Bonded cat-dog duo seeks new home! April 13, 2009

Frieda, a two-year old female Chihuahua, and Morgana, a nine-month old female tabby mix, huddled together in a purple backpack last week after they were surrendered to the Marin Humane Society (MHS).

Morgana and Frieda are the best of pals.

The unlikely pair are victims of the shaky economic times; Frieda and Morgana’s owner recently lost her home as a result of the financial crisis.

“Frieda and Morgana are best friends, so we want to find them a home where they can be together,” says MHS spokesperson Carrie Harrington. “Bonded pairs of the same species are not unusual. But adopting an already bonded cat-dog pair is rare — and very special.”

MHS began accepting applications for Frieda and Morgana this morning at 171 Bel Marin Keys Blvd. in Novato. Shelter hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They will also be open on Easter Sunday. The adoption fee for the pair is $225. Visit the MHS website or call 415.883.4621 for more information about Frieda and Morgana and other animals available for adoption.

Owners worry about puppies that came from Petland March 23, 2009

Source: Associated Press, March 21, 2009

CINCINNATI (AP) — Dawn Lewis and her family still miss Cash, the dog she had put to sleep in 2007 after it attacked her son and left him with scars on his face and ear.

She wonders now whether the Akita’s behavior was a result of puppy mill breeding by Petland Inc., which sold her the dog in 2006.

Pet owners nationwide are suing the chain in federal court, questioning their pets’ medical and behavioral problems and accusing the Ohio-based company of selling dogs bred in filthy conditions.

The lawsuit filed this week against Petland, the Hunte Corp. and other unnamed suppliers claims the companies misled thousands of customers into believing sick puppies came from the finest breeders when they really came from puppy mills and brokers. Petland and Hunte have denied the claims.

Puppy mills are high-volume breeding kennels that animal protection groups say harm the animals and lead to sick puppies being sold to consumers.

“This scheme to conceal the origin of these puppy-mill puppies from consumers has left thousands of families in its wake suffering from emotional turmoil and significant monetary losses,” says the suit filed by six Petland customers — including members of The Humane Society of the United States.

“The claims that we conspired to sell sick puppies to consumers are baseless,” Hunte president Steven Rook said Friday. “We only deal with licensed breeders, regulated and inspected by the USDA, and we require that they follow a strict regime. Everything is designed and managed for the health of the puppy.”

Lawyers have asked a judge to certify the case as a class action, meaning others could join it and share any monetary award.

Stephanie Booth, of Flagstaff, Ariz., got her bloodhound Tucker from a Petland store in 2007. She said she thought a lump on his head came from roughhousing with another puppy, but Tucker was diagnosed a few months later with a brain tumor and had to be put to sleep.

Booth, 18, said documents she got from Petland included the dog’s family tree and the breeder’s name and said he was fine. She said her mother researched the breeder and found information suggesting it might be a puppy mill that had faced legal problems.

“I just want people to become aware of the situation with puppy mills and what the dogs go through,” said Booth, who is a plaintiff in the federal suit against Petland.

Petland, which has 131 U.S. stores, has said it is outraged and disappointed by what it calls false accusations and insists it does everything possible to provide customers with healthy, happy and well-socialized pets. The company has not been charged with any crimes.

Petland says it has many satisfied customers like Aric Shock, of Kettering, Ohio, who said his French Bulldog puppy Dozer has been a great pet, and Sandy Voelker, of Fairfield in suburban Cincinnati.

“We’ve had no issues with her other than just being a puppy,” Voelker, 32, said of her English Bulldog, Rosie.

Lewis, who lives in San Diego, said Petland guaranteed her puppy Cash’s health. Even so, she said she found he had ringworm when she bought him. And when she complained about the biting, a store employee told her that Akita’s are sometimes prone to aggressiveness.

“I will never buy another dog from a pet store,” said Lewis, 37, who is not a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

Petland warranties cover congenital and hereditary disorders for up to a year after purchase, and at least two licensed veterinarians examine each puppy before it’s sold, said Petland spokeswoman Elizabeth Kunzelman.

“If a pet develops an issue at some point in their lives, this does not in any way indicate that the puppy came from a substandard breeder,” Kunzelman said.

