Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

REDUCE - spay and neuter your pets. Hunting dogs do better without the distraction of sex. If altered dogs get fat, well, how fit are you? Perhaps you both need to get out and walk. Believe me, I get good aerobic exercise each day though it is interrupted as I allow my hounds to smell :). Altering pets is crucial to their well being health wise and to lowering the numbers of unwanted pets in shelters and rescues.

REUSE - adopt your pet. A woman walked into Petco over a week ago looking for a dog to buy. Ho, boy, I hope we were restrained as we attempted to educate her and her companions that one should NEVER buy a dog or cat from a pet store since they have, no matter what the employees may tell one, come from a puppy mill. Cash crop. Indiscriminate breeding. My Sheltie Sheila spent 10 years in a crate only hauled out to be bred. Her feet are a mess from being on wire. It has taken a long time for her to understand I am not going to hurt her. ADOPT, ADOPT, ADOPT - when you do, you save two: the one you adopted and the one who now can take her place.

RECYCLE - when you have items you no longer need, take them to the Safe Harbor Thrift Store on 61 between Cape and Jackson; all proceeds, and I mean all, go to the cats at Safe Harbor. Most rescues, shelters have wish lists of things they need for the better life of the pets in their care.

A final thought - before you seek a shelter for your old dog, please, consider doing her a favor. Talk to your vet about euthanizing her before sending her to perhaps a loud and noisy place where she may spend her last days in fear and dread. You owe it to her. Yes, it is hard but the more I do rescue, the more I know it is better for a dog to die in the arms of those she loved than strangers, however well meant we may be.