I've always wanted a dog of my own, ever since I moved out of my parents house that had 2 dogs in it. I've been raised around dogs and I know what a joy they can be (and sometimes a slight frustration ).

DH and I had visited pet stores and looked at dogs and thought maybe we'd buy a puppy from a dog store that was supplied by local reputable breeders. There is one privately owned pet store that just does that.

At the end of last year, we decided to expand our family by adopting an older kitten (8 months old at the time) from the local shelter. I was glad to have skipped most of the kitten months but she had a lot of kitten in her when we got her. She has grown, matured and brought a lot of joy to our lives. From our experience of adopting her from the shelter, we decided when it was time to get a dog, we'd get a dog from a shelter or rescue.

We are moving in almost a week to a place that we think will be perfect for a medium sized dog so we started doing some research on dogs. We visited our counties shelter as well as their rescue center.

I started looking on websites of rescues and found out that there are many dogs in kill shelters that rescues are trying to save. I saw 3 beautiful young beautiful beagle girls that were in danger of being euthanized only because the shelter they were at was at full capacity. I felt a bit of helplessness because I can't have a dog until I move and I wasn't involved in a rescue that could help them. Sadly, those 3 girls were euthanized (along with some other dogs and 20 kittens) and it upset me greatly. Puppy mills are churning out dogs like crazy, people don't spay/neuter their pets and then we have a huge overpopulation of animals. Rescues do what they can but they can't save every dog unfortunately.

DH and I had considered waiting until the beginning of next year to adopt but I figured dogs need homes now, not later. If I can take a rescue dog sooner and make room for another dog to be rescued, then I would be happy about that. So this past weekend, DH and I decided to go visit a well organized local rescues pet adoption events. Anyway, it was like a dream come true for me, 20-30 dogs, being handled by volunteers and I got to pet all of the dogs. DH and I went to one of the events, we found a few potential dogs but we weren't sold plus we are moving. We went to the second event and then we found a little girl, a little over a year old, that was sweet, alert and DH and I absolutely loved.

Of all the dogs I saw at the rescue events, there wasn't any dog I'd say "wow I'd never adopt that dog". The dogs were sweet, friendly, etc but I'd recognize that there is a good dog fit for a family and there is a not so good fit. My dog even has an interesting story to share on how she was rescued and the rescue was able to tell me some things about her in general.

So anyway, pictures of my new family member will be coming soon and I'd say before you decide to buy a dog, please look at your local rescues and shelters

I own a rescue dog . Sparky , a black cockapoo ,has been a part of my life about 2 years.I get cold chills when I think what would have happened to him if he hadn't been rescued.His first owner passed away and this beautiful boy ended up in the pound.Luckily he was sold to a recsue group, was put in foster care and eventually to me.Their are many dogs and cats available for adoption.

Thank you so much for your story. I have been a dog and cat foster parent for the past 10 years. Our municipal shelter has been able to transform to a no kill facility largely by the work of over 400 volunteers. Events are held to raise money for vet care to help dogs and cats that otherwise would have been destroyed. Pets must be altered to help prevent the shame our society shows for unwanted animals.

When I lived in Illinois, I volunteered at my local humane society shelter, walking the dogs and playing with the cats. Doesn't sound like work, does it? It was important, though because being caged so long can desocialize even animals that had been devoted family pets, and for those animals that were neglected or feral they need to learn to trust people.

Our shelter wasn't a "no-kill" shelter. They never put down an animal for lack of space. They would transfer healthy animals to other humane societies and reputable no-kill shelters if they had to, or if they thought an animal could get a better chance at a home in another location. Animals that were put to sleep were those that were terminally ill or were too dangerous to become family pets. I did not realize it was so common for families that couldn't face putting a terminally ill or suffering animal to sleep (or didn't want to pay the cost) would take the dog to the humane society.

Once in a while they had to put an animal to sleep because it had become psychotic from being caged too long. Sometimes, especially with dogs, an animal will literally go "stir crazy" from being caged and will become a danger to themselves or to humans, either through aggression or biting themselves, chewing on the bars til they break off teeth... It's so sad.

Since our shelter was virtually a no-kill shelter, my natural question was what the no-kill shelters did with such animals. Most no-kill shelters will not accept animals into their care that are not healthy mentally and physically. Those that take the aggressive dogs are often sought out by people wanting a dog for its ability to hurt people or other dogs. Terminally ill and stir-crazy animals are rarely adopted, so they continue to suffer. Some people running no-kill shelters are what are considered "collectors." Their intentions are good, but they often can't turn anyone away and take on too many animals to properly care for. It isn't unusual for a humane society to have to shut down a no-kill shelter because the animals aren't being properly cared for.

I know our humane society was very frustrated with the local no-kill shelters, because while most were well-run, they refused any animal that the humane society would have to euthanize - so they ended up there anyway. As a result, the humane society had to do more of the dirty work, and less of the fun and gratifying work of adoptions.

