adoption
Our guide to animal adoption; learn why, where, and how to prepare to adopt a cat, kitten, dog or puppy from an animal shelter or rescue group.
4 for you, 16 for me
‘It’s so dark here…’ A painful ache filled the small child’s chest, a feeling her youthful innocence had hidden from her heart until now. As she stared out across the barred and broken wasteland, a junkyard for abandoned and repossessed pets, she feared for her safety and theirs. Countless cramped cages formed the dystopian landscape before her and she knew with a newborn weight to her soul that she could not save them all.
By Bree Beadman5 years ago in Petlife
Jake
I had three dogs, and I lost all three of them within a year’s time. A German Shepherd named Zeus, a Border Collie named Molly, and a Miniature Yorkie named Lizzie. They were the three musketeers. They all grew up together, and they were all beginning to show their age. Zeus and Molly both passed in their sleep, and little Lizzie had to eventually be put to rest. My heart was broken when I lost them all. I promised myself that I would not put myself through that again. My heart was empty, and I couldn’t find a way to fill it again. My husband suggested that I get another dog. I pondered the idea for a few weeks. Finally I decided that I would go to the shelter and take a look at what they had. This was my first time going to a shelter to find a new companion. At the shelter I was greeted by a friendly young lady that offered to show me around. I looked through a lot of glass doors at all the different dogs. She took me by the medical wing that had a few dogs that would be getting released soon. I walked by the first door, and I only seen a cot set up in there with no dog. I went in and sat down on the floor. After a few minutes, and a bit of coercing, he was slowly making his way out from under the cot. He came over and sniffed my hand, and sat down staring at me. After a few minutes of talking to him, he finally allowed me to pet him. When the door opened, he ran back under the cot. The young lady informed me that they had rescued him from an alley, and he was digging in the trash cans for food. When they evaluated him, they were certain that he had been abused by someone. I thought about it all the way home. I woke up the next morning, and told my husband that I was going to go and visit with him again before I made a decision. When I arrived, the same young lady approached me. She asked me if I wanted to see him again. She then lead me to where he was. When I walked up to the glass door, I saw his nose sticking out from beneath the cot. I crouched down until he could see me. All of a sudden he bolted out from beneath the cot, and started jumping around, barking and whining. She gasped in surprise and said that she had never seen him behave that way. We opened the door and I stepped inside. He was jumping all over me and crying. He had claimed me. How could I say no to him? I told her with tears in my eyes that I would take him to his forever home. I opened the car door, and he jumped right into the front seat. He sat there all the way home staring straight ahead as though he was a human being. We got home, and he went inside as though it had always been his home. He was shy around most people that came around for quite a while. He has become an amazing dog that stole my heart and filled it with happiness again. That was almost 5 years ago. He has overcome so much. I am so thankful that I walked in to that shelter that day. By the way…..his name is Jake.
By Holly Schrag5 years ago in Petlife
Fiona's New Home
Growing up, I had all I needed and then some. The old man I lived with was the jolly type who would chat with me often. He talked to me about all kinds of things - mostly about how I was doing. He called me Fiona. His love, like our home, was warm and comfortable. I liked it there. These are now memories from a distant past. My life changed when one day, he didn’t return home.
