Picking a Pound
Puppy - Save a Life and Get an Awesome Dog!
It is completely reasonable to expect to find a
pound puppy at a shelter that will bring you years of happiness as a
beautiful, loyal pet. Whether you're looking for a purebred dog or a
good mix, you can find exceptional puppies, "teenagers," and older
dogs at the pound. You'll save a life and end up with a great best
friend.
"Doggie Jail"
One of the biggest fallacies about dogs in pounds
is that they've actually done something worthy of landing them in
doggie jail. Many dogs in animal shelters are owner-released, meaning
that the person who they belonged to either brought them to the pound
or relinquished ownership after the dog was captured by animal
control officers. Even so, the reasons owners take their animals to
the pound would shock most people.
I've heard them all. A beautiful American Eskimo
with long white hair "shed too much," so her owner brought her to the
pound to be put to sleep. A woman brought in a Border Collie because
when he shed, it didn't match the carpet so she had to vacuum too
often. True stories.
Many dogs are turned in for barking, especially
hounds. Puppies are brought in by the boxful, usually to die of
diseases they catch while in the pound before they even have the
chance to be put to sleep. Sometimes dogs have been with their owner
for years. They just aren't able to take care of their pet anymore,
and they feel there is no other option than to take him to the pound.
Types of Dog
Shelters
"No-kill shelter" is a term thrown around very
loosely these days. There are some completely legitimate, no-kill dog
shelters that will not euthanize a dog unless there is some horrible
medical problem that cannot be treated. These organizations are the
best places for a homeless dog. They will give wonderful medical
care, baths, walks, and love to their resident pups. There is never a
guarantee, but when you adopt from these facilities, you are more
likely to get a healthy, better-adjusted dog. They have actually
known love, good food, and good care - in some cases for years prior
to your adopting them. Here's a handy
list of
dog shelters, listed by state. The no-kill shelters are
designated. Please help one near you!
The "no-kill shelters" in name only are not such
wonderful places. Many shelters call themselves 'no-kill' if they
don't euthanize the "adoptable" dogs. Adoptable turns out to be a
pretty subjective term. Some of these shelters don't consider a dog
adoptable if he is too big, barks too much, or is the "wrong" breed
(Pit Bull, mostly, but also Rottweiler, German Shepherd, or even
looks like he could be a mix with those breeds). If a dog has a
completely treatable condition that is contagious (such as mange or
kennel cough), he will be euthanized. He will also be put to sleep if
he has a treatable condition that just costs too much to cure (such
as heartworms). Most of these shelters only vaccinate once a dog is
adopted. When you adopt a dog, his medical history is usually
unknown.
Kill Shelters are city and county animal control
facilities. These are truly 'doggie jail' dog pounds. Don't let the
name Humane Society fool you. Some local pounds have adopted names
that make them sound better, but these are almost always bad places
for dogs. The general order of business is that the dog gets 72
hours. If he's not claimed by that time, he is put to sleep, and you
don't want to know the methods some of these places use.
That said, I highly encourage you to donate all of
the money you can to a true "no-kill" shelter, but go to the horrible
pounds to adopt a dog. You are taking a chance, but you will save the
life of a dog that has absolutely no chance without you.
Straight to the
Vet!
No matter where you adopt, you should never take a
dog directly home with you. The first stop is to the vet for an
examination, especially with puppies. While you're at the pound, you
should look for clear eyes (cloudy eyes are an indication of many
health problems), noses that aren't dripping anything strange, and a
generally healthy look. It is nearly impossible to truly gauge the
behavior of a dog in a cage. Keep in mind that these dogs are usually
scared to death. They may or may not have their tails wagging and be
ready to lick your face. Don't hold it against them if they aren't!
When you get your new puppy to the vet, you should
get initial vaccinations, a fecal exam (to check for intestinal
parasites), and a heartworm test. The vet may want to do further
tests. If the dog has a treatable condition, it can be completely
worth it to invest the money to make him well.
We adopted a pound puppy who had Parvovirus, only
we didn't know it at the time. He's the dark brown dog in the picture
above (Bowser). He had a very runny nose, so the vet gave him a
Parvo test. We were heartbroken to find out he tested positive, and
the pound offered to "replace him" with a healthier dog. Parvovirus
now has an 80% treatment success rate, so we asked the pound if he
would be treated if we brought him back. They said no, and they were
already in the process of putting down all puppies at the shelter
because ours had a confirmed Parvo case. It was $400 to treat him,
and we didn't have it at that time, but the vet let us make payments.
He pulled through, and eight years later, we still wouldn't trade our
Bowser for all the money in the world.
Bowser was an inspiration to us. We started
rescuing dogs from the terrible pounds, and we've since pulled and
adopted out more than 30 dogs. Only one had a serious medical
problem. The rest of them ended up being fantastic pets. The looks in
their eyes seemed to be a grateful 'Thank you!' to us and their
owners for saving their lives and giving them the chance to be
spoiled, happy dogs! It's an amazing feeling to know you've saved a
dog's life.
