WOW! This has been a busy week. Dad just returned from an awesome Expo in Nashville held by The Human Society of the United States. He and Theresa attended several sessions and look forward to sharing this awesome information with you on our new up and coming website. In the meantime, I thought I’d give you some highlights.
There are 3.7 Million homeless animal friends and only 20% of humans adopt from a shelter or rescue. I was really shocked about this news considering some of my best friends and the best animal companions I know either come from a shelter or rescue or are still in one waiting to be adopted by a loving family. So I asked Dad, “Why are only 20% of all pets adopted from these organizations?” Dad told me primarily it’s a result of stereo typing, people think that if they obtain their animal friend from a shelter or rescue, they are “damaged goods” (ouch, that really hurts L). It’s not our fault that our old family wasn’t able to care for us anymore. Things happen, like divorces, people move, money gets’ tight, etc., etc., and we animals don’t have control over that, so we often end up in a shelter. This doesn’t make us damage goods. We actually have our shots, are already fixed, and often times have learned some special tricks and manners as a result of the shelter. Please don’t judge my animal friends because they have been forced to go to a shelter. They are still great pets and want a family to love too J.
One more thing I found interesting that I thought I would include in this blog. I know you rescues and shelters workers are very, very busy and I really appreciate that you take such wonderful care of our animal friends, but I was shocked when Dad told me that a study was conducted to a group of shelters and rescues throughout the country and found that 40% of all inquiries for a pet adoption had gone unanswered. Please, please, if you are not doing so already, arrange for someone answer calls during regular business hours or at least have someone follow-up on inquiries regarding the animals at your shelter in a timely fashion so that more of our shelter and rescue friends are adopted. And to those of you who have a system for answering inquiries and returning calls for adoption, kudos and thanks.
Well, dad just picked-up the leash, that means I gotta run. I love our walks and besides, it gives me a chance to find out more about what he learned at the Human Society Expo last week.