The Humane Society and other animal welfare groups want to outlaw puppy mills. They say legislation is pending in 27 different states to restrict puppy mills and protect consumers who buy puppies that are later diagnosed with health or genetic defects.

Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Virginia have already enacted laws cracking down on puppy mills. A bill setting standards and licensing requirements for large-scale breeders is expected to be introduced this month in Ohio.

An Ohio veterinarian said animals bred in the small, often filthy cages at puppy mills frequently develop behavioral and physical problems.

“Breeders use puppy mills to save money and maximize profits, spending little money on food, shelter and veterinary care,” said veterinarian Matthew Heller, of the All about PetCare clinic in Middletown, about 30 miles north of Cincinnati. “They should be abolished.”

65 puppy mill dogs up for adoption, WA March 12, 2009

Source: KOMONews.com March 6, 2009

EVERETT, Wash. – Adoption applications are now being accepted for dozens of dogs rescued in January from an alleged puppy mill operation near Gold Bar.

The Everett Animal Shelter is accepting the applications through March 14. Adoption fees will range between $200 to $250 per animal depending on age and condition.

Shelter staff said 65 of the dogs are up for adoption, and all of them are in need of highly qualified and experienced adoptive families. Because of their previous lack of socialization, training and medical care, they will likely have special needs throughout the rest of their lives.

Most of the dogs were found in deplorable conditions, underfed and malnourished in tight cages contaminated with filth, urine and feces.

Prospective adopters should be prepared for extensive behavior modification, ongoing issues around potty training and moderate to extensive veterinary care each and every year for a variety of health issues.

Adoptable dogs have been spayed or neutered, vaccinated (except for rabies), micro-chipped, de-wormed, flea-treated and will come with one month of free PetHealth insurance.

Instructions for submitting an application can be found here. The Everett Animal Shelter dog adoption committee will review each application.

Preferred candidates will be contacted and invited to an event to interact with the dog to confirm a good match.

The sheriff’s office continues to investigate a Snohomish breeder who is believed to be responsible for the dogs. A Gold Bar couple who were looking after the dogs face six counts of first-degree animal cruelty.

The breeder’s mother and stepfather also have been charged with several counts of animal cruelty in Skagit County. Officials there rescued about 450 dogs from a kennel near Mount Vernon.

The Skagit County couple have forfeited claims to those dogs.

SPCA looking to place 30 dogs, Canada March 4, 2009

Source: CVTA.com, March 4, 2009

Mr. Magoo was born without eyes. He was one of 60 dogs turned over to the SPCA last weekend. (Mar. 4, 2009)

They have been groomed, they have been given medical care and now they need families.

Last weekend a puppy mill owner surrendered 60 dogs to the SPCA. Thirty of those dogs are still waiting for homes.

“A lot of them are quite shy, they certainly have some special needs. A lot of them have not been handled very much by people,” said Alanna Devine SPCA Montreal.

Mr. Magoo is one of those dogs. He is two or three years old, and was born without eyes. His skull is not fused properly, and is at risk of hemorrhaging if he is handled roughly.

The SPCA says every time there has been a puppy mill bust, members of the public have turned out to take the animals into their homes.

Adam Dianantopoulos adopted one of the dogs after he heard the story on the news.

“People view them as an animal they really don’t understand the love that a dog can give a person and vice versa,” he said. “And they’ve got feelings– a lot more than a lot of people I know.”

For More information, contact the Montreal SPCA at (514) 735-2711 or visit their website at http://www.spcamontreal.com/intro.php?lg=en

155 dogs seized in Snohomish Co. puppy mill raid, WA January 22, 2009

Source: King5.com, Jan 18, 2009

GOLD BAR, Wash. – Snohomish County authorities say more than 150 dogs living in filthy conditions were seized in a raid on puppy mill in Gold Bar on Friday night.

A tip led deputies and officers to the residence and enough information was gathered to obtain a search warrant for the investigation of animal cruelty.

More than 80 dogs were found in a converted attic inside a residence in the 43000 block of May Creek Rd.

“Most of them in crates, most of them covered with feces, urine-saturated bedding, covered with fleas, they all were infested with fleas, some had sores all over their bodies,” said Snohomish County spokeswoman Carolyn Weikel.

