Love for pets leads man to rescue pets in every US state

WHEN you go on holiday, do you take your pet with you?

Lee Asher does. All six of them. Lillie, Butters, Cali, Stella, Molly and Bo-Bo are Asher’s six rescue dogs. Since February he’s been travelling cross-country with them in an RV to promote dog adoption. His friend Luke Barton is along for the ride, taking photos and videos.

So far, they have been to 28 states and Washington, D.C., with 21 to go.

Asher’s goal was to get one pet adopted in each state they visited. As of this month, he has averaged three per state, with 83 dogs (and one cat) finding “forever homes”.

Every year, about 3.3 million dogs and a similar number of cats enter US animal shelters; about half get adopted, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Asher, who’s 29 and lives in Los Angeles, says each of his dogs has its own personality.

Stella, the most recent addition, moans a “wow” sound to get attention. Bo-Bo, a chocolate Lab, likes licking faces. Golden retriever Cali paws at you until you pet her. Butters and Molly, the tiniest of the crew, want to cuddle in your lap. And Lillie, a Saint Bernard who 45kg, enjoys sitting on people.

On long drives, the dogs sleep in the back, but occasionally Stella or Bo-Bo will sit in the passenger seat. At night, they park the RV in a large lot, and the dogs claim their spots on the bunk or the pullout couch.

Asher says he was bullied as a kid and had a hard time making friends.

“I loved animals. All I ever wanted to do was to be surrounded by animals,” he says. He volunteered at his local animal shelter. Being around animals made him happy.

His advice to kids: “Learn to build compassion for all living things.” – Washington Post

Brandon Kynoch