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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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Am I wrong or does this poor dog look like she's been starved?
I wish my husband would let me get another dog, because I'd snatch her up!!!
What an adorable face.
Good luck finding her a home.
OH, she's gorgeous, good luck to her. Fred, can you recommend a cat shelter? Leave a message in my (sorry, moderated) comments? I have a cat needing a great home. Like they all do. Like they all deserve.
How that sweet face was lost/discarded is beyond incomprehensible to me.
She's not a Gordon Setter. Some setter x Border Collie or Springer x Border Collie, maybe.
Anon, she is a bit skinny.
Has Cher been adopted, I don't see her on TAS
Yes, she was adopted a couple of weeks ago. Hope we get an update on her.
How can we check (other than laboriously bugging you!) to see which dogs have been adopted? Is there a list anywhere?
The most reliable way to find out if a dog has been adopted is to check with TAS. The vast majority of the time, if a dog is placed on the adoption page and then taken off, it's because it's been adopted.
Hey Fred,
I adopted Cher (now Cheryl) a couple months back from TAS. She is doing so well!
There have been a couple of tough moments of adapting to a new adult dog in the house. We will still sometimes come home to a surprise mess of packaging and crumbs that she has left on her pillow, after reaching new heights in the kitchen. However, the tough moments are always overpowered by the amazement we feel at how GOOD Cheryl is. All she wants is to be around people, to lie on your feet, to have a nice face scratch after a walk, or to sit with her head on the coffee table while everyone plays a board game.
I wish I could think of something more profound to express my love for this gal. I’m at a loss, though. We have a simple life. A couple of walks a day. Quiet time in the living room. A very excited reunion when Bram or I come home from work. If she wants to play, she will pull her toys out of basket one by one and place them on our laps until they have all had a turn. When she’s done playing, she will lie next to us on the couch, or even crawl right into our laps.
Cheryl is a perfect match for our house. I am so thankful that we saw her when we did.
Thanks for everything you’re doing for the dogs at TAS. It was so nice to read this post. We now think of these as her ‘puppy pictures’.
--Steph.
Thanks for the update Stephanie. Sounds like Cheryl is one happy and lucky girl. If you ever feel like sending in photos, I'll post them up.