January 24th is Change a Pet's Life Day!
Things are not looking very good for unwanted pets these days - and they seem to be getting worse in the face of our current economy. Animal shelters are always overcrowded, but the problem is becoming even more serious as record numbers of pets are abandoned. The facts are truly heartbreaking. However, if you are in the position to get a new dog (or cat) - you can help. Instead of purchasing a pet or breeding an animal, please consider adopting from a shelter or rescue group!
Hill's Pet Nutrition has declared January 24th "Change a Pet's Life Day." On this day, in an effort to promote the adoption of millions of homeless pets, Hill's will pay for the first ten adoptions at 300 of its partner animal shelters across the United States. They will also send new owners home with free Science Diet dog food (Hill's donates free Science Diet food to shelters across the country to help get pets nutritionally ready for adoption). Teaming up with Hill's is Kyra Sedgwick, star of TNT's The Closer. As a lifelong animal lover and owner of adopted dogs, Sedgwick aims to raise awareness of pet overpopulation and encourage pet adoption and rescue. Check out my interview with Kyra Sedgwick to learn more!
Kyra Sedgwick has become the spokesperson for Change a Pet's Life Day because she truly cares about helping pets. You too can help spread the word about pet adoption to anyone you know who is ready for a dog or cat. If they decide that January 24th is the right time, they have a chance to get a free adoption (they can use the extra cash for other pet expenses)! As always, I cannot talk enough about responsible dog ownership - while pet adoption is a wonderful thing to do, it is only recommended if one is prepared for the commitment. Have you adopted a pet? What was the experience like for you?
Photo Joe Raedle / Getty Images
Comments
Shelter dogs are the best! We have had several, they are the best dogs and they never forget you saved them. Save a life!
We have a shelter Dog. She was very shy for a long time but the hard work has paid off. She is great. I just wish more people would pick a shelter Dog over buying a specific breed.
The sad fact is that humans are often too ignoarnat to really analyze whether or not they are “ready for a dog” and most of them could not even grasp an idea of what “a responsible pet owner” is.
So now we have this very special day of the year specifically put in place to promote the adoption of unwanted animals. It sounds like a wonderful idea but how many of those unwanted animals are going to become unwanted again? The sad fact is that some people not only, do not deserve the privledge of the presence of a dog in their life, but should not even be permited to be around any animal in general.
In the first place, any “responsible” candidate for having a dog would be well aware of the number of dogs in shelters that need and crave to be rescued and given the chance of a pleasant experience in life. Therefore, there would be no need of a “Declaration of pet adoption day”.
In my opinion, the selfishness of the so called “respected breeders” should be “declared” instead. The ego behind the person who feels it is justified for them to allow their dogs to reproduce due to “outstanding bloodlines”, is the REAL issue that should be focused on. I would really like to know just what the importance of AKC “registered”, champions and all the other tags put on the dogs that are not only allowed but encouraged to breed, exactly is.
Are humans so incrediblly predjudiced to the extreme of declaring which individuals of an entirely different species is acceptable for reproduction? Humans declare themselves the most intelligent life on this planet. ( I could argue this all day) so why do humans insist on remaining so ignorant?
I will say that if it were possible, I alone would take every shelter dog around the world in and swear on my life that I would die before seeing them suffer any longer.
I believe that you are only addressing a symptom of a huge problem. The problem has nothing to do with the adoption of unwanted dogs. Take a real close look at the real underlying core. There are no dogs there, in fact you will only find one species of animal at the very core of the problem. Now just pick up a mirror. Can you help with the problem?
I have had two shelties in the last 18 years. They have such different personalities. The female, Lacey Jay Ethel Mariah M., was a sweet dog who loved to be brushed and petted. She liked to play quick draw with any small item we placed on the floor, and she was fast. At 5, she slipped on ice and suffered hip displasure. She had two operations, but her hip kept slipping out. She lived to be 13 and we helped her to get around and took her for walks in a wagon. Our second sheltie, a male ( blue-merle also) has such a different personality. He is 6 now and loves to be in the thick of things. He is an excellant car dog, just lays down and looks around. His name is Taz Nicolas.haha. He hates being brushed, hates being in the house, other than to eat. He loves walks and is a great fetcher.
Both dogs are and were wonderful and I can’t imagine having any other breed.