Happy Endings

I'm pretty sure I tell more dog stories than more people care to listen to, but when homeless dogs have happy endings, I just can't resist. I'm guessing most people just tune me out when I babble about the importance of adopting from shelters, so maybe sharing success stories will be more effective!

My first story is about my dear doggie friend Baron. I first met Baron last April, soon after he first arrived at the Lawrence Humane Society. He was a super happy and friendly boy who was also a terrific retriever. He never met a dog or a person he didn't love, and although he was slightly rambunctious, he quickly became a favorite of the volunteers. When no potential families had come along by November, Baron and I spent a day together at the Douglas County Animal Fair, where I took him to meet potential adopters. Our day together solidified Baron's place as my favorite dog at the shelter, but it still didn't solidify any adoption applications.

Then, earlier this month, a woman in Grand Junction, Colorado, saw Baron's picture on Petfinder.com. Even though she'd never met him, she submitted her application, telling the staff that she could just tell by his pictures that he was a great dog. Last week, a volunteer drove Baron to Colby, where his new family was waiting to meet him! Since I spend my weekends taking pictures of the LHS dogs for Petfinder (for the plethora of readers just tuning in to my blog), I have to admit I probably get overly excited when those efforts pay off.

My other happy story involves my friend Danae from KUEA. Several weeks ago, Danae called wanting input on how to find a good breeder. She had done lots of research on dog breeds and had decided that she wanted a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy. While I'm certainly not an expert in the area of purchasing purebreds, I tried to share with her what I know about responsible breeders and some ways she might get in touch with one. However, since I generally don't encourage people to buy purebreds in the first place, I also made sure to remind her about how she could search for specific breeds on Petfinder. Although I knew our shelter wouldn't have what she wanted, I thought there was a chance that another Spaniel-ish puppy on Petfinder might catch her eye.

To make a long story short(er), Danae e-mailed me the other day to share some exciting news: not only had she and her husband found their Cavalier puppy, but they'd found it through Petfinder at a rescue just a few miles away in Independence, Missouri! I couldn't have been more excited! They found exactly what they wanted, and they saved a life as well! You can read about Danae's beautiful new puppy on her blog.

Many people don't understand that even adopting a very adoptable dog from a no-kill shelter or rescue saves a life. While that puppy might not be in danger of euthanasia, when he or she is adopted, space is created at that shelter or rescue for a new dog--one who might very well have been in danger of being put down. When compared to purchasing from a breeder, adopting from a shelter saves lives!

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox for now, but I won't stay off it forever. The 3-4 million dogs that were euthanized in our country last year wouldn't want me to.