Officers also found four dead dogs, two of them puppies that had been placed in a freezer.

The odor from the feces and urine was so overpowering it could be detected well outside the residence, and a large commercial dumpster in the yard was overflowing with dog waste.

Medications and used syringes used to treat sick animals were found scattered in front of pens and in a refrigerator.

More than 150 dogs and puppies were seized from a Sultan home.

Bud Wessman, Director of Animal Services for the City of Everett, said it’s the worst case he’s ever seen.

“We have some that we feel have developed distemper, we have some genetic defects from inbreeding of the dogs, missing legs, things like that,” he said.

One dog’s teeth are so rotten he can’t keep his tongue in his mouth.

Wessman said it appears that many of the dogs have had their vocal cords cut to keep them quiet.

“We’re not getting a lot of noise out of the dogs,” he said.

Investigators say the operation included a detailed breeding plan posted on a wall inside the residence.

“The breeding animals, they might not be kept well but they’ll just take the babies and clean them all up nice and pretty and they are the ones that go to the pet shops,” said Wessman. “It’s a shame.”

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Dept. is handling the investigation.

If you’d like to donate dog food or money for medical expenses, contact the Animal Rescue Foundation at www.everettarf.org/ or call the Everett Animal Shelter at 425-257-6000. The shelter is also looking for volunteers to help with care.

Puppy love? Animal rights activists launch boycott of pet stores that sell puppies, Canada November 19, 2008

Source: The Gazette, Published: Tuesday, November 18, 2008, by Catherine Solyom

How much is that doggie in the window?

At Montreal pet stores, he’s somewhere between $150 and $899, depending on whether he’s a mutt or a chihuahua.

More importantly, how much did the doggie suffer before he got there?

That’s the question animal rights activists are asking as they launch Puppy Mill Action Week, which started Sunday, and an official boycott of pet stores that sell puppies.

Following two high-profile raids on puppy mills this fall – which saw more than 300 dogs rescued near Montreal in one week – activists say it’s the pet stores that keep abusive dog breeders in business.

“It’s because people walk into stores and fall in love with the animals that puppy mills continue to thrive,”  says Rebecca Aldworth, director of the Humane Society International – Canada. The HSI defines a puppy mill as a breeding operation in which puppies are mass-produced in substandard conditions.

If people are determined to buy a dog instead of adopting one from a shelter, Aldworth added, they should demand to know where the dog was bred and go see the breeder.

“If the store is unable to give that information, ask yourself why that is.”

At Animalerie Paul in the Plateau, where Shih Tzus are on sale this week for $350, store manager Nancy Thomas says her puppies come from small-scale breeders or families.

It’s more profitable for puppy mill owners to sell to individuals through newspapers or the Internet, she said, and their puppies are often in bad shape.

“You can spot a puppy mill dog right away,” Thomas said.  “They are shaking with fear and anti-social. And they don’t change in a day.”

François St-Louis, owner of Aquarium du Nord in Petite Patrie, where a poodle fetches $599, said puppy mill puppies do come his way, but they breed trouble for the store.

“Yes, it’s happened, you need a puppy so you buy one (from a puppy mill owner), but you’re buying problems,” St-Louis said. Dogs from puppy mills are often sick or malformed from too much inbreeding and they are promptly brought back to the store for a refund.

St-Louis won’t buy dogs who haven’t been vaccinated or checked over by a vet.

“We’re not vets but we ask a lot of questions. When someone tells me he can get me any one of 60 breeds, I know there’s a problem.”

Both Thomas and St-Louis say the Humane Society is barking up the wrong tree with its anti-pet-store “propaganda.”

“It’s like saying all Italians are part of the Mafia, and all Indians sell smokes,” St-Louis said. “There are good pet stores and bad pet stores.”

In pet stores, customers can come and see for themselves how the dogs are treated, and they can call the SPCA to report any abuse, Thomas said.

“But puppy mills will continue to sell on the Internet. You have to go to the source of the problem.”

The Humane Society and the SPCA say they’re trying to do that, but it’s an uphill battle.

In September, the two agencies raided the home of a Rawdon man who kept more than 100 malnourished dogs in crates in his basement. Last month, Francisco Coelho was sentenced to 180 hours of community service and fined $3,300 – the equivalent of 10 discount Shih Tzus, or four chihuahuas.

