It is National Dog Day again! Celebrated each year on August 26th, the event was started by animal advocate Colleen Paige in 2004 as a way to bring attention to the plight of animals and encourage adoption. Her family family adopted their first dog named Sheltie when Colleen was 10 years old on an August 26 date. Colleen has also initiated National Puppy Day, National Mutt Day, and National Cat Day.
According to her website, “National Dog Day celebrates all dogs, mixed breed and pure. Our mission is to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year and acknowledges family dogs and dogs that work selflessly each day to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort.”
So yes, you can make a difference and you don’t even need a special day to do it! For instance, The Shelter Project has an easy way to find a local pet or adoption group.
And if you’ve ever met me or seen my Facebook page, you know that one of the most rewarding parts of my life is the time I spent at Peaceable Kingdom Shelter and Clinic, a non-profit animal welfare organization located in Whitehall, PA. There are so many animals waiting for loving families to take them into their homes.
Here are some numbers according to the ASPCA to provide a little perspective:
- Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. (3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats).
- Yearly, approximately 2.7 million animals are euthanized (1.2 million dogs and 1.4 million cats).
- Approximately 2.7 million shelter animals are adopted each year (1.4 million dogs and 1.3 million cats).
- About 649,000 animals who enter shelters as strays are returned to their owners. Of those, 542,000 are dogs and only 100,000 are cats.
- For dogs entering shelters, approximately 35% are adopted, 31% are euthanized and 26% of dogs who came in as strays are returned to their owner.
- For cats entering shelters, approximately 37% are adopted, 41% are euthanized, and less than 5% of cats who came in as strays are returned to their owners.
- About twice as many animals enter shelters as strays compared to the number that are relinquished by their owners.
So if you are considering adopting a pet, please check out a few more helpful resources:
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/adopt/
http://bestfriends.org/resources/for-shelters-and-rescuers
http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/puppy-bowl/inside-the-bowl/pet-adoption/
http://www.aspca.org/nyc/aspca-adoption-center/adoptable-dogs
https://www.petfinder.com/animal-shelters-and-rescues/
“Millions of dogs are killed each year because they’re simply unwanted, says Colleen Paige, founder of National Dog Day. They’re unwanted because no one realized how to properly care for the demands of the breed. They’re unwanted because they were bought as a Christmas gift for a child that didn’t keep their promises about caring for the dog…unwanted because they shed too much…unwanted because they bark too much. UNWANTED…simply because someone changed their mind. All a dog wants to do is love you and be loved by you. Dogs are amazing, courageous, sensitive and sentient beings that deserve compassion and respect. Please consider bringing what was once considered “unwanted love”, into your heart and home on National Dog Day!”
[Collen Paige – nationaldogday.com]