Here is how:
1. Adopt a dog if you have time and love to spare. You get more than you give.
2. Spay and Neuter your pets. There are several low cost services if needed.
3. Adopt from a shelter and not from a breeder (money keeps them in the cruelty business).
4. Dogs are dogs. Love a mixed breed. They all bring joy. Mixes can have less health issues.
5. Sponsor a dog (can pay for it while someone else fosters or adopts).
6. Support rescue groups with time and/or money.
7. Educate your family and friends. Peer pressure to do the right thing.
8. Sponsor/build mobile vet clinic with donations to visit indigent areas.
We are supposedly the more intelligent and thoughtful creature. If everyone did their part, all dogs would have the loving home they needed within a few short years. Education is the key. Bob Barker was right- SPAY AND NEUTER your pets. It is the easiest way to end overpopulation and very simple to do.
Hi. My name is Alfie. I am a mixed breed puppy and no one wanted me. You see, I was a little awkward looking. My tail is small and looks like a big rat tail. My belly hangs down like puppy bellies do, and my hip bones poked out like a mule. My front paws are huge and bend funny, and I have webbed feet- like a duck. My colors are boxer, but I am small (20 lbs) and will not get beyond 40 lbs. I was the plain dog, the ugly duckling on adoption day. But wait, a lady saw me, all alone, and loved me instantly. She had 2 dogs of her own so she could not take me but it broke her heart that no one wanted me, or showed me attention around the prettier dogs. She could not stop thinking about me.
So this lady reaches out to the shelter and they are kind enough to keep tabs on me for her. Then as my kill date nears (I am 5 months old), she is worried my time has come to pass. So she writes Karla, the dog blogger who sometimes rescues dogs and asked her to please foster me. She offered to pay for everything. My jail fee, my neutering, my monthly meds so I don't get worms or fleas. Luckily, 2 days before the guillotine, Karla said "yes."
So I went to live with her and 4 other dogs. Like WOW. It was great but I had so much to learn. I lived in a home before once, but they didn't want to keep me and did not really teach me much. I felt bad for Karla. I did not know how to "kennel up", and I wasn't house trained. But I am smart and I do love me some people. So I tried hard and learned to "Kennel Up" on my first day. I could sit some too. Karla was worried though. While I am cute, I am an odd mix and there are soooo many dogs out there needing a home. She posted me on the blog, facebook, and sent emails to people for Alfie a home. That's me!
Well, a nice man came to Karla's house to do some wood splitting. I hid from him under her deck in the leaves. Her other 4 dogs ran around, much less afraid but this was all new to me. The wood guy wanted a big dog, his had just died and he could not find the right one (free). Then he spotted me. I heard something I did not know if I would ever hear (and I know my foster mom Karla and my angel financial supporter would agree). He pointed at ME, and said "I want THAT dog." Well, I gotta laugh because I am pretty awkward looking and Karla said, "which dog?" She was sure he meant Sam her big boxer boy or Buddy, since he was her new Boston Terrier foster. But OMG, he pointed again and said clearly, he wanted the dog hiding under the deck. Here I am underfed, fur missing on my tail, mixed mutt lineage, scared of his wood splitter and he saw something in ME.
Well, dang, I came out when Karla called for me. Then the man threw a soccer ball and what do you know? I chased it and got it. I carried it around while he worked. I did not know I could do that but I am smart, and I follow my gut. By the end of his visit, it was agreed that man would be taking me home when he left. My new owner was all smiles. The angel donor had provided toys, leash/collar, new bed, and meds for me. Karla provided a kennel and food for me. I was free to a good home and came with a dowry (care package of goods so no money needed to be spent). Love is free anyway.
He held me in his lap, all smiling and happy, PROUD to have me. Me Alfie. The dog no one really wanted and just about everyone was okay knowing I would likely be killed. I am just a drop in the bucket I guess. We rode off with all my stuff in the truck. The nice man has a 2 year old daughter that wanted a puppy. And I love kids. And he has a wife that loves boxer mixes. He told me I had beautiful coloring. No one ever said that before. I just knew I was funny looking. I was happy to be headed home, and not to the dump, where they put the ashes from unwanted dogs.
I wanted a family so much. A little kid to love me, a mom to teach me and keep me company, and a daddy to play with- learn from. That night the phone rang and I could hear Karla on the other end. She was checking on me. And I overheard what daddy said. "We love Alfie. He is doing fine. My wife and daughter love him. I made him a "run" today and set up his new kennel. We went out to get more of the same good food to get him healthy, and got him treats. Alfie is home to stay." Then I cried.
My family does not have a ton of money but they have a ton of love. I am not the big pure bred dog they were looking for, but I am ALFIE. I am an original. My dog parts are like none other. I am special. I am loved. I hope you are too.
(This is a story how a shelter took dogs to Petsmart to market them for adoption, someone donated money to save a dog, someone else fostered a dog, and an owner was able to take a puppy with no financial outlay in these tough economic times. So on National Puppy Day- I solute ALFIE. He made us better people.)
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