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Monday, June 30, 2008

Bring Her Home: LUCY

Who says old dogs can't rock? Leave it to Lucy, a black and white female Beagle mix, to show you that even a senior dog like her still knows how to have fun. Little Lucy may already be 10 years old, but she still has a lot of spunk and so much love to give. She is friendly, sociable and totally sweet!

Lucy is ideal for homes seeking a dog with a non-demanding personality, as she will be content with just hanging out with you on the couch. Once you meet her, you'll definitely say, "I love Lucy!"

If you think Lucy is the perfect pet for you, or if you know of people who are looking for someone like Lucy, please visit the Peninsula SPCA website or call (757) 595-1399 to get more information and on how to adopt her.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Top 10 reasons why pets are surrendered by their owners

It's a sad fact that many dogs and cats in an animal shelter are mostly surrendered by their owners. While oftentimes it can be heartbreaking for the owner to do this, it is more heartbreaking to the pet.

The National Council on Pet Population Study & Policy gives the top 10 reasons why pets are surrendered to the shelters in the US:

For Dogs
1. Moving
2. Landlord issues
3. Cost of pet maintenance
4. No time for pet
5. Inadequate facilities
6. Too many pets in home
7. Pet illness (es)
8. Personal problems
9. Biting
10. No homes for littermates

For Cats
1. Too many in the house
2. Allergies
3. Moving
4. Cost of pet maintenance
5. Landlord issues
6. No homes for littermates
7. House soiling
8. Personal problems
9. Inadequate facilities
10. Doesn't get along with other pets

If you look at the above reasons, most of them could have been prevented such as, cost of pet maintenance and no time for pet. So please, before thinking of getting a new pet, consider the factors above and evaluate if you can be a responsible pet owner.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Consider adoption when getting a pet

The numbers can be daunting: 5 MILLION - that's the estimated number of cats and dogs killed in US animal shelters each year according to the Humane Society of the US. This is mainly due to the lack of space for animals in a lot of shelters. As a result, pet overpopulation has become a huge problem not only in the US, but also in a lot of countries around the world. It's a cold hard fact that there are just too many unwanted animals. Most of these poor creatures end up being homeless from reasons beyond their control or shortcomings, but mostly due to irresponsible pet ownership.

One of the ways you can help is to consider adoption when getting a new furry friend. Adopting a rescued animal from your local shelter goes a long way of helping not just the pet you've just adopted, but also providing accommodations for another animal requiring care and attention in a "forever home." When you get a dog or a cat from the shelter, most likely they have already been vaccinated, dewormed, and neutered/spayed. In fact, in the shelter where I volunteer, dogs and cats are also micro-chipped!

Contrary to what a lot of people think, animals from shelters can also make equally, or even better, pets like those from pet stores. They can also be as loyal, loving and very good companions. Thus, they deserve equitable treatment and rights given to "regular" pets.

It's no doubt that we get "cuteness attack" when we see puppies in pet shops, and they are just too difficult to resist. But if you're seriously thinking of buying one, then please hold that thought and consider instead, adopting a dog from an animal shelter. Not only will you gain a new best friend, but you could also help save lives of a lot of dogs.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Dedication

Kane is a handsome 7-year-old blue pit bull that was surrendered by its owner to the animal shelter where I volunteer. He's got some scars on his head and body which he probably got from some fights. Even if he's got a big head, Kane was so emaciated that his ribs were evident under his coat. I was cautious of him when I first laid eyes on him because he had this serious stance about him. Really, he would look at me straight into my eyes (what meaningful eyes he had!). But we instantly became friends the moment I gave him dog treats. It turned out Kane was such a loving and sweet dog. He also had manners: He never barked to get people's attention. He remained calm and waited patiently for his turn to be walked outside until eventually, permanently walk him out of the shelter to a permanent home.

This blog is dedicated to all the animals who are stuck inside a cage of an animal shelter, patiently waiting to be adopted and be accepted into a new loving "furrever" home.