General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIncredible Face on Pup Who Was Just Adopted Shows What it Means to Adopt Not Shop
If youve ever adopted a furry family member from a shelter, then you understand how easy it is to love your new animal companion like theyre your very own human child and you know how quickly they fall in love with you. And if youve ever adopted a dog, chances are that you can recall the unbridled enthusiasm your new canine companion expressed at getting to leave the shelter and start their new life with a complete stranger.
That immediate sense of unconditional love and trust cant be matched. This photo of Imgur user JackScagnetti1 and their new puppy on the ride home perfectly captures that feeling. Even though the photo of this handsome pup and his new guardian was snapped not long after the adoption took place, theres no mistaking the expression of love in his eyes.
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/look-on-the-face-of-a-pup-shows-why-we-should-adopt-not-shop/
shenmue
(38,506 posts)chillfactor
(7,576 posts)I adopted my little girl from a shelter....a beautiful little Chihuahua....all 4# of her. As an elderly retired lady I cannot tell you how much pleasure she has brought to my life. She is excited when I am happy and cuddles up to me when I am sad. She sleeps with me every night.....curled up in my arms. Her love is unconditional.
Divine Discontent
(21,056 posts)JonathanRackham
(1,604 posts)Who rescues who?
Our max was 2 shepherds and 3 cats.
Laser102
(816 posts)Cracklin Charlie
(12,904 posts)Super snuggly!
calimary
(81,298 posts)Stonepounder
(4,033 posts)We have 5 dogs (all Cavaliers), 3 of whom were rescues. Bosley came out of a puppy mill, Maggie was released from her family directly to rescue due to serious illness in the family, and Cooper came to us via a shelter who contacted rescue when they found out he was diabetic and they didn't have facilities to treat it.
I don't think we will ever consider 'buying' another dog again.
nolabear
(41,984 posts)forest444
(5,902 posts)I adopted my last dog, a Shar-Pei female, from a very nice family who just couldn't tolerate her chewing the furniture. She ended up being with me for 14 years, and passed on in May after a brief illness. I always called her my angel, and now I suppose she really is.
Adopting her was the best decision I've ever made, bar none.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)pansypoo53219
(20,977 posts)i need spares.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Our dog is a rescue, and is awesome.
Augiedog
(2,548 posts)the tiniest dog in the biggest kennel space. But the instant I saw him I knew he had to come and be part of our home. He has been nothing but a joy, well most of the time. Seems he has opinions and demands and wants, needs and desires. So I spend an inordinate amount of time fulfilling said wants, needs and desires. Haven't regretted one second.
Moonwalk
(2,322 posts)Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)going to be a very big boy!
tekriter
(827 posts)Our first dog was a rescue from a wonderful shelter called Open Door Animal Sanctuary in House Springs, MO. Lucky was with us for nine years, passed on at age 13, we think, from bladder tumors. We never knew exactly how old he was.
Three months later I'm looking at the Animal Protective Association of Missouri website, and see three black lab puppies - Pumpkin, Spice and Latte. We arrive first thing Saturday morning, and one was already adopted out. We picked Spice, an eight week old female. The three of them had been found abandoned in someone's yard.
I can't say enough about the wonderful people who take in and care for these unwanted dogs. I could never imagine buying from a breeder when so many dogs just need a new start.
Duppers
(28,125 posts)who fosters for a Lab Rescue here on the east coast. We couldn't be happier with our adopted girl.
Please, everyone, Adopt. Then have your furbabies neutered.
C Moon
(12,213 posts)BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)❤️❤️❤️
Ilsa
(61,695 posts)They are a lively pair!
allan01
(1,950 posts)Laffy Kat
(16,382 posts)Her photo was posted by a deaf dog group. She was 2,000 miles away and I adopted her long-distance by getting a deaf dog rescuer to pull her from the center and fly her up to me. She was to be euthanized that day. It was a close call. One of the best decisions in my life. She has been my soul mate for eight years. Got her through the heart worms she was born with and now Addison's but she is doing great. To think she could have been killed just for being deaf.
saltpoint
(50,986 posts)be good pals.
colorado_ufo
(5,734 posts)I'm going home!
copperearth
(117 posts)As a breeder I find your comment offensive. it doesn't matter whether the new owners buy or adopt their puppy or kitten. That same expression is on a happy puppy placed in loving arms of a new owner that pays for his choice of a pet. You can't buy love, you have to earn it.
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)DAMANgoldberg
(1,278 posts)DJ 1 yr + Border Collie/Hound mix who lives outside, but is currently keeping me awake. Have to go calm him down for night, night. Our local city shelter and Humane Society have many choices and all our worthy.
eleny
(46,166 posts)Woogie-woogie-woogie, watcha doin, woogie?!