By Ashley Gomez5 years ago in Petlife
The Rescue of a King
On a cold spring morning in March of 2012, my family and I received a call. The landlord had finally made the decision to allow us to have a puppy. The search began looking online and in local newspapers. We called up several places that were holding dogs for rescue. One particular place stated that they had a few larger dogs, but we were looking for a medium-sized puppy and had to decline. The best opportunity came in the form of a call from Dakin Animal Shelter, in Springfield, MA. They made an appointment for us, and we went, with our son Jacob to see what puppies were available. Upon arrival on that Thursday morning, there was a line, outside, of people that were there to receive shots for their fur babies. The animal shelter provided a much-needed discount on shots and vaccination for many types of animals. We pushed through the line, and double doors and were politely greeted by a woman by the name of Carrie. She was excited to see us and to share the opportunity with us about owning a puppy. She explained the procedure of adoption, as she walked us to the kennel, to meet our potential new family member. The animal shelter was well kept, and well stocked with toys, animal foods, leashes, and items for purchase. I have to say, I was impressed with the organization and the atmosphere of the shelter. Upon entering the kennel, I asked our son Jacob, who was 9 years of age at the time, " are you excited to find a new puppy?". Jacob smiled and said, " yes!! finally!!", as it had taken a while for the landlord to approve us for taking in an animal. The kennel was loud, with the sounds of barking, and some whimpering from some of the more shy puppies. We looked down one side of the Kennel, and then as we rounded the corner, we saw an all-white puppy, with a few large spots on him. He was medium in size and was very excitable. The scars from a previous owner were evident, and he was considerably thin as if he was malnutrition. We requested to see the puppy and so they walked us into a large light green room, full of empty chairs around the perimeter. "King" was the puppies given name, and so we slowly approached the puppy, and pet his nose, and fur. Jacob took a liking to him right away, and he licked my hand to say hello. He was quite friendly, considering he had been abused, and starved by the previous owner. I could see his ribs and some scarring on his belly. He looked up at us with his big brown eyes, which were surrounded by black spots, and he just kept licking Jacob, and my husband, George. We were hooked!! Jacob said, " Yeah Mom!!, I want this one!!", and so we decided to take the puppy home. After a considerable amount of paperwork and the purchase of a few necessities, we drove "King" home to the house. We later decided to rename him " Spot", as it seemed a more appropriate name, Spot warmed up to us, and our other family members in no time. He started to gain weight, and within time, more spots appeared on his coat. We were told that he was a Jack Russel, but they explained that he may be mixed with another breed, perhaps Dalmatian. As he got older, and more spots appeared, we came to the conclusion that the shelter's assumption was correct. Spot has been with us for several years now, since 2012. He will be 9 years old this year, and such a great dog. He is well trained and very well-loved. We are so glad that we were able to rescue him from being put to sleep, and he has been a loving companion. We cannot imagine our lives without him. We did not just rescue Spot, he rescued us as well.
By Diane Proulx 5 years ago in Petlife
Ghost's Arrival
I have always been a kind hearted soul, and believe the Universe put me on this Earth to help Mother Natures creatures from two wee kittens named Konni & Tatlow in 2012 then later Nootka, and Two Socks who found me in 2016 just skin and bone and then a year later Ghost who was an abused Rhodesdian Ridgeback/Pitbull mix pictured above. These were the pets, but I also rescued a Swansons Hawk that crashed into the side of a cabin and a Common Loon that was knocked out of the sky by a Bald Headed Eagle. As well as countless wee birdies from hummingbirds to barn swallows who found themselves trapped indoors.
By Wolf Spirit5 years ago in Petlife
People, Pets, and the Amazing Effects of Proper Care and Compassion
From left to right: Hope the turtle (top photo from The Dodo, bottom photo from @aquamike23), Jerry the schnoodle (photo from @jerry_thewoolf), Belvedere the tomcat (top photo from The Dodo, bottom photo from @tomcatbelvedere) and Zelus the pitbull (photos from The Dodo)
By Angelica Lyanna N. Garcia5 years ago in Petlife
Picked up at the Shop
I picked Kitt up at the shop...Yes, I named him Kitt (after a car, not because he's a cat) and no, I didn't pick him up at the pet shop. I also didn't adopt Kitt in the fashion most think of. You see, he appeared out of no where one winter morning while I was working at a John Deere dealer as a mechanic (there's the shop part of it). He was wandering around the mowers on display out front and was curious about what I was doing.
By Tim Lawson5 years ago in Petlife
Outlaw Dog Duo
One day in 2003 I arrived at my Dad’s house for the weekend. What I did not know is that this weekend would be much different than any other before. As I got my bags unloaded from the truck he told me to let him get inside the house first so he could check on something. A few moments later he told me and my sister we could come inside. He then told us to go look out onto the back porch. As we got ready to open the door to the back porch, we saw through the window on the door two goofy and excited basset hounds waiting for us to come outside and play.
By Jake Thomas5 years ago in Petlife
Ruby
Every pet I’ve ever had had been a rescue, either from the shelter or stray I wanted to nurse back to health. Strays deserve just as much love and attention as any other animal, and probably more. From cats, to dogs, and birds to rodents, if I find it injured, I’m giving it a home or finding it one after I get it back to good health. I’ve saved a chihuahua from a puppy mill, named her Kiki and turned the puppy mill in. I’ve saved a kitten from a dumpster and named her Meow Meow. On Halloween when we were trick or treating we found a kitten malnourished with worms and an upper respiratory infection and named her BooBoo. And all of these I kept. A kitten I found abandoned by its mother was too far gone and couldn’t be saved. I cried. All of these babies I kept. But Ruby is another story altogether.
By Shauna Paris5 years ago in Petlife