“I was there in Rawdon,” Aldworth said. “What we saw was direct animal abuse, animals abandoned and left to starve. The dogs were literally skeletons.

“(The sentence) sends a clear message to puppy mills that you can get away with it. It becomes the cost of doing business rather than a deterrent.”

Despite the lax sentences, Alanna Devine, executive director of the Montreal SPCA, says she’s still pushing for the SPCA to be given the mandate – and funding – to enforce provincial legislation and conduct more raids on puppy mills, which she estimates number about 2,000 in Quebec, the so-called puppy mill (capital?) of Canada.

A petition launched just after the October raids ?? has garnered 56,000 signatures so far in support of granting the SPCA that mandate.

Now that the provincial government has called an election, Devine has written to all MNAs to ask them what they will do about the situation, including whether they would support a motion to require commercial breeders to register (with the provincial government?), “so we know where these places are and can regulate them.”

Until then, power – and responsibility – lies with consumers, who can refuse to buy dogs and cats from pet stores unless they can verify the conditions under which they were bred, Devine said.

People should opt instead to adopt from a shelter. Another 81 dogs – including 38 pure-bred beagle, chihuahua and Boston terrier puppies – were put up for adoption on Thursday following a raid in central Quebec two weeks ago.

“If pet stores say they’re the good ones, I challenge them to prove it and give out information about the breeders. If they don’t, people shouldn’t take the risk.”

The cause has convinced recording artist Patti Page, who in support of the Humane Society’s campaign has changed the lyrics to the song she made famous in 1952.

“Do you see that doggie in the shelter, the one with the take me home eyes…”

To hear Patti Page sing the new version, go to at www.hsicanada.ca/stoppuppymills and scroll down to No. 5 in the Take Action list.

Humane Society Warns Against Buying Puppies From Pet Stores November 18, 2008

Source: ConsumerAffairs.com By Lisa Wade McCormick, November 18, 2008

Puppy Mills

If a new puppy is on your wish list this holiday season, don’t buy one from a pet store. It may have come from the billion-dollar puppy mill industry, and supporting that store could lead to continued cruelty against animals.

That’s the message from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), which launched its second annual Puppy Mill Action Week on Sunday. The goal of this campaign, HSUS officials said, is to encourage pet stores to stop selling puppies and support animal shelter adoptions instead.

While retail pet stores defend their industry, saying they’re committed to animal welfare, HSUS disagrees and warns consumers that pet stores simply fuel the demand for puppy mills.

“The bulk of puppies sold at pet stores come from puppy mills,” said Stephanie Shain, puppy mill expert and director of the HSUS’ Stop Puppy Mills campaign. “If you’re in the business of selling puppies, you need a constant supply of different types of breeds. Puppy mills fill that demand for pet stores.”

Puppy mills–mass commercial breeding operations–churn out two to four million puppies each year, the HSUS said. Those puppies are raised in horrible conditions and often have health problems, genetic defects, and behavioral issues.

The HSUS has documented scores of deplorable conditions in puppy mills, including crowded cages, poor food and shelter, over-breeding, and inbreeding. Puppy mill dogs, HSUS officials say, receive minimal veterinary care, little social interaction, and those kept for breeding suffer for years in continual confinement.

The driving force behind this inhumane industry, HSUS officials say, is money. “They (the dogs) are bred as often as possible and then destroyed or discarded once they can no longer produce puppies,” according the HSUS. “Mills only look to make a profit; commonly disregard the dog’s physical and emotional health; and do not adhere to sound breeding practices.”

“The end result: Hundreds of thousands of dogs who will spend their entire lives in cages for their entire lives, suffering from cruelty and neglect every day.”

How it happens

Pet stores, for example, may claim their puppies come from breeders — not puppy mills.

“If a pet store manager tells you this, ask to see documentation that shows exactly where their breeders are located,” HSUS officials say. “In most cases, you will find out that the breeders they ‘know’ are in distant states.

Some pet stores also claim they don’t sell puppies from local breeders because their state doesn’t regulate that industry.

