A bouncing poodle, a needy Jack Russell terrier, a shy boxer and a cocker spaniel are all about to be available for adoption at New York area rescue groups and shelters.
It’s a far cry from the lives they once lived as breeders at puppy mills. The dogs will be named once they arrive at their destination. Eight of the dogs — mostly with special needs — will be arriving at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. They’re all part of the 160 dogs just rescued from puppy mills in the Midwest to be transported to waiting animal rescue groups through the Pup My Ride program. The ongoing program is made possible through Best Friends’ Puppies Aren’t Products campaign, which has the goal of a day when there are No More Homeless Pets.
Inside the kennel, the poodle jumped like a bouncing ball, trying to get the attention of her caregivers. Her efforts worked; she sat on volunteers’ laps during quiet moments and “lapped” up the attention.
It was no different for the young Jack Russell terrier, who looks like a puppy but is about a year old. If he whined long enough, eventually a caregiver would lift him from his kennel and carry him around or take him for a walk.
The shy boxer wanted one-on-one time too, but once she got it, she wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.
They’re all examples of dogs who previously have been fed and watered through wire cages, experiencing little interaction with people.
“They’re curious by nature,” says John Sibley, a Best Friends caregiver who is the animal care supervisor for this latest transport,” but they’ve never been allowed out before.”
The cocker spaniel “was totally shut down and sat in the back of his kennel,” Sibley says. “Now he walks up to the front for attention.”
Mary Richie, a receptionist at Best Friends’ Dogtown headquarters, where canines live on the sanctuary grounds, says it’s because the dogs are not used to getting positive attention. “The only time they’ve been allowed out is to be bred or to be vaccinated,” says Richie, who is handling the paperwork for this Pup My Ride — one of three this year.
But today’s a new day. “The cocker spaniel is going to be fine,” Sibley says. “They’re all going to be okay.”
For More Information
Pup My Ride is a Best Friends program to get 
dogs out of shelters and puppy mills and into areas where they are most likely to find their forever homes. We deliver the pups to local partners with highly successful adoption programs capable of finding homes for many dogs at a time.
Participating Rescue Groups
Pup My Ride demonstrates that when caring people work together, we get closer to creating a world with No More Homeless Pets. Along with Best Friends, each of the following groups participated in the Pup My Ride rescue. Please contact them directly to donate supplies, money and your time, or to learn more about dogs available for adoption.
How You Can Help
- Help rescue more dogs from puppy mills by donating to Puppies Aren’t Products campaign to fund future Pup My Ride programs.
Photos by Gary Kalpakoff, Best Friends photographer.