Long story, and I can't say I have a point other than sharing, and yes advocating for adopting from a shelter rather than a breeder for pet animals. Even if you want a specific size, gender, age and/or breed, you may have to search a while, but you can find what you're looking for at shelters and rescue organizations.

I agree totally with adoption, but sometimes it is hard. Being a college student, rescue orgs and the local animal shelter turned me down because I didn't have a fenced in yard (even though I was looking for an inside pet, which would be taken outside on a leash). SOOOO I ended up researching reputable breeders, and drove to New Orleans for one of my boys, and San Antonio for the other. My first choice WAS a shelter or rescue, I was just not eligible.

I do hope that one day, when I have a decent job, that I can foster some animals. I think fostering can be just as important as adopting.

A breeder or private adoption (adopting directly from the owner of the dog/uppy) may be the best or only choice in some situations, but I think some people assume that they need to have a pure bred dog, and/or a puppy without exploring other options.

Puppies are "cuter," but of dogs adopted from shelters, adult dogs are less likely to be returned to the shelter. A lot of people don't realize how much responsibility training and supervising a puppy can be, and give up on the idea of a dog altogether. I think people assume that adult dogs are given away only if they've been a problem for their previous owner. It broke my heart to see so many well-behaved, even well-trained dogs at the shelter.

I remember when I was volunteering, I stoped at the cage of a border collie (purebred) and read his info sheet, Without realizing it, I was reading out loud, and when I read that he loved to play ball, the dog went to the back of his kennel and brought his rubber ball to me at the front of the cage. Geez, I started balling. I wanted to take him home with me that minute - but the main reason I was volunteering in the first place was because my apartment didn't allow pets.

Sniffles!! I hate falling in love with them, knowing I can't take them home.

I go to the shelter when I can. They don't allow volunteers because they aren't properly insured, but they sure will let me go in the runs and play with the doggies
I fell in love with one I wanted so badly..It was a tiny little black and tan dog, with an underdevloped leg that looked like a little wing drawn up to it's body. Someone had just dumped her in the holding pen, looked like she had had a proper family for atleast a year. She was the sweetest little girl...Just want to sit in your lap and snuggle.

Sockmonkey,

Different rescue organizations have different rules. I was actually really concerned when I was focusing on adopting a beagle that the local beagle rescue wouldn't accept me mostly because we are first time dog parents and both DH and I work full time. The rescue we are adopting our little girl from told us that 8 hours should be the max she was home alone but they gave us some tips and such and they felt comfortable with us being doggie parents.

Nelie Thank you for adopting a homeless pet(s). There are so many that are desperate for a home. And as ya'll my two Meezers are rescued babes. Tho not from a rescue or shelter they were rescued by me.

What a wonderful story!

There are lots of breed specific rescues as well, so if you are looking for a certain breed and can't seem to find one do search for "______ rescue" - some of them even ship and across the border!

nelie~I belong to another chat board for Labrador owners. There are a lot of foster parents on the board and a lot of people who rescue dogs from kill facilities. It is really, really tragic. What is also sad are the stories of people bringing in their senior pets because they are too old. How on earth can you raise a pet and just because it is getting old you turn it into a facility? Would you do that to your kids? But I digress.

Adopting a rescued animal is so special. It saves an animal who is usually someone's abandoned pet--that poor animal has no idea why mom or dad dumped him. Buying a puppy from a pet store isn't always the best choice. Often the stores get the animals from puppy mills--places where people breed the dogs time and time again and oftentimes pass undesirable traits on down to the puppies. You cannot be certain of their health. Well, not that you can be certain of the health of a rescue, either....

I rescued one dog 12 years ago. He's still happy and healthy. I didn't rescue my newest dog, though. I tried. I went all over town to find a dog and most of the rescues had pit bulls and pit mixes. Not that they are a bad breed (usually it is the owners that make a pit mean), I just wanted another lab. I like to think that I liberated my newest dog. He was from a pet store, but he'd lived there almost a year (they had kept him up on his shots and had him neutered). He's been just the joy of my life! But if I were to get another, I'd rescue a dog. In fact, I'm trying to figure out a way to foster a dog right now, but you have to quarantine them for a few weeks (to keep your own dogs safe in case of disease) so I don't know if it is possible or not.

Anyway, I hope you are able to move soon so you can have a nice new place for your new family!

I'm proud of you for adopting rather than buying (adoption fees don't count ).

But I'm more proud of you for making a choice based on rationale rather than guilt.

I keep checking out the local humane society website, even though our current apartment is too small to adopt another animal. I just love looking at all those little faces, and I think maybe I might have a part in getting them homes even if I can't take them. Whenever someone is lookng for a pet, especially when they're talking about buying, Isuggest they check out the shelter website, and often can even give a few "names" and what I remember from their little bios on the website.