“Commercial breeders in all states who sell wholesale to pet stores are required to be regulated by the USDA,” HSUS officials say. “Some states, such as Missouri and Pennsylvania, also require a state kennel license and state inspections.”

That, however, doesn’t mean puppies from Missouri or Pennsylvania are healthier than dogs bred in other states.

“These states have two of the worst concentrations of puppy mills in the United States, with some of the worst conditions,” HSUS officials said. “This is due in part to the very small number of qualified inspectors, infrequent inspections, and the fact that even facilities that are found to be substandard during the inspections process are rarely penalized.”

Some other examples of pet store double-speak, HSUS officials said, include:

“Our store’s puppies are healthy and have a health certificate from a licensed veterinarian.” “A health certificate only means that the puppy has had a very brief ‘wellness’ examination by a veterinarian,” HSUS officials said. The certificate does not mean the puppy or its parents have undergone any testing for genetic disorders or other diseases.

“Our puppies come with a health guarantee.” HSUS officials say these guarantees often protect the store’s interest — not the consumers. Be sure to read those guarantees carefully.

“Our puppies are registered and come with papers.” Purebred registration papers — from one of many “kennel clubs” or other dog registries– are only a record of a puppy’s parents and sometimes its lineage. “Puppy mills routinely sell puppies with papers from prestigious sounding ‘kennel clubs,” HSUS officials say. “Registration papers do nothing to ensure that an individual puppy (or his or her parents) is healthy or free of genetic defects, or that they were raised in a humane and sanitary environment.”

“We’ve never had a problem with any of the puppies.” “Even facilities with mostly healthy puppies and problem-free inspection reports are keeping dozens or even hundreds of breeding dogs in cages for their entire lives,” HSUS officials said. “These parent dogs live behind bars from birth until death…they are bred repeatedly until they can no longer reproduce, and then they are discarded.”

“All our puppies come from USDA-inspected facilities. “Being USDA-inspected does not mean that the business is not a puppy mill,” HSUS officials says. “There are hundreds of USDA-licensed puppy mills in operation that have long lists of violations and problems associated with them.”

Those involved in the retail pet industry, however, say they’re in the business of promoting healthy animals–not puppy mills.

“The health and well being of our pets comes first to all of us,” Lacey Clever, a spokeswoman for Petland, Inc., told ConsumerAffairs.com. “Healthy puppies are truly our #1 priority.”

Clever said Petland gets its “registerable” puppies from professional and hobby breeders and licensed professional pet distributors “who have years of experience in raising quality pets.”

Company representatives also inspect their distributors’ and breeders’ facilities, she said. “In addition, these facilities are licensed and inspected by the federal government (USDA). We require that our franchisees buy only from Petland, Inc. associated facilities. We even encourage our franchisees to visit facilities for themselves.”

Petland even has a “Do Not Buy List” of breeders that operate substandard facilities, Clever said.

And the company encourages its customers to adopt from local animal shelters.

“We have an Adopt-A-Pet program that enables our stores to partner with local shelters and rescue groups on whatever level works for them,” Clever said. “Some stores have fundraisers and donation drives for their local shelters while others have a more intense partnership, providing kennel space for shelter animals.”

Slaughterhouse

But pet stores aren’t the only places where puppy mill dogs are sold, HSUS officials warn.

“Classified listings and Web sites are also selling puppy mill dogs,” Shain said. “We see puppy mills selling through classified ads and they do a good job of making their postings look like they’re small breeders with a litter of puppies and not huge breed operations. We also see many savvy looking Web sites (by puppy mill operators).”

Consider the Pine Bluff Kennels in Lyles, Tennessee, which the HSUS raided in June — an effort that rescued nearly 700 dogs.

“If you went to that (operator’s) Web site, you’d see many beautiful comments about how the dogs lived on a 92 acre farm,” Shain said. “But when we went there, there were nearly 700 dogs stuck in tiny cages.” Many of the dogs had no food or water, HSUS officials said. They were stuck in wire cages–that made it impossible to stand–and surrounded by their own feces.

Scores of dogs found during the raid had eye injuries and broken bones, HSUS officials said. Some were even dead.

During the raid, HSUS officials discovered the grave site of a pile of dogs that had multiple gunshot wounds in their decaying bodies.

