TODAY IS NATIONAL MUTT DAY!!!

 HEY GUYS!🐾

Today is National Mutt Day! It's an unofficial holiday that is celebrated not only today, but also on December 2nd. This day calls to our attention that mutts are as good as a pure-bred and deserve the same attention, love, and respect. This special day was created in 2005, by Colleen Paige, an Animal Welfare Advocate. Her intent is to raise awareness of the unfortunate situation that mixed breeds face in our nation’s shelters as approximately 80% of the dogs in the shelters are mixed breeds. The pure breeds that end up in the shelters are generally rescued quickly by individuals who purchase these dogs for considerably less or they are rescued by a pure breed rescue organization.

As noted by the ASPCA, “approximately 3.3 million dogs enter shelters every year”. Many of the dogs that enter the shelters are often abandoned or abused, but each one deserves a forever home. Sadly, a large percentage of dogs that are euthanized are due to illegal breeding and the continual over-breeding and the sale of pure-bred puppies by puppy mills to pet stores that are ill or neglected. Many people are unaware that mixed breeds possess unique characteristics that result from the mix of their breeds. Mixed breeds tend to be healthier and live longer lives and their behavior is often better. They learn and obey commands just as easily as a pure-bred. They are just as competent at performing the tasks of search and rescue, bomb and drug sniffing, and therapy/guide dogs. Also, let’s not forget the health benefits that all canine companions provide us with such as daily walks and social interaction with our neighbors.

To celebrate National Mutt Day, you may want to visit your local shelter and find your perfect companion. There are many healthy and loving mixed breeds desperately waiting for their forever home. If you are unable to adopt, the shelters appreciate your financial donation for every dollar-counts. Or you may want to volunteer your time at a shelter or donate food and other supplies.

If you need more convincing to adopt a mix breed, just remember Benji, a mixed breed Terrier famous for several films from 1974 through the 2000’s and Spike, a Labrador Retriever/Mastiff mix who was best known as Old Yeller and the list goes on.

“In every heart, there is a hole. In every shelter, there is love in which to fill it.” ~Colleen Paige

CHEWY MAN AND FAMILY!!🐶

BE A HERO....CHANGE A DOG'S LIFE!

 HEY GUYS, 🐾

HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED FOSTERING A DOG?  IT CAN BE A REWARDING EXPERIENCE! BY FOSTERING A DOG, YOU GIVE THEM A TEMPORARY HOME WITH LOVE AND CARE UNTIL THEY CAN BE ADOPTED. THIS HELPS THE SHELTERS FREE UP SPACE SO OTHER DOGS CAN BE RESCUED. ALSO, FOSTERS AIDE THE SHELTERS BY LEARNING ABOUT A DOGS’ BEHAVIOR, SO THEY CAN BE PLACED IN THE BEST HOME POSSIBLE. FOSTERS ARE A VALUABLE RESOURCE AS SHELTERS ARE OVERCROWDED AND TOO MANY DOGS ARE BEING EUTHANIZED FOR SPACE. RESCUES OFTEN LACK FACILITIES TO HOUSE THESE DOGS SO FOSTER HOMES ARE DESPARATELY NEEDED. WHY DO WE FOSTER, WELL HERE A FEW REASONS:

-          FOSTERING A DOG IS A GOOD WAY TO FIND OUT IF OWNERSHIP IS RIGHT FOR YOU.

-          FOSTERING ALLOWS PUPPIES TO BE SAFE UNTIL THEY ARE OLD ENOUGH TO BE ADOPTED.

-          FOSTERING A DOG WHO IS INJURED OR ILL ALLOWS THEM TIME TO RECUPERATE.

-          FOSTERING GIVES A DOG NEAR THE END OF THEIR LIFE THE COMFORT AND LOVE THEY NEED.

-          FOSTERING A DOG WHO IS STRESSED IN THE SHELTER GIVES THE DOG TIME TO DECOMPRESS IN A HOME.

