OK, I'm going to be sappy for one post .. a must read for any animal lover

[dc dalton]

Well I might be hard core libertarian but there is ONE THING that makes me turn into a teary eyed liberal in a second ... that would be helpless animals that need our help!

The current economic problems have hurt a lot of people and they have had to make some decisions I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, namely how to cut their living costs to survive this mess. Unfortunately the pets seem to be one of the first cost cutting things these families do (personally it would be the last for me) and now the shelters are overflowing with loving pets that need help.

Everyone loves a furry face looking up at it, the love of playing ball with a dog, the purring of a cat that is getting its belly rubbed .. my god how can ANYONE not love something like that.

I have read statistics that say the amount of animals being dumped off at shelters has tripled over the past year .. now we can argue all week long about the people dumping these animals but the fact is there are helpless animals out there that have had their lives ripped apart for something they don't understand .. its not their fault and they need us.

If you can help there is an amazing website (I have no affiliation with this site BTW) called www.petfinder.com, this site lets you easily find an animal in need of help close to you .. if you can help by giving some deserving animal a new loving home there would be a little more joy in the animal world and in yours! Please take a look and if you can find it in your heart and your home to adopt one of these animals I am sure your life will be richer for it.

Sorry folks, but helpless animals turn me into a crying sap .. if I could adopt every one of them I would (we just adopted one last month) .. here's my 'girls'



Shelby (the rottie on the left) needed a home BAD and she has turned out to be the most amazing, loving dog a family could want.

PLEASE take the time and see if you can find it in your heart to help one of these deserving animals.

OK ... I will now stop being the bleeding heart liberal

[shefearsnothing]

On one hand I completely agree with you....

on the other hand we put our foot down and HAD to have a purebred when we got our dog. We also insisted on a puppy so he would have proper training from the start. It has a lot to do with the type of business I run and the fact that we have small kids etc. We needed to know exactly what breed we were getting so we knew what kind of personality we were going to be dealing with. A lot of times when you get a dog from a shelter you're not going to know anything about that dog's temperment. I'm sorry but that just doesn't work for every household. It's a nice thing to do IF it works for your household and your lifestyle though...

[dc dalton]

On one hand I completely agree with you....

on the other hand we put our foot down and HAD to have a purebred when we got our dog. We also insisted on a puppy so he would have proper training from the start. It has a lot to do with the type of business I run and the fact that we have small kids etc. We needed to know exactly what breed we were getting so we knew what kind of personality we were going to be dealing with. A lot of times when you get a dog from a shelter you're not going to know anything about that dog's temperment. I'm sorry but that just doesn't work for every household. It's a nice thing to do IF it works for your household and your lifestyle though...

Well just so you know, Shelby (our new girl) came with papers tracing her back to Germany.... she is purebred AKC Rottie and has the papers to prove it (anyone read German BTW) ... so those 'purebreds' are also out there looking for a home.

But also on that note, our 'old girl' (in the pic) Bogart is 1/2 Rottie and 1/2 Akita ... she has been with us for 12 years now and with some great training she is became the most loving AMAZING dog we have ever had! Sadly we don't think she has long to go (13 years old now) but she has been an amazing part of the family that we will miss when she is gone.

AND BTW .. Shelby (our new girl) has only been with us for 7 weeks .. she already knows the property lines, she knows everything she needs to become a part of the family. Every day she becomes more adjusted and a better dog (oh and BTW we also have 2 cats)

[shefearsnothing]

That is great. It sounds like you really know what you're doing with your dogs. They are not all like that though and this is all I was pointing out. There are a lot of purebreds out there that come from bad breedings also. Pitts are notorious for this as they are so overbred. I am not picking on the breed at all. I actually REALLY like them...when they're bred properly. There are a LOT of them in one of the shelters near us and they will not allow them to go to a home with children. At least I am fairly sure that is what I was told a few years ago. This policy may have changed. I can't even remember the name of the place. Like I said, it's just not for everyone. My husband had tried getting a dog from the pound and they told him the dog was mostly collie. YEAH RIGHT! He was mostly BEAGLE! That dog was terrible and my husband did NOT HELP AT ALL! He did not train the dog right, his behavior only encouraged negative behaviors from the dog. It was a complete disaster. He was NOT the dog for a family like ours at all....or even for a man with my husband's lifestyle when he got the dog. I'm glad to hear it worked out for you though. It is really sad to hear about what some of these dogs have been through. I had read a lot of really sad stories on the bullmastiff rescue site.