Raine
(30,540 posts)baldguy
(36,649 posts)Note that the people who claim to love dogs, but support breed bans & the endless slaughter of dogs are nowhere to be seen on threads like this.
IronLionZion
(45,447 posts)I know people who have adopted the greatest dogs ever and it baffles me that somebody didn't want them.
Scarsdale
(9,426 posts)I have owned mostly mixed breeds, and am firmly convinced that these dogs get the very best features and dispositions from every breed that is included in their DNA. Great, loving, smart animals. I love animals.
Brickbat
(19,339 posts)abandoned him when they moved.
Neema
(1,151 posts)And the breed rescue I adopted from gets dogs from all over the country out of terrible situations (kill shelters, puppy mills shut down by authorities, etc.). So even if you want a specific breed, you can still adopt, not shop.
I wish I knew how old my little dude was, but in the end I'll love him for every minute I've got him. He's perfect for me.
lonestarnot
(77,097 posts)LWolf
(46,179 posts)All my dogs have been adopted but one, who was a gift, and came from a safe home. All of them had that same look. I don't think it's different for dogs that were "shopped for;" as unconditional lovers, they are all happy to be welcomed into a forever home.
That said, I hope anyone wanting to bring a dog into their family looks at dogs needing adoption first.
TCJ70
(4,387 posts)...regardless of where they come from. It's not their fault they end up where they do.
Javaman
(62,530 posts)I have never had a dog so attached to me, than my Paulie, whom I got from a shelter.
It's freaking weird in a dog-in-a-movie sort of way.
He's my buddy.
lupinella
(365 posts)I will never understand people who don't choose adoption when getting an animal, nor those who abandon their pets.
One of our two pups we rescued off of a highway & my wife spent the next week or two earning her trust by literally sitting in the doorway of a bedroom & throwing her pieces of chicken, ever closer. Her brother was abandoned when his owners moved. We adore them & the feeling is mutual.
Other than naming who will be in charge of our 'estate' should we die, the one thing specified in our will is who is in charge of re-homing our pets & that they must remain together.
Adopt, spay, neuter & know that your life will be a much better place when you spend it being owned by strays!
mnhtnbb
(31,391 posts)Snowy is our current rescue dog who's been with us for almost 7 years. She was rescued out of a high kill shelter in Georgia
by a German Shepherd rescue group from South Carolina, even though she's not GS.
Tanya--whose real name was Titania (from Midsummer Night's Dream)--was all black and we adopted her from a shelter in Lincoln, NE.
She lived to be 14.
My Honey dog was adopted from a shelter in Canoga Park, CA many years ago.
I would never buy from a breeder again.
Portland_Anni
(164 posts)I have two cats. Bat the black stray I invited into my home from his outdoor life eating out of dumpsters and catching small game is in his usual spot sleeping happily in my lap. Gladys is my young female we bottle fed after discovering the litter she was part of when we live trapped her mom and got her spayed after she had had two previous litters that ended badly. We saw she was lactating and searched them out. They all have homes now. You can see them on Instagram where I am anni_mccarthy. They are dearly loved family members.
BlueCaliDem
(15,438 posts)and she's been immensely grateful. She's 13 years now, ever since her birthday last October 13th.
We also bought a black Pug online from a breeder (hard to find Pugs - especially black ones - in shelters). He'll be 7 years young today (his birthday) and is the epitome of health and vitality.
But we've also taken in two Chihuahuas and a Pug and offered them a forever-home. Harley, the fawn pug, came to our home from people who no longer thought he was 'cute', and he lived to a nice age of 13.2 years before we had to humanely put him to sleep because of clusters of brain tumors that had him act erratically.
We spend a LOT of money of holistic dog food - Life's Abundance - and additives - Lick's Digestion and Lick's Elder Dog - to ensure they're healthy and happy. They aren't pets. They're family.
Fahrenthold451
(436 posts)I have a rescue dog and know that smile. Not neurotic, not yippy, nothing wrong with her hips...just happy dog.
Tracer
(2,769 posts)At the time, I was fostering other dogs from that shelter. Most of the dogs stayed with us for only 3 or 4 days.
Then we fostered Rudy. I had to take him back to the shelter once a week for a "meet & greet" for potential adopters. He was so miserable there -- barking non-stop, that nobody wanted him.
After taking him home after the third meet & greet, I put him in the back seat of the car and started the car. Rudy jumped into the front seat and crawled into my lap, crying his eyes out.
I knew in that minute, that I couldn't give him up.
So now we have two shelter dogs!
[IMG][/IMG]
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)WHEN CRABS ROAR
(3,813 posts)When he arrived home with us and hopped up on the couch he became our best friend ever.
Dracaena
(33 posts)Nothing like a high tone puppy dog!!