We got our kitty from the shelter about a year and a half ago. Our apartment has a no pets without permission clause in the lease, so my husband called the landlord and told him how much I wanted a cat. At the time, he was still working (in fact, he had his accident that ended his ability to work the same month we got her), and I really wanted a companion being home alone most of the time. The landlord made us promise to get a kitty that wouldn't do any damage, and we promised to get an adult, neutured kitty. Knowing what I know now about declawing, I would never have a cat declawed, but we did also agreed to only adopt a kitty that had already been front paw declawed.

I wanted a tortoise-shell kitty very badly, but we agreed to get the cat based on personality. We "interviewed" all of the declawed cats. The tortie I had seen on the website was already adopted. Our little girl (a brindled tortie) had not been on the website, because a shelter employee wanted her - and was trying to convince her fiance that they needed a 6th cat. We didn't know this until we asked to see the cat, and the person helping us, said she had to have someone else show us the cat (the lady that wanted her). We played with her, and she was the friendliest kitty of all that we had seen. She bonded to us right away, and was purring and rubbing her head against us right away. The lady that wanted the cat, gave her blessing, so we took her home. Because she had come in as a stray, they couldn't guarantee that she was neutured, so we prepayed our vet for the surgery, (turned out she was, so we got credit for office visits and treats we bought there).

Our shelter charges to surrender an animal, unless the animal is a stray. So many people lie and tell them that their family pet is one they found stray in their yard. (So far on the website I have seen so many stray purebreds, and dogs under 5lbs, litters of tiny puppies and kitties (with no mommy), rabbits, ferrets, and even parakeets). Now how many stray parakeets have you encountered (not to mention how you would catch one to take it to the humane society).

It really is a diservice to the animal, especially when they're an older animal or a big or "scary" breed. The animal may be the sweetest thing in the world, but people may be afraid to take it home because of the unknown history.

Things we found out that we would have liked to have known, or that were a joy to find out that would have increased her chances for a new home. She wasn't used to eating dry food, so she wouldn't eat until we tried canned food (we weaned her to dry). She was used to being fed on a table (we think her previous owners were elderly, or possibly also disabled). She only wanted to drink from running water (we're going to buy her a little bubbler, but for now when she mews at the bathroom sink or tub, we turn the tap on for her to drink. At night, she will either drink from her bowl, or wait until morning (or one of us goes to the bathroom). She was VERY well-behaved at night, never coming up past our knees (she'd probably been taught not to sleep by her people's faces). We even taught her that we're not as strict about that, but it took some time. She says good night or good morning to us with a kiss, and then lays by our sides or feet. When we first got her, she would sleep stretched between us, with one front paw touching my husband and one back paw touching me - not to humanize, but I think she might have been making sure we couldn't leave her without her knowing. She wants us both to be in the same room, and gets very distressed if we spend too much time apart (also making me wonder if she had belonged to an elderly couple). She must have been let outside every night at 7 pm, because she would cry at the door every night at 7 for months even though we never let her out (we did eventually leash train her, so we could take her ouside on a leash for a short walk around the buildning, or let her sit outside to sit with us when we take the lawnchairs out).

She's our little wonder-kitty. She warns of us "danger" all of the time. She woke us up once, all agitated because someone was moving in across the street, and wouldn't stop crying until one of us looked out the window and told her it was ok. When neighbors moved in upstairs with a toddler, every time the child cried or fell, KiKi would cry at the ceiling and look at us like we were supposed to do something. One night, she woke my husband licking his face and actually bopping him in the face with her paws. Being such a well-behaved kitty at night, my husband was annoyed with the bad behavior until he realized that he was shaking. He was having a low blood sugar episode, that must have upset her.

I could talk about her for hours (and nearly have here), but she's our little baby. I never, in my life thought I would think of myself as a pet "parent," but yes we call each other "mommy" and "daddy" when talking to the cat. She's got us completely wrapped around her paws.

Colleen,

I hate to admit it but I'm the same way about my cat!! She has changed my world. She is a tortie but with claws... She is the sweetest little thing though and a very chatty cat, we think she might be part siamese or something. I feel so maternal towards her and I worry about her sometimes when she is home alone although I know she is busy snoozing. I tried to talk DH into another cat but he wasn't buying it with the idea of getting a dog as well. Eventually, I know I will have multiple cats and dogs but not quite yet She has no story other than she was a stray cat found as a kitten and for some reason she was in the shelter longer than normal. Although I don't ask, I suspect our shelter isn't a no-kill shelter but they try to give every dog and cat every possibility. They have a foster program, they have a rescue shelter, they have their main shelter, they are in contact with rescues, etc. I think they post their adoption rates as in the 80% and 90% but I don't dare ask what about the 10-20%.