Pet of the Month - February

In honor of Valentine's Day, we have decided to honor all of the homeless pets living in animal shelters, just waiting for someone to love.  If you have space in your heart for a furry friend, please consider adopting a pet.  Each year, in shelters across the country, over 6 million homeless animals are euthanized.  Most shelter pets find themselves homeless through no fault of their own.  Among the most common reasons a pet finds itself homeless are that their owners have passed away, gotten divorced or lost their home.

I got involved in rescue work over a decade ago, and I have to say that it is heartbreaking to see so many potentially great pets languishing in local shelters.  All four of my dogs are former 'shelter dogs'.  They are all wonderful companions and friends.  I think shelter dogs know just how lucky they are to be given a second chance, and, for that reason, are grateful to their adopter, frequently displaying this by showing extra loyalty and love, as often as they can.  My four are all just lovebugs and like nothing better than to cuddle on the couch with their 'mom' (me).  The greeting I get when I come in the door at the end of the day - you would think they just won the lottery, they are so happy to see me!

Shelter pets are fast learners, usually picking up the household routine quickly.  Since they are anxious to please, a little training goes a long way.  It is a myth that most shelter pets have behavior 'issues' and that shelters will not tell you of this, just so you will adopt the pet.  This myth is commonly mentioned by pet stores and unscrupulous breeders in order to 'sell' you on a new puppy . . . that they would be more than happy to provide . . . for a hefty fee, of course!  Just remember that 99 % of puppies in pet stores come from the misery that is a puppy mill - no matter what they tell you!  Almost all shelters do behavioral testing on dogs in their care to ensure that the dog is a suitable candidate for adoption.  For liablity reasons, dogs with aggression issues will not be adopted out.  Shelters try to match the correct dog with the correct potential adopter, based upon factors such as energy level, size, termperament, etc.

Another common myth is that most shelter dogs are mixed breeds, when, in fact, 30 to 40 % of homeless dogs purebreds.  Many shelters also have young dogs, even puppies, so if you just love the puppy stage, then you can meet your next 'puppy love' at a local animal shelter.

If you are looking for a specific breed, there are rescue groups that specialize in most breeds.  You can register with the breed rescue group of your choice and, once approved, they will work with you to find the perfect canine companion for you.

If you wish to find a 'furever' friend this Valentine's Day, check our your local animal shelter!

A good place to start is the website called Petfinders.com.  Most local shelters list their adoptable pets on this site. 

Most breed and non-profit rescue groups also have links to their own websites through this page.  There are literally thousands of homeless pets listed on this site at any one time.

So, this Valentine's Day, please think about opening your home and your heart to a homeless pet in need.