I want to cry

[saveone]

I was just on the Petfinder web site.  I know better than to go there because I always come away with my heart broken and wanting to cry.  There are so many animals needing homes.  So many animals left in shelters that will have no choice but to euthanize them because there isn't enough room and not enough adopters.  Why go to a pet shop to buy a dog that probably came from a puppy mill or backyard breeder when there are so many deserving pets looking for homes?  Why pay hundreds or thousands for a designer dog, i.e. schnoodle, puggle, etc which is nothing more than a mixed breed dog when the shelter is full? With a little patience you can find any type of dog you want.  My son and I have 10 dogs all shelter dogs, strays, and one rescue.  All the shelter dogs where dogs that had been scheduled to be "put down" because their time was up, they pooped in someones house and were returned to the shelter (returns don't usually get a second chance) or they are timid and no one wants a timid dog, even one because she was a black dog and no one wants a blk dog (they are passed by more than other dogs).. I am not telling this because I am proud of myself but because I can't do anymore.  I took some medication to our shelter yesterday.  I cried all the way home.  I cried for the animals that were there thru no fault of their own.  I cried for the ones with the X on their cage because their time is up, today they will met our maker.  So please if any one reads this and you are going to get a pet please consider adopting before you buy.  And remember when they are at the shelter they don't look their best, neither would you if you were where they are.  But some love, a good grooming can make a world of difference.  One more thing, actually two, (1) Christmas is coming don't get a pet because it makes a good "gift".  A pet is a lifetime commitment or at least it should be.  (2)  if you have a pet get it spayed or neutered.  The world doesn't need more animals, we need more ppl willing to adopt those already here.

Go to Petfinder or your local shelter and find your best friend or to remind yourself how many will die because of man's stupidity.

I ranted and I might should not have.  I look at my dogs, my furkids, and I grieve for those I cannot help.

Save one until there are none.

[cassi359]

If you have facebook, please join my group "animal neighborhood watch". This is my small attempt to have everybody post their pets picture, a small description, and whatever contact info theyd like to post. By doing this, i hope to get enough attention and postings that we can cut down on the pets purchased at pet stores and what not that are then brought to the shelters. it also will help human and pet be reunited if your pet is ever lost. i also plan to do this with my neighborhood and hopefully get some of my friends and family to do this in theirs. its a small step but if it helps even 1 pet out its all worth it! thanks guys.
also, if you have trouble finding the group on facebook, please pm me and i will give you my contact info so that you can find it through my page.
thanks again!

[katew888]

just sent you a message :)

[saveone]

Maybe you could PM me and give me some info on how you go about what you do?  I would be interested.  thanks

[katew888]

Just because you can't do more yourself doesn't mean you can't help others do more :)  I spend 40% of my day looking for fosters, then driving to the shelter to pull the dogs that the rescue groups can't get to.  There are so many people willing to help:  build an email network and send updates to those you know willing to help.  Even if you can't find fosters, you can find "sponsors" who will donate to the cost of just getting the dog out of the shelter and at least into boarding for a few days until you can find a foster/permanent home.  Awareness is a big step, and your post is proof of that- maybe someone will read it and go adopt a shelter dog!  Thanks for your huge heart and help with all the animals :)

[April2]

I adopted my dog and cat from the pound. They, too, were getting ready to be put to sleep. The dog because he was brought back to the pound for "getting into a dog fight". It was the owners dog who attacked him! He had bites all over his backside and had to be stitched up. He looked bad and I knew no one would adopt him. We've had him 7 years now. My cat they was almost put to sleep because they thought she was pregnant. She wasn't! And she wound up being the sweetest, most affectionate cat I've ever had! I've had her almost 9 years. They both are old and content now!

I hate seeing all those animals too, because I know I can't adopt them all. I wish more could be done on the abuse of animals and overbreeding. I wrote a post on here about a lady who rescued a dog from a puppy mill and is now traveling all over with her dog trying to educate people and get these poor dogs out of these miserable places.
I wish there was more we could do.

[have 2 kids]

We have adopted two dogs from a rescue group.   Both are wonderful pets.  We recently lost one - we discovered days after getting him that he was seriously ill- we had him for
9 weeks.   He touched our hearts like no other pet.  
Thank you for helping to get the word out about all these homeless animals.  

[saveone]

I think I am just feeling angry and sad today.  I have one dog.  He is a lasha-poo.  I adopted him form the shelter.  On a rainy July 4th in the dead of the night someone just drove up and left him there.  They found him the next morning when the shelter opened.  Sitting by the door soaking wet and shaking from the cold.  He doesn't weigh 4 lbs soaking wet.  He was so matted they had to shave him to the skin.  He was flea infested and stunk enough to make a person gag. On top of that he had rotted teeth, one eye, and was almost deaf.  The vet est his age at 10-12 yrs.  No one wanted an old man in the condition he was in.  I brought him home.  His ears were so infected he had dug holes in his face from scratching them.  He couldn't stand to lift his leg to pee.  He just fell over.  Long story short...I have had him abt 3 years.  He now totally deaf, he just doesn't realize it.  He learned hand signals really fast.  He is just the greatest little old man ever.  He is now in congestive heart failure.  I knew when I adopted him I might not have him long.  I have been blessed with more time than I thought I would have.  He isn't suffering.  He takes meds to help.  But the frequency of attacks has increased.  He has had two within the last 6 to 8 wks.  I just don't want to loose him but I know I will.  I am willing to let him go if his quality of life begins to decrease but I was sitting here looking at him.  Then I got very angry at all ppl had put him through and one thing lead to another.  Thanks for the reassurance I didn't make a total idiot out of myself.  I tried to make my point without being a ******.  However, I didn't say anything I wouldn't say to someones face.  Thank you for being an angel to the dogs you saved.  Every dog needs one.

[AHP84]

This is a very heartfelt post and thank you for taking the time to post it.
I currently have two dogs that I adopted; one came from a shelter and the other (a black dog) I picked up off the roadside after I watched her get hit by a semi truck. I've had Blackie for four years and Bryce since July, and they are absolutely part of my family and I'm so glad I found them.
I've been an advocate for pet adoption for years. My first adopted dog was from a border collie rescue and his name was Jack. I was 12 when I got him and he was definitely the best friend I had at the time.
I've also picked up many strays from the roadside and given them loving homes over the years.
I've taken my fair share of "free to good home" pets too; I have four birds that came to me that way (birds are also another sad case like cats and dogs, because people get them and don't realize they are SO much more than just cage ornaments).
A couple of years ago I adopted a giveaway border collie puppy. He was being given up because the previous owners thought he was blind. I took him in knowing full well he'd be a dog with special needs. It turns out that he did not have blindness, but degenerative brain damage that got the better of him by the time he was two years old. But I don't regret adopting him and putting so much money and extra care into him only to have my heart broken when I had him put down back in June, because I know he needed a home that cared enough to give him the love he so much deserved in his short life.
All animals that can be pets deserve a life that will show them unconditional love, just as they will show to their owners if they are fortunate enough to have a good one. It doesn't matter what "issues" they have or how "long" their life will be--they deserve to know and experience the love of a well-caring owner.