Donate to or volunteer at your local animal shelter or rescue group.

Support rescues and shelters

There are city and county run shelters in almost all communities. There are also many privately run shelters. Most will do their very best to avoid euthanasia, and use it only as a last resort when they are way too crowded. Many of the private shelters are no kill shelters, and they have to work extra hard for donations to feed and shelter all the critters that come their way.

In addition to shelters, there are rescue organizations for just about any breed of dog you might be interested in. These are run by a group of people generally with a special fondness for a specific breed.  Volunteers pick up dogs (or cats) from city or overcrowded shelters, and take them to their own vet for a good check-up. From there, the dog goes to a volunteer foster family to live until a permanent placement can be made.

Contact your local shelter or rescue group to find out how you can best help. They all need volunteers who can walk, clean, or even file paperwork! If you haven’t any money to give, donate used towels or blankets, cleaning supplies, or pet dishes and leashes you no longer need.

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So Many Animals, So Many Ways to Be Kind

Online Dog Coach and the American Humane Association Celebrate the 96th Annual Be Kind to Animals Week® May 2-8. This week we’ll bring you a tip a day on ways you can show kindness towards animals.

“So many animals. So many ways to be kind.” That’s the inspiring theme of this year’s Be Kind to Animals Week®, an annual event started by the American Humane Association in 1915 to encourage compassion toward animals. Every year, animal shelters throughout the country hold special events during Be Kind to Animals Week to raise awareness about animals in our homes and communities and to celebrate the unique bond between humans and animals.

In 1952, Be Kind to Animals Week received the official endorsements of the U.S. and Canadian governments. It is now one of the oldest special week-long observances in the United States.

“Kindness toward animals is one of the building blocks of a humane and compassionate society,” said George C. Casey, interim president and CEO of American Humane. “Be Kind to Animals Week is the ideal opportunity to go above and beyond in caring for animals — and there are so many different and valuable ways to do just that.”

In honor of Be Kind to Animals Week, we suggests the following ways to show appreciation for the animals around you:

• Commit to adopting your next pet from an animal shelter

• Report any suspected animal abuse or neglect

• Donate to or volunteer at your local animal shelter

• Spay or neuter your pets and encourage friends and family to do the same

• Spend quality time with your pet

• Make sure your pet has an ID tag and microchip

• Drive cautiously through areas populated by wild animals such as deer

• Plant flowers in your yard that will attract butterflies or hummingbirds

• Speak out in your community about the importance of respecting animals

• Visit www.americanhumane.org for activities children and adults can do together

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The Dumb Friends League Furry Scurry is Saturday May 1st at Washington Park in Denver, Co. This is a great opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors with your canine pal while raising money for a great cause.

Tanner is a Katrina rescue dog adopted from the Buddy Center

Schedule already booked for May 1st or live outside of Denver? Sponsor a team like Aura Leigh and side-kick Tanner, members of the Online Dog Coach community. Aura Leigh runs Paws Ma Pet Care Services, a Littleton-based pet sitting and dog walking service. In addition to walking in the Furry Scurry, she is generously donating a portion of March’s proceeds to the event.

Kelvin and Kalee, two of the Online Dog Coach stars, were adopted from the Dumb Friends League 8 and 10 years ago.

Live outside the Denver Area but still inspired by the Furry Scurry? Donate time or resources to a local shelter in your home town.

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Humane Societies and Rescue Groups have homeless dogs and puppies, often surrendered because their first family was unable or unwilling to work with the dog.

Provide a Home - Adopt a Puppy

Puppies and dogs from humane societies and rescue groups often have unknown health and genetic histories, and may not come with certifications or papers. However, you can get a limited registration for purebred dogs by submitting photos and paperwork to AKC or UKC, allowing them to participate in some sporting events.

One thing that everyone always notices about adopted dogs is that the dog seems to know, and appreciates the home you give them. Maybe we project this emotion, but it’s real to us.

Most groups feature their dogs on services such as Petfinder, but research the group to make sure they are caring for their pets in a humane way. Browse their web site, check with the local society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, and if possible, visit their facility before adopting their pets.

Enjoy your new dog, and help them keep you as their home – begin a training program using positive reinforcement.

Here is a brief list of dog rescue group types and the benefits each provides… (more…)

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Some stores, like PetSmart and PetCo, don’t sell puppies. Instead, they work with local rescue groups and humane societies to adopt pets. However, many other pet stores get their puppies from puppy mills.

Puppy mills have breeding dogs that are kept in small kennels with little human contact and minimal health care. I won’t go into details here – I am sure you’ve heard about the recent raids in the midwest, Texas, and Alabama, and you can look up the details elsewhere.

Pet store puppies may be registered, but the lineage isn’t monitored to ensure puppies that will remain healthy. Stores may be willing to treat puppies that are sick when you buy them, but not work with you when a genetic illness develops. They seldom provide other services despite prices being comparable to breeders or humane societies. Purchasing puppies from stores encourages puppies for profit, poor breeding, and the birth of more puppies than there are homes.

Before purchasing a puppy through a pet store, ask to see the paperwork identifying the puppy’s breeder and origins. If they are unwilling to provide this information, find another source. If they show you the paperwork,  puppies shipped from out of state by a broker service are a red flag. Go home and do a little research before considering the puppies.

Sometimes you can find information about the pet store by searching their name along with “puppy mill.” Check the source though, the Internet loves rumors.  Snope the story, or look for information from organizations that do criminal investigations and rescues, such as the Humane Society of the United States and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or local agencies.

Note: This information is also true for kittens and other live animals sold by pet stores. Almost every pet store “pet” including reptiles, birds, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, etc. have reputable breeders and adoption rescue groups.

Next, private advertising – in the paper, on the Internet, and on the street. Other entries in this series:

• How to Find a Puppy and Avoid Puppy Mills – Puppy Checklist
• Evaluating Breeders
• Through Private Advertisements (next)
• Adopting from Rescue Groups

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