Times they are a changin’…..
Animatch’s goal is not (and has never been) to persuade people to get a dog. However, we are here to strongly recommend that if you want a dog …. adopt a dog!
In the past year the interest in adoption has decreased drastically. People are simply not applying for dogs – especially large, rowdy adolescents/adults. The most difficult to place are the Northern dogs who come untrained and sometimes unruly. Another factor that detracts people from applying for them is their prey drive which means that they cannot be placed with cats or other small animals. Nonetheless, they are just as intelligent, loyal and endearing as the dogs that people buy from a so-called breeder.
Take a look at the Adoptees List. Ozzy and Cardi are at FIC where they are getting some extra training. Charro, Cloris, Finnek, Phoebe, Sparrow, Conquest, Fauna, Hot Dog, Breeze, Sunday, Foxtrot – not to mention 25+ puppies. The puppies are a little easier to place because they can be placed with cats and simply because they are puppies! But even they do not fly off the shelf any more.
Though Animatch tries to make each dog’s life as comfortable as possible, occasionally we feel like we are falling short. These dogs are accustomed to running loose and having freedom; it is an incredible adjustment for them to be confined. If it was temporary – a few weeks – it would be acceptable. Sadly, many of these dogs have been with us for well over six months. Good, friendly dogs, desperate for human interaction and some one-on-one attention. It’s time for them to move on. Until they go, many more wait. Animatch is a rescue ... not a sanctuary!
Dogs being hit by cars, litters being left out in the cold, stray dogs roaming in the community are a significant problem in remote areas. Animatch and other rescues are constantly being asked for assistance. There is neither basic veterinary care nor population control. Sterilization is the one and only way to stop this senseless problem. Hard to believe humans can put men on the moon but can’t figure out how to mobilize and gets these dogs spayed/neutered. Every rescue knows that this is the only way the situation will get better.
What can you do to help? If you know someone interested in getting a dog, promote adoption. It is more affordable, it combats puppy mills and backyard breeders, and with most rescues you get a support system. There is a nation-wide crisis so the only answer for anyone who wants to share their life with a dog is … go forth and adopt.
