We adopted Whitman 1 year ago today. Lucky us.

It’s so simple.

If you’ve been thinking of bringing a new friend into your life- ADOPT!

VOILA! You are now part of the solution to this national epidemic that is 100% preventable. Here’s the fact- 3-5 million healthy beautiful dogs and cats are put to sleep EVERY SINGLE YEAR in the US alone just because we A. don’t spay and neuter our pets and B. still buy from breeders & pet stores, when there are SO MANY dogs and cats who are literally dying for a new home! It seems like such a small thing- but if choosing a friend you’ll have for 10+ years, it’s not much to spend a little time finding one to rescue who really needs you, instead of supporting someone making money off of breeding more into an overpopulation.

Plus, with sites like Petfinder.org listing thousands of dogs and cats who need homes right NOW, there’s no excuse not to adopt if you know. NONE. Yes, I’m putting that on you-  now here are my tips.

TWO WAYS to find your new best friend:

1. Scour shelters in person! Most shelters are unfortunately underfunded & understaffed, this means that there are often dozens more at their shelter that need a home than they are able to put pictures and bios up of on their website. SO stop in during visiting hours and say hey there in person… visit a few shelters and take some time with the lovebugs that you think might have a future place in your casa. Keep in mind that they are probably scared, stressed, and upset at what’s going on and living in a shelter not sure what will happen next… & even if you’re just spending a few minutes with them, give them a good loving visit to tide them over until their next.

2. So you think you know exactly what size/breed/age/gender friend you want? Well, first I’m going to give you my adoption two cents from working at a shelter 3x a week helping dozens of families find their new friends… this list you have? It’s like the “perfect husband” list. Every girl thinks they want “tall dark and handsome”, but what if you fall for a “short- blonde- and hilarious” instead? Sounds like a better deal to me. In the end, it’s about your connection with that specific pup/kitty/, and there are also tons of other breeds/mixes that will meet your real list- which is probably more about your lifestyle (jock? couch potato? social butterfly?) than about a specific breed or size.

Okay, now that I’ve given you my two cents… I want you, Miss or Mister Particular, to know 2 things.

1. YES SHELTERS HAVE PUREBREDS. 25% of shelter dogs & cats are purebred, and there are breed rescues for specific breeds in every state. (Though mutts are my favorite! So unique and often with less genetic issues.)

2. YES SHELTERS HAVE PUPPIES & KITTENS. Yes, people who don’t plan for it and never spay/neuter have animals who, surprise! Have babies. These babies need homes. You can adopt one. (though I prefer adult dogs, which is what your pup will be in 6 months or so, and then you’ll know their personality, size, & temperament.)

HOW TO SEARCH for a Specific Breed/etc:

1. Find your nearest breed rescue and ask them who’s looking for a home right now. Google the breed, state, and the word “rescue”, for example: “greyhound rescue IL” check out their site & say what’s up.

2. Search on Petfinder by age, size, breed, sex, and type of animal. For example if you’re searching for something very specific and in demand like- Golden Retriever puppies & you live in Orland Park, IL, you’d see this.

3. Keep an open mind. Again- you probably don’t need a specific breed/age/size but more of a good match for your lifestyle. Let yourself fall in love with a homeless dog or cat who really needs you, and realize that you probably need him/her too… ah, symbiosis. I love it.

POST-ADOPTION TIP.

Sign up for training & HIT THAT LIBRARY UP!!  Please don’t get me wrong & think of rescued animals as necessarily in need of training any more than new puppies  would be (reasons for give-ups I’ve heard range from “didn’t match the furniture” to “grew up to be larger than we expected.” these have nothing to do with behavior, and puppies ALWAYS need training too.) Of course, there are some whose people didn’t train them as babies properly, or were abused, and therefore need special care, attention, and treatment… something you might be especially or especially not suited for (know your limits.)  Bottom line- bringing a new companion into your family means establishing a strong relationship with discipline & communication. (And psst! The Dog Whisperer episodes make great cliffs notes.)

Too easy to save a life, right? Now that you know, don’t go breaking my heart… please! For the love of dog, ADOPT.

warmest,