your best friend will be sitting there wagging and waiting to give you love and hear about your day.
THE DAY I FOUND MY SOULMATE
I was visiting California when I was a freshman in college (2009) and had no plans of bringing an extra family member home with me. I remember for some odd reason, I wanted to go visit the shelter. I remember walking in and going back to where all the dogs were kept. I walked up to the cage and all the dogs rushed to me, except one. I see a little puppy in the back that seemed scared, confused, sad and then she looked up to me and we locked eyes and as “cliche” as this sounds.. I knew I had to adopt her. She had so much pain in her eyes and all I could think of is how much I wanted to help that change.
TIPS AND THINGS TO THINK OF WHEN ADOPTING A PET
Are you going to crate train your dog?
Write down some commands and the word you will use when you want to train your dog. Pitch and repetition will help not confuse them. (ex: sit, lay down, stay, etc.)
Ask what the dog has been eating up until the point of the adoption. I forgot to ask and I put Izabella on different food and she had an upset stomach for a few days, so to avoid the nasty clean up slowly ease them into a new diet.
Ask what vaccines the dog has or still needs.
Most shelters will spay/neuter the dogs, but for some reason Izabella was not, so we did welcome some grand-puppies into our life down the road. That is definitely something to ask and make sure of.
Make a destined area for potty time and let the dog spend some time there to do his/her business.
Daily schedule will be great for your new family member. Dogs follow routine pretty well, so having a plan mapped out for bathroom, feeding, and play time will be beneficial for both you and your fur child.
Be aware of the body language with your pet. It’s a new environment for them and sometimes those changes can be stressful.
If you have children, slowly introduce one another, making sure the kids don’t play too rough and the dog isn’t aggressive or frightened.
Doggy proof your house for the first few weeks. Pick up anything that a kid could get into, because some dogs get curious and might eat/drink/break something.
GOING HOME
We bonded INSTANTLY and I knew that the little shy puppy at the back of the kennel was going to be by my side through so much. We made the journey back to Oklahoma to continue college. 4 years later, we graduate and move to Los Angeles!!
THROUGH THE GOOD TIMES AND THE BAD TIMES
Izzy has been by my side through more than anybody will ever know. She never left my side and never gave up on me. In college I was diagnosed with Lupus and she immediately took charge and helped me through every step and soon became my service dog. It’s been me and her against the world.
So…Do I think you should go rescue a dog?
YES, help save a life that could one day save yours!!!!!
ANIMAL SHELTERS NEAR THE SOUTH BAY
STAY HEALTHY, STAY HAPPY
Thank you for visiting the MA360 Blog and we hope you come back to our future posts. If you have questions, post comments below or send me an email at malyndasarmy@gmail.com.
-M
Hi! I’m Malynda!
I like to learn new things and share it with others, hopefully you can learn something new here on my blog and share it with others in your life!
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