Zac and I just got back from the Hawaiian Humane Society. We've been thinking about getting a second dog, and we decided to start the search. I think this will be one of those things where we won't get a dog until we both look at the dog and instantaneously know that it's the right dog to fit into our family. We saw some great dogs today, but none of them were quite right.
Apparently there are some concerns here on the island with puppy farms and such. Like everything, dogs are more expensive here, especially full-bred dogs. Big money can equal some questionable business practices unfortunately. I don't need, or want, a full-breed. I want a dog that has been evaluated by vets and volunteers and found to be healthy and sociable. I trust the Humane Society and, frankly, I want my dollars going to them instead of to a breeder.
We're not particular about whether we get a puppy or an older dog. There are pros and cons to both. I think I'd like to get something that's 2-5 years old, about 30-40 lbs. There are specific breeds that we are not allowed to have in military housing. A fair number of the dogs at the shelter were mixed with breeds that we can't have, so we had to rule them out from the get-go. There were a number of chihuahua mixes, but Zac can't bring himself to have a dog that is that small. He just can't. He'll pet them all day long, scratch behind their ears and laugh at the little guys, but he won't take one home.
The people at the Humane Society said that we can bring Toivo with us to the shelter and have him meet any dog that we're interested in. That's certainly a plus. After all, this second dog is as much for him as it is for me. (I've been trying to play it off like the second dog was exclusively for Toivo's sake, but no one around here bought that.)
It is hard to see all those dogs at the shelter and not take them all home. I really had to steel myself against it before we walked in. Usually when I've walked into Humane Society I've walked out with something. When we were leaving I saw a quote on the wall from someone that said, "In a perfect world every dog would have a home, and every home would have a dog." I liked that. So the dog quest will continue, but we won't be bringing home a dog until it's right.
2 comments:
Try:
http://www.acfanimals.org/
Their dogs are evaluated by a vet and dog behaviorists, as well as socialized by staff and volunteers.
They get new dogs in evey few weeks so check back in with them from time to time.
They are a no-kill organization and the Humane Society is really rich and don't need your money ($7 mil in investments, and the ceo is the 8th highest nonprofit salary in HI at $136,000) They are all smoke and mirrors.
There's also:
http://www.hawaiidogfoundation.org/
And Friends for Life and Animal Haven out in West O`ahu. All no-kill.
Good luck!
Man, I am such a softy when it comes to animals. I'm like you: I can barely go into a shelter of any kind without having to steel myself that I can't bring anything home. I even have a hard time in pet shops.
And then Kristi comes home with sad stories about pets needing homes. I've told her she needs to stop doing that or else we'll end up with a house full of pets :)
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