Common assumptions about shelter dogs
PET BULLETIN
‘Mews and Yips’ from the Central Aroostook Humane Society
Gloria J. Towle
Board Member
It was wonderful seeing the many folks that came out to the Home & Small Business Show at the Forum recently. We appreciate the generosity of the Forum to allow us to set up and meet and greet the public. We raised some much-needed funds for the care of the animals at the Central Aroostook Humane Society and we were able to hear some wonderful pet stories from our supporters.
Sometimes there are people that think of shelter pets and wonder “what is wrong with the animal that it ended up here?” There is a fairly common assumption with people that just because a dog is in a shelter or rescue, there must be something wrong with him! This is completely wrong.
Basically, shelter or rescue animals’ lives just didn’t have as fortunate of a start as others.
The most common reasons a dog ends up in a shelter? Pets are surrendered for many reasons, including: owners moving to no-pet housing; allergies; an illness, death, or other hardship results in the family being financially or otherwise unable to properly care for the pet; or simply that an impulsive owner did not consider the time, effort, and money required to care for a pet. Some are seized from a hoarding situation and some may have been lost and their owners never came to claim them from the shelter.
We may not always know their past but our trained kennel techs at the Central Aroostook Humane Society work with every dog that comes through our doors and each dog is temperament tested. We will not adopt out a dog that is a known biter or poses any risk to a family after adoption. Another common misperception is that all the dogs in rescue are mutts or mixed breeds. While many of them are mixed breeds, according to ArfDogs.org, purebreds typically account for about 25 to 30 percent of a shelter’s dog population.
A few benefits of adopting from a shelter:
• The animal you adopt will be up to date on shots/vaccinations and in many cases may be already spayed or neutered;
• The dog will have been worked with, temperament tested and safe for a family to adopt;
• The dog must be returned back to the shelter if he/she isn’t a good fit for the family; and
• You are saving a dog in need and supporting a good cause.
If you are interested in adding a new furry friend to your family, please stop by the Central Aroostook Humane Society. We are located at 26 Cross St., Presque Isle. Our hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed for lunch noon to 12:30 p.m.You can also check us out on Facebook and Petfinder.com. Please be responsible pet owners, spay and neuter your pets.
