Shelter underdogs need loving homes
MY heart ached when I saw the photo of Sam, the beautiful lurcher, who has been waiting 901 days for a permanent home (Mail). Poor boy, he’s simply had bad luck! Each day I see more and more people with designer dogs – in fact, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a mutt. Just like people, dogs are dogs regardless of a pedigree or whether they are mutts or how they look. All of them need and deserve a loving, stable home. Over the past 35 years, my husband and I have rescued five older dogs and 18 cats from shelters. Every one of them has enriched our lives enormously. We have loved all of them and they have loved us back unconditionally. Like Sam, they were once unfortunate pets that had been given up for rehoming. When adopting a rescue dog, it does take time for the animal to settle in to their new home and become accustomed to the new environment in which they finds themselves. It also takes time for them to build a loving bond with their new owner. For some it takes longer than others but all that is required is gentle patience, lots of love and time. We have loved all of our rescues and they have loved us back, providing undying loyalty and companionship. One of the dogs we adopted was called Tyke, who was a 13-year-old mix. Sadly, it became apparent by his behaviour that he had suffered some abuse. However, we were determined to love him and that’s exactly what I did. Tyke lived for two more years but those years were filled with lots of love and regular visits to the coast, where he enjoyed running around and playing in the waves. I cannot understand the mentality of people who want only a ‘good-looking’ dog that they can show off to others – this is egocentric behaviour and, after all, beauty is only skin deep. It makes me wonder whether, when the dog ages and loses its puppy appeal, will the owners dump the animal at a rehoming centre and replace it with a younger and better looking model? I urge people to forget about a dog’s looks and remember all the animals at rehoming centres who are waiting for a chance to be someone’s faithful, loving companion. You will be rewarded ten-fold! I hope Sam finds his forever home quickly and enjoys the rest of his doggy years with a new family.
SYLVIA KAY, Dunfermline, Fife.