Tennessee authorities charged the kennel’s operator, Patricia Adkisson, with 24 felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty, nine counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty, one count of unlawful sale or transport of dogs, one count of unlawful administration of rabies vaccine, and one count of paraphernalia.

Despite her kennel’s deplorable conditions, Adkisson sold many dogs online for as much as $400 each. Most of those dogs were smaller breeds, like Chihuahuas, miniature pinschers, and terriers.

HSUS officials say consumers are often duped by sophisticated Web sites–like the one Adkisson had–that sell puppies.

“We hear all sorts of horrible stories,” Shain told us. “We’ve heard stories about puppies arriving dead, or the dog they received was not the one pictured on the Web site, or it was a different breed, or in some cases, the dog never arrives.”

Other common complaints include puppies sold with crippling genetic conditions, sick puppies arriving in need of expensive emergency veterinary care, or puppies that became sick or died from serious infectious diseases. Some of those diseases, officials said, were parasitic and transmittable to humans.

What you can do

How can consumers protect themselves from getting taken by deceitful online puppy mills and unscrupulous breeders selling dogs through classified ads? And what steps can dog lovers take to ensure they’re not supporting the puppy mill industry?

The HSUS recommends the following:

• Adopt a dog from a local animal shelter. “Visit your local shelter and at least give adoption a try,” Shain said. “You might just find your next best friend.” HSUS officials say one in four dogs in a shelter is a pure bred.

• Check out breed-specific rescue groups. “There are breeds of every kind that need a home,” Shain said. “They even have rare breeds.”

• Don’t buy puppies from pet stores or online. “Pet stores and Internet puppy dealers are very smart about deceiving people,” Shain said. “These dogs are a cash crop for the puppy mill operators and the pet stores, and it’s reprehensible.” Dogs sold in pet stores are also considered “inventory,” HSUS officials said. The faster they can get rid of one dog, the faster they can restock their cages.

• Beware of slick Web sites and classified ads selling dogs. “This is a savvy industry,” Shain said. “These people have sophisticated Web sites and that might make you to let your guard down.” Reputable breeders never sell their puppies over the Internet or through pet stores, HSUS officials said. They insist on meeting the family or individual interested in buying their dogs.

• If you decide to buy from a breeder, visit the facility. “That is an absolute must,” Shain said. “You must go to that (breeder’s) home, meet the animals, and see how they live. You want to make sure those animals are members of the family. We feel that all dogs should be companions first and breeders seconds. Breeding shouldn’t be the sole reason for the animal’s existence.”

• Encourage pet stores to start adoption programs. “The best models are the ones used by Petco and PetSmart, which let local shelters come in their stores and adopt their dogs,” Shain said. “That is a great thing. It gets the animals in the stores and sends a humane message to the community that this is a puppy-friendly pet store.”

Pair arrested in connection with Delaware County puppy mill, OK November 6, 2008

Source: NewsOK, by Sheila Stogsdill, Nov 6, 2008

JAY — A Delaware County man and woman were arrested on animal cruelty complaints Wednesday, five days after authorities seized more than 100 dogs at a puppy mill, and are expected to appear in court today.

Sue Davis, 52, and Randall Dick, 55, are being held in the Delaware County jail without bail.

A sheriff’s deputy found 106 Cocker Spaniels and miniature poodles at a Colcord residence near the Arkansas state line on Friday. Nine dogs had died and some others were chewing on others.

The dogs were crammed into cages and most were walking in 4 to 5 inches of fecal matter or their coats were embedded with fecal matter.

Shop at a shelter for your new best friend October 23, 2008

Source:  By Anne Hammock, CNN

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) — George Augustin is looking for “the one.” He strolls past the 50 cinder block and glass cages that stretch across the Atlanta Humane Society’s large dog room, just as he has many times before.

When he leaves without a new companion, shelter workers are not necessarily sorry.

“Often, people come in several times before they find the perfect dog for them — which is actually what we would hope they would do,” says the shelter’s public relations manager Kari Bogosian. If adopters make a hasty decision, she says, “They end up unhappy with the dog and return it.”

Finding the right fit between human and animal is a top priority at shelters across the nation, which are marking October as “Adopt a Shelter-Dog Month.”

