Home for the Holidays?

For most, this time of year is full of joy and family. Everyone is scurring around preparing for guests, travel and celebrations.

In the land of rescue -- the holidays are a time of stress and sadness. Local adoptions drop way off as most people are focused on family events and planning and are not focusing on bringing a new companion home.

Unfortunately - this leaves the kill shelters full. Euthanasia rates skyrocket because dogs are not moving out of rescue or out of the shelters and as a result, no new dogs can come in...oir shelters have to "make room" for incoming dogs.

The pleas for help from shelters in the South and other over-populated areas fill my "Inbox" so quickly that emails are bouncing back. I feel helpless, as I would love to bring a whole bunch of forgotten dogs home for the holidays. ...but where to put them? My fosters are all full with dogs waiting to go to their forever homes. The inquiries from prospective adopters have screeched to a halt as attention moves to shopping, cooking, holiday festivities.

On top of it all -- the backyard breeders are advertising "Christmas Puppies" which will end up under someone's tree, while thousands of one-time puppies sit in shelters waiting for their lives to end.

The shelter in Memphis, TN euthanizes 10,000 unwanted pets a year. This is down from 16,000 showing that progress is being made...10,000! and that is just one shelter...

I guess the message is...

• please please please spay/neuter your pets. Tell everyone you meet to spay/neuter their pets.
  
• Take your dog to obedience training to ensure that he/she becomes a well-adjusted, well-mannered member of society and remains a welcome member of your household.
  
• Consider adopting a rescue dog over buying a puppy. Puppies may be cute -- and rescued dogs may require some effort...but the reward is a forever grateful and loyal companion.

Sorry to be such a downer...I should not have opened my e-mail this morning.

CDL