Best Friends Offers to Help Obamas Find Shelter Dog
The petition worked – now it’s time to adopt
Dog lovers across the United States know Best Friends Animal Society, which operates the nation’s largest facility for homeless, companion animals--many of them dogs. And with the news that the Barack Obama and his family plan to adopt a dog from a shelter, Best Friends wants to help.
“Whether it’s a mutt or a special breed on their list, we can tap our vast network of shelters and rescuers around the country to help match the Obamas with just the right dog,” said Julie Castle, director of community programs for Best Friends, a place where approximately 600 dogs (and 1,400 other animals) call home. “Mixed breeds, purebreds, young, old, big, small, long-hair, short-hair, black, brown, white or any color in between—we can help the Obamas locate the perfect dog for their home.”
Dogs at Best Friends live in “
Dogtown,” the subject of a national television series airing on the National Geographic Channel. It is also home to 22 of the
pit bulls from the Michael Vick dog fighting case, a subject covered in a DogTown episode in early September.
Best Friends created buzz around the Obamas’ search for a dog in mid-July when it launched the web site,
ObamaFamilyDog.com. In a matter of 24 hours approximately 20,000 dog lovers had signed a petition urging the Obamas to adopt from a shelter. The petition was capped at 50,000 in just a couple of weeks.
“We were trying to send a loud, clear message that adoption is the best option,” Castle said. “We’re so happy that the Obamas have decided to adopt rather than purchase a pet. Best Friends is the home of second chances, and adoption is so much a part of what we do that we are delighted to help in any way possible.”
Best Friends has been aggressively working to expose and shut down puppy mills, large breeding operations that mass produce and warehouse puppies before finally selling them in pet stores. Best Friends’ “
Puppies Aren’t Products” national campaign spreads the world about the poor quality of life of young dogs who come from puppy mills. Each year, it is estimated that around 4 million dogs are bred in puppy mills, and Best Friends as an organization says this contributes significantly to the 4-5 million animals that die each year in shelters.
“In addition to overpopulation, many dogs are killed each year in shelters because not enough families know they are available for adoption,” Castle said. “Best Friends believes that adopting a homeless pet is the right choice, and the Obamas’ choice to adopt will surely help get the word out about this very important issue.”
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
For more information about adopting a dog, Best Friends suggests a visit to a local shelter or looking online at any of the following web sites:
www.1-800-save-a-pet.com www.pets911.com www.petfinder.com Potential adopters can also find a purebred dog from a breed rescue organization by searching
www.google.com. Enter a city or state, the breed you are looking for, and the word “rescue.”
For more information:
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ObamaFamilyDog.com•
Obama Family Dog communityPosted by Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends staff
Photo credit: taken by Jennifer Hayes