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A request
The reason for this blog is to help get specific dogs adopted from TAS but equally important is to try to normalize the idea of shelter dogs being just as good and just as desirable as any other dogs including those which are regularly merchandised by backyard breeders, puppy millers and those few remaining pet store owners who still feel a need to sell live animals. The single greatest stigma shelter animals still face is the belief that shelter animals are substandard animals. Anyone who has had enough experience with shelter animals knows this is untrue but the general public hasn't had the same experiences you've had. They see a nice dog photo in a glossy magazine and too many of them would never think of associating that dog with a dog from a shelter. After all, no one abandons perfectly good dogs, right? Unfortunately, as we all know, perfectly good dogs are abandoned all the time.
The public still too often associates shelter dogs with images of beat up, sick, dirty, severely traumatized animals and while we definitely sometimes see victims such as these, they are certainly not the majority and, regardless, even the most abused animals can very often be saved and made whole again.
Pound Dogs sometimes discusses the sad histories some of the dogs have suffered. For the most part, though, it tries to present the dogs not as victims but as great potential family members. The goal is to raise the profiles of animals in adoption centers so that a potential pet owner sees them as the best choice, not just as the charity choice.
So, here's the favour I'm asking. Whenever you see a dog picture on these pages you think is decent enough, I'd like you to consider sharing it on Facebook or any other social media sites you're using (I know many of you do this already and thank you for that). And when you share it, please mention that the dog in the photo is a shelter dog like so many other shelter dogs waiting for a home. If we can get even five percent of the pet buying public to see shelter dogs differently, to see how beautiful they are and how wonderful they are, and to consider shelter dogs as their first choice for a new family member, we can end the suffering of homeless pets in this country.
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Fred, I am not sure whether you follow the site "Everything Rosie" on Facebook (written by the mom of a rescued chihuahua named Rosie who is a product of really bad inbreeding). Anyway, today the author of this site has posted a comment that is really worth a few minutes of anyone's time. It's about the passing of another chihuahua who had been rescued (by a different mom) after living 10 years in an abusive hoarding environment. This little dog had struggled to overcome her many health issues and finally succumbed to them. Anyway, the author expresses so thoughtfully the need for people to reach out to damaged dogs, even if only to give them some peace and palliative care. I think you might find it relevant to the work that you do so well.
Thanks, Wendy. I'll go check it out.
I love your blog and your photos. I check in from time to time, but I don't know if I've ever commented before. Keep up the good work!
Love those ears!