[Dredly]

Just fyi...

on that website are a LOT of pure bred and puppies. DEFINITELY look as I couldn't agree with DC more on this topic. THERE IS NO REASON AT ALL TO EVER BUY A DOG FROM A PUPPY MILL... EVER! On Petfinder you can detail what you are looking for, most are either free or will be very low cost after they are neutered

That is an excellent site and I got both of my dogs as rescue dogs, my lab and all his brothers and sisters were found in an alley in Allentown where some piece of shit dumped them in a blanket. The other (Mutt, nfc what he is) we got from a family in Philly who were allergic and were going to put him in a shelter.

We already have 2, we were considering getting a 3rd but thats a lot to handle... plus extremely difficult to walk... 2 I can handle.

Here's a pic:

[Emptymag]

...I'm glad to hear it worked out for you though. It is really sad to hear about what some of these dogs have been through. I had read a lot of really sad stories on the bullmastiff rescue site.

Ahhh... I was just about to mention that there are plenty of pure breed rescue groups out there. A dog without a home is a dog without a home, no matter what the genetic make up.

In addition to adoption, the overcrowded shelters and rescue organizations can always use help in the form of monetary donations as well as volunteered time. I keep an eye out for clearance items in the local stores. I can't afford to donate much, but when I see leashes and collars marked down to .75¢, I buy them and donate them. (Target is a good place to look for discounted items. They move merchandise in an out so often, it seems that they discount items a lot, just to get them out of the store.)

Fostering is another way you can help. By doing so, you enable the shelter to house another animal and perhaps prevent one from being destroyed as well.

Plenty of options available. Help out where you can.

[knighthawk06699]

Well I might be hard core libertarian but there is ONE THING that makes me turn into a teary eyed liberal in a second ... that would be helpless animals that need our help!

The current economic problems have hurt a lot of people and they have had to make some decisions I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, namely how to cut their living costs to survive this mess. Unfortunately the pets seem to be one of the first cost cutting things these families do (personally it would be the last for me) and now the shelters are overflowing with loving pets that need help.

Everyone loves a furry face looking up at it, the love of playing ball with a dog, the purring of a cat that is getting its belly rubbed .. my god how can ANYONE not love something like that.

I have read statistics that say the amount of animals being dumped off at shelters has tripled over the past year .. now we can argue all week long about the people dumping these animals but the fact is there are helpless animals out there that have had their lives ripped apart for something they don't understand .. its not their fault and they need us.

If you can help there is an amazing website (I have no affiliation with this site BTW) called www.petfinder.com, this site lets you easily find an animal in need of help close to you .. if you can help by giving some deserving animal a new loving home there would be a little more joy in the animal world and in yours! Please take a look and if you can find it in your heart and your home to adopt one of these animals I am sure your life will be richer for it.

Sorry folks, but helpless animals turn me into a crying sap .. if I could adopt every one of them I would (we just adopted one last month) .. here's my 'girls'



Shelby (the rottie on the left) needed a home BAD and she has turned out to be the most amazing, loving dog a family could want.

PLEASE take the time and see if you can find it in your heart to help one of these deserving animals.

OK ... I will now stop being the bleeding heart liberal

Awesome!!!Awesome!!!Awesome!!!!!!

[normanvin]

we already have 3 cats and 3 dogs. It is shame that when things get tight our pets are the first to suffer. Several times a month the wife and I swing by the local shelter. We do this just to visit. We spend a few minutes with each dog. We do this in the hopes that they get a little socialization out of it.

It is tough not bringing a new cat or dog home every time we go there. i can really understand how some people become hoarders.

Hey DC your rotti looks a lot like ours.

[dc dalton]

we already have 3 cats and 3 dogs. It is shame that when things get tight our pets are the first to suffer. Several times a month the wife and I swing by the local shelter. We do this just to visit. We spend a few minutes with each dog. We do this in the hopes that they get a little socialization out of it.

It is tough not bringing a new cat or dog home every time we go there. i can really understand how some people become hoarders.

Hey DC your rotti looks a lot like ours.

Love the St. Bernards BTW.

[shefearsnothing]

Oh yeah, we'd NEVER buy from a puppy mill!!! There are a LOT of rescues that WILL not allow ANY dog to go to a home with children. It's a safety issue. It depends on the breed but when the dogs go to rescue most times they have no history of the dog as far as their temperment with kids etc. I am not saying NONE of them will but a LOT of them will not.