Higgins' 5th Bday Wish: Please ADOPT!!

 I'm back from a week long biz trip just in time to wish my faithful canine companion a happy 5th (approximately) birthday!

 Higgins was rescued in 2007 off an ad on Petfinder.com. He was found roaming the streets of Miami and was placed into a foster home through the Friends Forever Rescue shelter, where he was lovingly cared for until we met.

For those of you who are considering taking a pet into your home, please consider looking into rescue adoption first. Placing an emphasis on adoption over purchasing from a breeder can help alleviate the pressure on animal shelters that often have no other choice but to kill pets to make room for the daily influx of dogs. There are many great dogs that languish in the shelter that are often overlooked. 

Please consider an "older" shelter dog over a puppy and reap the benefits of having a happy, healthy, and fully trained dog upon adoption. Shelters that utilize a foster program have many loving people working hard to ensure that the pet is ready to be a fully functioning family member upon adoption. Higgins came to us at 7 mos fully potty trained, already socialized with other pets and people. 

If you must adopt a specific breed, please take a look into rescue clubs/shelters. Puppy mills are often liquidated, and shelters will take these dogs that were destined for the pet stores in your local shops and malls. The demand for designer dogs has put pressure on breeders to quickly churn out dogs, causing problems with overpopulation as well as birth defects in the dogs due to inbreeding. Those horrors aside, there are many designer dogs in perfect condition that are in need of rescue! A quick Google search for yorkies yielded three national rescue organizations that address this very problem. 

 Also, consider a different breeds. My brother rescued a pit bull terrier despite all of the horror stories and stigmas behind these dogs. With careful, dedicated training my "nephew" Stubbs is enjoying a life of 5 mile runs through the streets of Boston and an active back yard hunting life. He would have most likely been put to sleep if it weren't for my brother. I've had good and bad experiences with pit bull terriers and believe that, like any dog, they also deserve a chance. A dog is only as good as the owner behind it so please consider a giving these dear dogs a chance!

I am so thankful for all of the love I've been able to share with Higgins and am glad that I can provide him a life that's safe, stable, and loving. Please share your stories of adoption and if you or a friend are looking for a pet, ADOPT!!