I am a Adoptive Green Mutha!

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” - Mahatma Ghandi

This post is part of the Green Mom's Carnival hosted this month by Lisa at Condo Blues

Y'all know how much fun I have with my dog Romeo. And while technically he wasn't a shelter dog, he was abandoned by his former owner at a pet kennel. So I superseded the shelter and adopted him through the kennel. I found out that October is the Adopt a Shelter Dog month , celebrated via the American Humane Society, and there are important reasons to adopt dogs:

Do you want:

an exercise buddy?
- a best friend and confidant for your child?
- a dog you can train with to learn animal-assisted therapy?
- a partner in agility competitions?
- a constant companion for your favorite senior citizen?
- a fuzzy face to greet you after a hard day at work?
An adopted dog can be all these things -- and so much more!

My history with adopted dogs is somewhat Bittersweet- most of my dogs have been older fellows looking to live out there days with some consistency and security in a home where they are wanted and loved.
Binky and Spike

I got my last Yorkie, Binky through a Yorkie rescue. I had another Yorkie, Max, who was my best friend for up to 12 years. And he was the "I'm everyones friend" kind of dog that Romeo is. Well, Binky while he looked like Max in the face, didn't share the same attitude. In fact he was a one owner dog, Which I was okay with. He was my little killer, whose attitude was I want to be alone. Or maybe it was more "get the hell away from me!". But he loved a warm lap and his big brother Spike.

I got Spike through a co-worker whose sister in law wanted to get rid of him. Your usual fixed pug, with big eyes and smashed in face, he was about 15 pounds over weight. And gawd, could he snore. He was friendly, Liked everyone, didn't like sudden movements and showed signs of abuse. He was probably the dog most like me. He was able to do his own thing around here (mostly nap) and had a long quiet life at the end.

Topaz- Topaz was Martin's Mom's guide dog. A big stupiddumb Chocolate Lab that never should have graduated Guide School. But what she lacked in intelligence she made up for in loyalty, love and hair shedding. A good girl to the end.

So my point is this... I have had a lot of dogs (and cats and even a rabbit!) who were unwanted in their former homes. Some where victims of abusive homes, some where simply ignored and unwanted, and in the case of Topaz, couldn't do their job properly and had to be retired. But all have proven to be loving great pets and companions to me. Even the older ones, although they are not around as long as I would like.

Romeo, while somewhat younger, is so well liked and known throughout the community. He is a natural "ice breaker" when meeting people- you have to have conversations, even when they are about your dog!

Adopting a sheltered/rescued dog or cat is not so much green, as it is the right thing to do. You will find dogs of all sizes, and personalities. Many have special needs, just like children. But a little investigation will match you with the perfect pet/companion for a long time.

Adopting a dog/cat/pet... I highly recommend it!