Pet Knows

By now we have all seen and read a number of tug-at-your-heart-strings news stories on the pets that are being left behind in the housing foreclosure crisis happening around the country. Between tough economic times and situations like what has happened with the flooding in the Midwest, shelters are becoming overrun with pets surrendered by owners who can no long afford to take care of them. These owners face a difficult decision, giving up their furry family members in hopes of giving them a better life. My heart breaks thinking about how difficult that must be.

One issue that these surrendered dogs face is that adult dogs are much less likely to be adopted, and are frequently euthanized simply because there is no room for them. With over crowding at shelters across the country, the popular no-kill shelters are reaching capacity and forced to turn away dogs, making it more likely that they will end up euthanized.

If you are thinking about bringing a new dog into your home, please consider adopting an adult dog from a shelter. Yes, puppies are adorable and cuddly and wonderful. But older dogs offer a lot of perks that a puppy does not. Your average adult dog will already be house broken, will have grown out of the eating shoes phase, and will trained to know at least basic commands, just to name a few. You might also be helping to save his life.

If you are not looking to add a furry friend to your family right now, there are other ways that you can help. The ASPCA lists 10 ways you can help your local shelter, or you can make a contribution organizations like the Humane Society’ foreclosure fund, the ASPCA, or No Paws Left Behind. You can also give directly to a shelter in your area or Furry Tales Farms, the shelter mentioned in the video above.