RESCUES AND SHELTERS NOT ONLY PROVIDE FOSTERS WITH GUIDENCE AND TRAINING, BUT MANY PROVIDE FOOD, PET SUPPLIES, MEDICINE, AND VETERINARY CARE. SO, IF YOU DECIDE TO FOSTER, GO ONLINE AND CHECK YOUR LOCAL RESCUES AND SHELTERS.  FILL OUT AN APPLICATION ONLINE AND IF YOU ARE APPROVED, THE SHELTER OR RESCUE WILL WORK WITH YOU TO PLACE THE RIGHT DOG IN YOUR HOME. BUT BEWARE YOU MAY BE A FOSTER FAIL AND ADOPT YOUR BEAUTIFUL FOSTER DOG!!!

YOU CAN'T CHANGE A DOG'S PAST, BUT YOU CAN REWRITE THE FUTURE ~ Agnes Carass

💕CHEWY MAN AND FAMILY💕

PLEASE HELP OUR SHELTERS!

 HEY GUYS, 🐾

HERE'S A COMMENTARY FROM MY MOM!

WHAT DOES EUTHANASIA MEAN? WELL, IT'S DERIVED FROM THE GREEK LANGUAGE MEANING "GOOD DEATH".  IT MEANS TO DELIBERATELY END A LIFE DUE TO PAIN AND SUFFERING. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT'S ALWAYS HAPPENING IN OUR SHELTERS TODAY. DUE TO THE OVERCROWDING, TOO MANY HEALTHY ANIMALS ARE BEING EUTHANIZED JUST FOR SPACE. THESE ANIMALS DO NOT DESERVE TO DIE! THEY SHOULD BE IN THEIR FOREVER HOMES, LOVED AND CARED FOR TILL THEIR END. 

HERE ARE SOME OF THE REASONS THAT OUR SHELTERS ARE OVERCROWDED:

- PUPPIES AND KITTENS BORN WHO ARE UNWANTED AND HAVE LITTLE CHANCE OF FINDING A HOME. THAT'S WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR PET.

- TOO MANY UNREGULATED BREEDERS. 

- AS FAMILIES ADJUST TO POST PANDEMIC LIFE, THEY ARE FINDING IT DIFFICUTLT TO CARE FOR THEIR PETS OR THEY NO LONGER WANT THEM.

- HOUSING CHALLENGES, AS PETS ARE NOT ACCEPTED OR THERE ARE WEIGHT OR BREED RESTRICTIONS.

- LACK OF ADOPTERS OR FOSTERS. 

I WILL NOT DISAGREE THAT THERE ARE REASONS TO EUTHANIZE AN ANIMAL, AS IN THE CASE OF PAIN AND SUFFERING. BUT OUR SHELTERS ARE IN CRISIS WITH TOO MANY HEALTHY ANIMALS IN NEED OF A HOME AND THE SHELTERS HAVE NO MORE SPACE TO ACCOMODATE THEM, THEREFORE, MANY ARE EUTHANIZED, THIS IS A SAD REALITY, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE CHANGES. SUPPORT THE RESCUES THROUGH FOSTERING OR ADOPTING A PET. CONTACT OUR POLITICIANS TO MAKE CHANGES TO IMPROVE OUR SHELTERS. SO, HERE'S A THOUGHT.......

 

"THEY ALWAYS SAY TIME CHANGES THINGS, BUT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO CHANGE THEM YOURSELF" ~ Andy Warhol

CHEWY MAN 'S MOM 👩

TRUE COMPANIONS!

 HEY GUYS,🐾

 

I WROTE THIS POEM FOR ALL MY FRIENDS. PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP ON US! PLEASE ADOPT, RESCUE/FOSTER, OR VOLUNTEER! YOU WILL GET BACK SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU CAN GIVE!

 

TRUE COMPANIONS 

WE ARE YOUR COMPANIONS, WE ARE LOYAL AND TRUE,

DIDN’T YOU KNOW THAT’S WHY GOD GAVE US TO YOU!

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, TO TEACH AND TO LOVE,

TO SIT WITH YOU IN THE GRASS AND WATCH THE CLOUDS ABOVE.

WE WILL COMFORT YOU WHEN YOU FEEL SAD,

WE ARE EMPATHETIC CREATURES, WE'RE NOT REALLY BAD.

WE DELIGHT IN YOUR HAPPINESS WHEN WE DANCE TO A SONG,

WITH YOU IS WHERE WE TRULY BELONG.

