White Dog learned from her cat friend, Brian, that September 19 - 25 is Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week to focus attention on adoptable pets with special needs and issues. The sad reality is that senior dogs and cats are often left unconsidered by families seeking to adopt simply because of their age. Others with ailments or medication needs or behavioral weaknesses are rejected because of their additional "bother" and medical costs.
White Dog...our entire family, in fact...gets irate when pets who have given their lives loyally and lovingly are betrayed and abandoned by those they most trust when they get old or ill...as if those giving four-legged members of the family are simply broken toys to be tossed aside.
Unscrupulous shelters shave years off a dog's age in an effort to home more dogs but this is neither fair to the adopting family nor to the pet. When we rescued Quinn, Animal Control had him listed as 1-1/2 years old. Our vet estimates his real age at between 6 and 8. Would his real number of years have been a "deal breaker" or caused us to return him? No, but for many it is. There is a poor Eskie in Florida who is being fostered for the second time...Angel was returned because the new forever family didn't realize how hard it would be to have a deaf dog and didn't want the hassle...so sorry, Angel!
The saddest thing is a pet who for 12 or more years was loved and pampered and who now huddles, scared and uncomprehending, in a kennel waiting out the end of its days, alone.
White Dog and The Other White Dog ask only that you share this plight with others and encourage those adopting a new pet to consider Wisdom before Youth and Depth of Heart before Puppy Cuteness. Thanks.