More Puppies in Shelters - Paw Talk

***Dena*** · #1 02-05-2002, 06:46 AM

I have wanted to get a dog since 1987. I lived with my mother and she was a great animal lover. We always had cats and dogs. I even had a pitbull before anyone new what they were. Boy was he a big silly mush. Anyway I will be moving in a month and a half and decided to go to an adoption day for an organization that fosters dogs and cats. Years ago and even more recently when I would go into shelters no one ever had puppies. Now they told me they were overrun with puppies! Just with 2 foster homes alone they had 11 puppies!

Has anyone else noticed an increase in puppies? I have also been noticing more people adopting older dogs.

Ravnos · #2 02-05-2002, 10:33 AM

I'm on numerous lists for shelters and rescue groups in Texas... I've noticed an increase in the number of puppies too. But I haven't noticed the adoption rate of older dogs going up. It may be going up because people are getting better informed, but I still hear of dozens of dogs a day that are perfectly good pets that are just too old to be listed as "adoptable" in local kill shelters. Many of the no-kill groups try to get as many as they can... but they know all too well how hard it is to find a new forever home for a 10 year old dog and many get left behind. Its very sad, but a stark reality.

Rav

#3 02-09-2002, 07:31 PM

I coincidentally adopted an older dog just this morning. It wasn't planned. I'd actually gone to the PetsSmart store to get more rattie supplies but I noticed a local animal shelter was there placing dogs with new families, or trying to, rather. I had this full buggy full of two bundles of Carefresh, a new travel cage, four bags of lab blocks, a new colorful rattie hammock and more yogurt drops and, honest, I was on my way to the checkout......when it happened. Our eyes met. Who could help it? She had the biggest eyes I had ever seen on a dog. In all truth, it looked like she was wearing eyeliner. I went over to her, introduced myself, scratched her behind her ears and bid her adieu. I made it a few feet when I felt her eyes on my back, so I went back and explained to her that, though I really would love to, it was not possible to take her home. I was still explaining this to her as I filled out the adoption forms. So, here she is. She is a three year old white lhaso apso spayed female and is already walking around like she rules the roost. I named her Binky and she is already picking up on it. She seems quite taken with her new home. Me? I'm in love. She's a lap dog, I see. Growls her pleasure when you rub her back or tummy. I do believe God works in mysterious ways.

#4 02-09-2002, 07:33 PM

BTW, I forgot I wanted to attach a picture of her. I held her on my lap and got this picture using my webcam this evening. Isn't she a doll?

***Dena*** · #5 02-09-2002, 09:34 PM

Congrats on your new pup! I still have to wait 2 more months

I would take everyone home with me if I could!

possummomca · #6 02-09-2002, 09:57 PM

Congrats on your pup Cat he is so cute. Doesn't two monthes seem like forever sometimes Dena

. I also got an older dog as one of my crew. He was almost a year and had been brought up in a drug house. He had a few quirks when I first got him but he is a big mush puppy now 1 1/2 years later, He had not been socialized at all when i got him which was definitely a challenge. Here he is watching me on the comp lol

#7 02-10-2002, 12:25 AM

awwwww cute pups... way to go gals!

#8 02-10-2002, 05:42 AM

While I was "meeting" Binky for the first time, there was a woman there with her two children and she was inquiring about an Austrailian Cattle dog that was in one of the cages. Anyone to look at him could see he was purebred.....he had beautiful blue merle markings and was a very handsome.....about 4-5 monthes of age and very frisky. The woman couldn't seem to make up her mind. They got the dog out and her kids hit if off with the dog but all the woman seemed concerned with was whether it would herd cattle. I was thinking, Woman, get a grip! I feel if a person is iffy they shouldn't adopt a dog....they'd be more apt to bring it back if it didnt' meet their standards. I felt sorry for the puppy. I saw him getting along so well with her girls and thought about his possible life of expected work.....of being expected to meet the guidelines of his breed. What's wrong with just adopting a dog and giving it love? I still don't know if the woman adopted him. I know she called her husband and asked him what to do and he told her he'd leave it up to her, but as I was leaving with Binky tucked under my arm, she still looked like she hadn't made up her mind. I kinda hope she didn't get him and that someone else adopted him, instead. Ahh well.
It's so hard to adopt one dog from a shelter and leave others behind. There was another cute dog there. It was in a cage above Binky's. She was a mix between a greyhound and a terrier....had the whiskers and all and was lean and super long-legged. Her disposition wasn't the best.....she shied away from people approaching the cage. Apparently at some point in her life, she had been mistreated, and that's such a tragedy.
Took another pic of Binky this morning using my webcam.

Flemish · #9 02-16-2002, 03:13 PM

Great pictures!I just love to here about rescues .
Take care and congrats on your new family members!

#10 02-16-2002, 05:14 PM

OMG!! Tyler is soooo precious! Y'all, I can't tell you how much I have fallen for Binky. It's really like she's always been a part of our household. I see the way she takes to me and I wonder if it's in her breed to be that way or if she was so desperate for affection. She eats up the baby talk and the tummy rubbings. I tell her, "Now Binky, you're embarassing yourself!" and she just does it more. Haha. She really is a super super dog. I can't imagine how anyone could have given her up, or how anyone could have let her injuries get in the condition they were in. I've bathed her once since I brought her home a week ago. The doctor gave me antibiotics for her allergies and a shampoo to aid in her healing but I haven't bathed her in it yet. I'm so afraid, what with my central heat (you know it's kinda like a cold heat), that she'll catch a chill. Okay, I guess I forgot to tell y'all I'm one of the world's biggest worry-warts when it comes to any of my babies, human and four-legged. Not a good trait and I'm getting the gray hairs here and there to prove it. Have any of you ever used a topical antibiotic ointment on a dogs injuries before and if so, what was it? The doc suggested I could use one but didn't tell me which one would be best. One place on the flap of her ear especially has me concerned as it causes her a fit.
As always, thanks to all for the well-wishes and the congrats! :-)

possummomca · #11 02-16-2002, 06:24 PM

LOL catma she will be fine. If you are worried about bath time maybe you can warm the bathroom and give her a good rub down with a towel after. I use polysporin as a topical antibiotic on all cuts and abrasions on my dogs and cats, works well. He would of told you if it was specific type that her wanted you to use. The polysporin is a 3 in 1 so it covers quite a few. Hope this helps.

#12 02-16-2002, 06:42 PM

Thanks for the tip! Okay, this may sound like a dumb question but I guess it never hurts to ask........is neosporin about the same thing? Neosporin I have. Of course, I could always go searching for polysporin......
Tomorrow's supposed to be a little warmer....I'll dunk my l'il curl ball then. :-( Her's gonna get soooo madddddd.