THE LOVE THAT YOU GIVE US WILL BE RETURNED TEN-FOLD,

EVEN AS YEARS PASS AND WE GROW OLD.

SO PLEASE NEVER LEAVE US OR GIVE US AWAY,

WE WOULD NEVER SURVIVE WITHOUT YOU ON ANY GIVEN DAY.

💕

CHEWY MAN! 🐶

SURRENDER.....WHAT DOES IT MEAN??

 HEY GUYS, 🐾

MY MOM'S COMMENTARY!

WHAT DOES SURRENDER MEAN? ONE DEFINITION IS “TO GIVE UP COMPLETELY”!  I BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE SURRENDER OUR DOGS THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS! SADLY, HERE ARE FEW REASONS:

MOVING AND NOT TAKING DOGS WITH THEM, HOUSING ISSUES, DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED, OWNER PASSES AWAY AND FAMILY MEMBERS SURRENDER THE DOG, A DOG IS SURRENDERED DUE TO THEIR AGE, A NEW RELATIONSHIP /FAMILY MEMBER AND THE UNWANTED DOG IS SURRENDERED, AND A DOG IS SURRENDERED FOR BEHAVIORAL REASONS. 

FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I DISAGREE WITH THOSE REASONS AND HERE’S WHY:

WHENEVER WE MOVED (IN STATE OR OUT OF STATE) OUR DOGS ALWAYS WENT WITH US. IT HAS TAKEN TIME AND EFFORT, BUT WE HAVE ALWAYS MANAGED TO FIND HOUSING THAT ACCEPTS OUR DOGS. WE HAVE MADE PROVISIONS IN THE EVENT OF OUR DEATH TO HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER CARE FOR OUR DOGS. WE HAVE SPENT TIME IN TRAINING AND SOCIALIZING OUR DOGS TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE BEHAVIORAL ISSUES. OUR DOGS ARE SENIORS NOW AND WE WOULD NEVER CONSIDER SURRENDING THEM BECAUSE OF AGE OR ILLNESS. WE WILL ALWAYS COMFORT THEM TILL THE END, FOR AFTER ALL THEY ARE FAMILY. 

I BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A DOG OR ANY PET FOR THAT FACT, THAT YOU HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT FOR THE LENGTH OF THEIR LIVES. THEY ARE NOT MATERIAL OBJECTS THAT CAN BE DISCARDED AT ANY TIME BECAUSE "THEY ARE NOT A FIT"!! WHEN YOU SURRENDER YOUR DOG, THEY ARE LEFT ALONE AND AFRAID AND OFTEN TIMES DESTROYED. YES, IT TAKES WORK IN CARING FOR YOUR DOG, BUT THE REWARDS ARE SO MUCH GREATER! DOGS ARE OUR COMPANIONS, THEY ARE LOVING, LOYAL AND ALWAYS FORGIVING. MAYBE IF WE DIDN’T “GIVE UP COMPLETELY” ON OUR DOGS, THERE WOULD BE LESS IN OUR SHELTERS!

   “Pets are humanizing. They remind us we have an obligation and responsibility to preserve and nurture and care for all life.”- James Cromwell.

CHEWY MAN'S MOM👩

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

 HEY GUYS!🐾

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

CIENA AND ME.....ARE RED, WHITE, AND BLUE ALL OVER.... CAUSE OUR FRIENDS, HAZEL, ROSIE, CHEVY, DIAMOND, KYLO AND STAN LEE ARE STILL IN NEED OF RESCUE AT NORTHERN OCEAN COUNTY ANIMAL FACILITY! THE SHELTER IS SEEKING HELP FROM 501c3 RESCUES, CURRENT AS WELL AS NEW SHELTER PARTNERS. REMEMBER RESCUES ALWAYS NEED FOSTERS TOO. OH AND DON'T FORGET THEIR ADOPTABLE DOGS, SO MANY SWEET FACES! 

SO, PLEASE CHECK OUT "FRIENDS OF NORTHERN OCEAN COUNTY ANIMAL FACILITY" FACEBOOK PAGE TO ADOPT, RESCUE OR FOSTER! YOU CAN BE THE LIGHT OF THEIR LIVES!

THANK YOU,

CHEWY MAN AND FAMILY! 🐶

Author is not affiliated with any shelter, just a concerned animal advocate!