In case you haven't noticed, I LOVE animals. Dogs are my favorites and I am a complete advocate of always adopting. Always. I see no valid reason to ever buy an animal from a breeder. Purebreds make up over 25% of shelter dogs and you can find nearly any kind of dog in the shelter, even some of the most popular, expensive purebred dogs. However, mixed breeds are more common but also can be much better in many regards than purebreds, number one being less health problems.
Anyway, I wanted to share some of the rescue dogs I've worked with over the past year since I began volunteering with a local animal rescue group called CAWS (Community Animal Welfare Society). They are a wonderful organization and I'm proud to be a part of it.
Miss Lucy, the Bassador (labrador retriever/basset hound). She was among the first dogs I really worked with and I completely loved her. I would have adopted her if I could. So loving and friendly, she just needed a chance to be seen outside the shelter environment. She is now in a loving home with a pitbull/basset brother.
Dudley, the 8lb Brussels Griffon mix. Little Dudders was also extremely difficult for me to let go. Winston LOVED him. He spent the weekends at my house quite a few timesand he and Winston would wrestle until they were exhausted and then cuddle up together on the couch. He was adopted and is now a spoiled only dog.
Gus Gus the Miniature Schnauzer. Gus was pulled from a local, high kill shelter once his stray hold was up. He was in bad pretty bad shape and severely matted. After a good haircut, quite a few teeth pulled, the removal of some lumps and bumps, and a lot of love, this old man was adopted to a loving family who was able to see past his 9 years of age, poor eyesight, and deafness and give him a home.
Riley the Border Collie mix. Riley was a passenger my sister-in-law and I picked up 6 hours south of Salt Lake. She was one of the most well-behaved, beautiful dogs I've every met. As soon as we got to the adoption event, instead of going to her foster, a couple immediately fell in love with her and fostered to adopt. She is now a loved member of their family.
Gage the "Pitbull". Gage is a classic example of the pitbull type dog - a mix between anything from a Staffordshire Bull Terrier to an American Bulldog. He fully exemplified the classic traits of those breeds. A big, strong dog that is a total clown. He loves to be held and pet. He was such a goofy boy and great with children. After being adopted and returned a couple of times, he found a home with kids to play with and a soft pillow to rest his big blocky head.
Miss Butterball. She is a Red-Heeler mix and 11 years old. She is currently in foster care and looking for her forever home. As the longest dog available for adoption CAWS has, Butterball holds a special place for me. It is crazy that she hasn't found a home. For her age, she has a lot of spunk and no health issues. She gets along with other dogs after a proper introduction and likes kids. She is a total lover and will let you pet her for hours if you want. She also does not like to wear her pumpkin Halloween costume.
Josie the Jack Russell Terrier. Josie is hilarious. She fully embodies the high energy Jack Russell that wants to go go go all the time. She was my running partner a few times and an excellent wrestling partner for Winston. The only time I ever saw her calm was after I picked her up from her spay surgery. She found the most perfect home with human parents very familiar with her breed and needs and who absolutely ADORE her.
Mr. Wesley, had a very rough start to life. At 4 months old, he was left tied to a post overnight at a local shelter that is very high-kill. He was absolutely terrified and would cower in his kennel and bite at anyone who came near. The shelter had labeled him as an aggressive old dog that was set to be euthanized after his 5 day stray hold was up. My brother and his wife went to the shelter to find out a bit more about him. After coaxing him out of his corner with a bit of deli meat, this little guy warmed right up and became the wiggly, happy puppy he is. Wesley was adopted and returned due to his puppy energy but found a forever home with my sister-in-laws family.
Bauer is a 10 year old lab mix. He definitely doesn't act like he's ten years old though. He can be a dominant dog so it was difficult to find the right foster family for him to live with until his forever family found him. While he was in boarding, I would take Bauer for walks to give this very active boy some exercise and attention. He is very smart and learned quickly how to behave on walks, how to walk with a halti, and how to greet other dogs. Bauer is now in foster care and loving life.
Woody is such a special guy. He was at a local shelter for 6 weeks with no interest even though he is a purebred, 2 year old daschund. He did not show well in the kennel and the shelter was concerned about him not eating anymore and becoming depressed. Once again, my wonderful brother and his wife offered to foster him. I went to pick him up at the shelter and he was such a good natured guy as soon as he was out of the kennel that I knew finding him a home would be easy. He settled right in with his pack and he and Winston because quite the playmates. I would have adopted this little guy if I could have. He now has a forever family with an older heeler sister to show him the ropes.
Mya the heeler mix was the sweetest old lady. She was left at the shelter when her former family thought she had gotten to old. Little did they know that Mya's golden years would be some of her best. She is now in a loving forever home where she has another old lady heeler to be best buds with. Mya and I had lots of fun driving back and forth from adoption events and the boarding facility.
Deke is one of the most beautiful heelers I've ever met. This guy is three years old and had a rough life at the start where he was abused by the man in his former home. When he was left at the shelter, Deke was very fearful and aggressive toward the male shelter workers. They asked for CAWS's help to foster him and help him overcome his fear of men. Deke was in the program for a long time and after moving through a couple of fosters, he ended up with a male foster parent who usually volunteers with the cats. He and Deke got along so well, that his foster dad adopted him.
Kiya. This girl is my absolute favorite. She is a 7 year old german wire haired pointer. A big girl with a big heart. She loves people but is a little picky about doggy friends. She has been in the program for a year and a half without a foster home. She's been adopted and returned twice, taken out to a potential foster home and returned three times and is gradually starting to lose heart. She is a big girl, very smart, active, and needs an experienced owner to help her be the best dog possible. She is an absolute doll though and so well behaved with all people and children. Usually dogs just don't like her or she doesn't like them. CAWS though has done a great job in arranging temporary foster homes for her so she doesn't get depressed where she goes for weekends quite often. She also goes to doggy day care where she gets to socialize and work on her doggy courtesies. I've worked with Kiya a lot at adoption events, transporting, and just giving loves. I know she'll find the perfect home eventually.
PHOEBE!!! This was my foster baby. She is a 3 year old pug/bulldog/beagle mix. I absolutely LOVED her. She was turned over to a rural Utah shelter after her owner moved into an assisted living center. The shelter asked CAWS for help as she was such a wonderful dog and they can't keep dogs very long sue to their size and location. Phoebe came to live with Winston and me in our little apartment where we both fell in love with her goofy personality, snoring, and snuggliness.
Phoebe received a lot of interest from the get-go due to her unusual look and sweet personality however no one was able to commit and provide her with the home she needed. Phoebe had some sever separation anxiety and needed a patient owner that could help her learn that waiting at home was ok. She also needed another dog or sociable cat to live with as she bonded very strongly with other animals and they helped her stay calm. After being adopted and returned once because of her anxiety, she was adopted by a manager at the local PetSmart who is a big supporter of CAWS. His wife just finished chemo therapy and was suffering some pretty severe depression. The animals they already had were loving, but not quite the "therapy" animal type she needed. After a weekend trial adoption in their home, Phoebe was adopted. She immediately bonded with Dave the manager's wife, and provided that comfort and therapy she needed to continue her cancer recovery. Phoebe fit in well with the pack and loves to play with both her canine and feline siblings. I miss her very much and had an extremely difficult time letting her go, but I know she is in the most wonderful home and am happy she is so well loved and so well placed.
Post coming soon on the rescue dogs my own family couldn't let go.
Please adopt! Don't shop.
-Leah