Picking a pet is an enormous decision, “right up there with choosing a house or buying a car,” says Gail Buchwald, senior vice president at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

One of the biggest mistakes a potential pet owner can make is judging a dog on appearance. Buchwald says, “This is something that goes much deeper than skin-deep, or fur-deep.

Shannon Boyer of the Arizona Animal Welfare League says temperament, rather than appearance, should be No. 1 priority.

“They stop being cute when they start exhibiting behaviors that don’t meet your expectations.”

As many as 7 million companion animals enter shelters each year and a large number of them are pets surrendered because of what divorce courts would call “irreconcilable differences.” The dog is too energetic, too quiet, too noisy, too shy, too assertive, or doesn’t get along with other pets.

At some shelters, staff are trained to make sure the dog you choose fits in with all the members of your family, including other pets. Every member of the household should have a say and ideally will take part in the selection process. Many shelters even set up so you can bring your current pets in to meet the new dog on neutral territory.

More than 250 shelters across the nation use the “Meet Your Match” program. Adopters fill out a questionnaire to determine their personality type, then they are introduced to dogs with a compatible “canine-ality.”

Many adopters find out the breed or type of dog they “think” they want, wouldn’t be a good fit.

Apartment dwellers tend to come in looking for smaller dogs, assuming they’ll be easier to care for. But Buchwald says bigger, “couch potato” dogs like St. Bernards and greyhounds adapt very well to small quarters.

Some shelters are seeing a boom in small dog surrenders. “Thank you, Paris Hilton,” says Virginia Dalton of Seattle’s municipal Animal Shelter. She says certain small breeds, like Jack Russell terriers, need lots of action and plenty of room to displace all their energy.

On his recent visit to Humane Society of Atlanta, Augustin said he was thinking he’d love having a Jack Russell. When it was pointed out he was searching in a room filled with large dogs, Augustine smiled and said he was keeping an open mind. That’s smart thinking, according to Candice Eley of the San Diego Humane Society, who says, “Bringing home a new pet should never be an impulse decision.”

You should give equal thought to where your dog is coming from. When it’s time to get a new companion, many people immediately head to the pet store or breeder, assuming animals that are up for adoption have a questionable past.

“Shelter-dogs are often thought of as society’s rejects,” says Shannon Boyer of the Arizona Animal Welfare League. But surrendered pets rarely have medical or behavioral problems, according to Dayne Reggero of Denver’s Dumb Friends League.

She says the issue usually lies with the owner who must surrender their beloved pet because they have allergies, have become too ill to care for it, or can no longer afford it. A number of shelters report a surge in surrenders they attribute directly to the current economic crisis, with some dog owners no longer able to pay for pet food or veterinary care.

Any dog that’s placed up for adoption at Boyer’s shelters has gone through rigorous physical and behavioral screening. They are vaccinated, spayed or neutered and micro-chipped. Staff members spend up to seven days working with the animal before it is cleared for adoption. Boyer says that allows the shelter to get the best sense possible of who the dogs are, “So we can meet their needs as well as the family’s needs.”

All that comes for a bargain price, usually between $50 and $175. Compare that to the cost of purebred puppies, which can reach into the thousands of dollars, with no guarantees about the dog’s health or temperament.

Eley says most pet stores think of each animal as a “potential sale” rather than a loving companion who deserves to be placed with just the right family.

Purchasing from a store or backyard breeder also promotes the puppy mill industry, which churns out millions of puppies each year. Buchwald says inbreeding and dismal conditions at many of these mills result in, “puppies that are really a crapshoot health and genetics wise.”

Meera Nandlal of the Houston SPCA says puppy mills and pet stores are not only the major cause of pet overpopulation, they often abuse and mistreat their animals. By adopting, she says, you are “contributing to animal welfare” by helping put those operations out of business.

You may also be saving a dog’s life. Millions of dogs are euthanized every year because shelters lack space or resources. Every adoption empties a cage that can be used for another dog. Dalton calls adopting from a shelter a type of “recycling.” She says there are “so many safe, lovable sweet animals out there. Everything from purebreds to bizarre mutts.” She says they are “too good to waste, and we waste too many in this country.”

October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month! October 8, 2008

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