October is Adopt a Dog Month

October is

the American Humane Association’s

Adopt-A-Dog Month®

Written by Angie of LonesomeRoadStudio

The statistics are sad and sobering: according the the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, five out of ten dogs in shelters are destroyed simply because there was no one to adopt them.

If you’re thinking about adding a new pet to your household, please make a visit to your local animal shelter your first stop. Now more than ever, these lost or abandoned animals need good loving homes.

Puppy Love

by LonesomeRoadStudio

In addition to the problems of overpopulation due to lack of spaying or neutering, many pets are being given up to shelters simply because their owners can no longer care for them in the current economic climate. Our local veterinarian has seen an increase in the number of pets left at his office, either dropped off anonymously or the owner never returns to pick up the pet. Shelters in this area (and everywhere) are at capacity and more pets are abandoned every day.

Pit Bull Rescue

by tiniestmonkey

Begin by deciding what type of dog would be right for you and your family; careful consideration can make all the difference in a successful adoption and one that doesn’t work out so well. (More than 20 percent of people who leave dogs in shelters adopted them from a shelter.) Maybe you prefer a purebred dog; there are rescue groups devoted to almost all dog breeds and they will happily introduce you to your new best friend!

Opt to Adopt

by thedoghouse

Maybe the time isn’t right to adopt a dog. You can still make a difference by donating to your local shelter. All shelters welcome donations of money and time to help with the day-to-day costs of caring for the animals. Just a few hours a week, or a few dollars can make a huge difference. Another option is to ask the shelter if they have a wish list. It’s not glamorous, but even a box of trash bags or a gallon of all-purpose cleaner is a wonderful contribution.

If you sew or knit and know others who do, consider forming a group to donate handmade blankets and pillows for the animals. Animal shelters usually have a very long list of items that they would love to receive in donation, and your gift is generally tax-deductible. Just keep in mind that if you call or email a shelter, they may not get back to you right away as many are staffed by volunteers and inquiries are handled as soon as possible.

Jane

My husband and I are the proud owners of a beautiful, sweet and loving rescue dog named Jane. Jane was days from being euthanized only because of her unfortunate circumstances. I can’t imagine this precious animal dying for no reason other than she was lost and ended up in an animal control facility. Fortunately she and other dogs were taken under the wing of a group named PAWS to the Rescue.

I work for a small newspaper group, where PAWS placed some advertisements in hopes of finding homes for the dogs. One look at this shepherd-retriever mix and I knew she had to be a part of our lives. She has turned into the most wonderful girl who loves her lightly grilled dog bones, comfortable dog pillow, fresh carrots from the garden, mornings warming up by the woodburning stove, and her mommy’s patchouli soap (yes, Jane absolutely loves patchouli).

Some of the PAWS success stories can be seen HERE (yes, including Jane)

Jane

Check out Team EFA Artists Helping Animals for more suggestions on ways you can help, and maybe do a little socially-conscious shopping as well. Team EFA member shops donate proceeds to a number of animal-related causes and can also be found by searching "team efa" on Etsy.

And in case you were wondering... yes, there is an Adopt-A-Cat month, in June! But any time is the right time to make a difference in a shelter animal’s life.