Shelter dogs

I've been volunteering at the Petaluma Animal Shelter. I answered a request from the Volunteer Coordinator to help with reactive dogs. Little did I know what door that would open...

First of all, I've been working with Valerie, who has been in Pit Bull rescue for many years. She has so much experience and knowledge, I learn something from her every day. Yet, she's humble and approachable and really really funny. No wonder I love going to work every day (even if I don't get paid).

I've been at the shelter every day for 3 hours for the past 3 or 4 weeks. I didn't plan this, but when I saw the need and realized that my house could remain dirty forever, I just had to do it. Staff has been cut at the shelter; volunteer time has diminished. It's not a pretty sight.

So Valerie and I focus on keeping the dogs sane so that they are adoptable. For some, this means basic obedience. For others, it means reducing their reactivity to other dogs. But the bottom line is that dogs need consistency and that's in short supply at any shelter.

Second, I have been instrumental in a number of adoptions. Because I spend so much time with the dogs, I know them. So when a potential adopter comes in for a look, I can tell them about each dog and what life might be like for them with that dog. Shasta, a beautiful, but shy Malinois might never have found her forever home if I hadn't walked her a few times to know that she was shy in the kennel, but fun and full of energy on a leash. Freeway, the frustrated Border Collie found his match because I warned his new owner that his pacing in the kennel was his way of coping and that he's a dream on a leash.

And third, I was in the right place at the right time. One of my foster puppies was returned last week. His owner realized that after 7 months she wasn't bonding with him and he was more demanding than she could handle. Fortunately for everyone, she made this decision before she'd lost interest and neglected him. She taught him basic obedience and exercised him daily. That's huge for a German Short Hair Pointer.

Zorr is doing as well as he can. He's 9 months old and living in a kennel. I exercise him daily and take him on an adventure every other day (car wash, run in the park, coffee downtown). I even got my good friends at UnLeashed dog training to give him free classes.

But he really really needs an owner. He wants to curl up next to some person and fall asleep. He wants to learn agility. He wants for so much.

And he is not alone. The shelters and rescues are full. That means that the next animal that is surrendered because of foreclosure or neglect or whatever will be doubled up in a kennel or worse.

Give your dogs an extra hug tonight for all those dogs who didn't get theirs today.