This weekend, my family and I decided to adopt a dog.
We thought it out very well before, considering adopting an animal isn't easy or something anyone can do. It's a huge responsibilty, you're giving an animal a new home, a new life and you have to give it the best care as if it was your child. Plus you have to think of its future. Will you be able to afford to take it to the vet? If you move home can you take it with you?
I looked at all these factors before and knew I would be able to give it all the love and attention it needed, but I was uncertain I could afford to keep it, but the family decided to take charge of it and I would be able to look after her, take her for walks, feed and care for her, like an older "sister".
I had thought of buying a pedigree dog considering I loved a certain breed of dog I had once seen in a shop, but my partner and I had been to the local dog kennel which many people in the village do not even know about and we would visit and take food and just go and greet these dogs. There are more than 200 abandoned dogs in this particular kennel, waiting to be picked up one day by their best friend. Some of them get adpoted, some of them never leave the place.
Puppies are most likely to be adopted here as they are cute and seem better to have, but I don't think this is always true.
It is best to get a dog that has less opportunities to find a home, one that has never left this prison (I say prison but these dogs have been well looked after).
Getting an older dog is something not many people do and I believe they should, plus they are more likely to be more domesticated and calmer than a puppy.
I had been a few times to this kennel "Rifugio Mascherina" in Piedimonte Matese, Campania and this one dog had caught my eye, (although all dogs would be taken if I could).
As you enter this place the dogs start barking, hoping they will grab your attention, they run to the fence with those puppy eyes saying "take me, take me."
It was really sad for me the first few visits as I would of taken them all home with me, but its virtually impossible. Plus you can see the intelligence in the dogs as they bark until they see you walk off, suddenly they stop and think "oh well, maybe next time", and to me there would always be a next time.
I walked along the fence saying hello to all the dogs and suddenly I saw this dog, with beautiful black and brown coloured hair just sitting there staring at me. No barking, no jumping, just sitting there staring.
She seemed calm, collective and knew that I would fall for this. Lucky for me, my inlaws also fell for the same dog and one week later they decided to adpot her.
Her name is Margot. She is four years old and hadn't left the kennel in three years.
Once she arrived home all clean and with cut hair she was all nervous, jumping around, exploring her new home.
She wouldn't stop panting or moving. She didn't bark once and she was a pleasure to have. We were all emotional and took her on a walk, took her to meet the rest of the family and she felt extremely welcome by all.
Now she doesn't want to leave our side, she follows us everywhere, even at night I put her in my room so we keep eachother company. She snores like me so when I am not at home my boyfriend has a replacement of snores from her. She doesn't want to be alone anymore and she is a pleasure to have around. She is educated and doesn't disturb us while we eat. We really couldn't ask for more. Not all dogs are this good but I wouldn't care aslong as I knew I was changing a life. A dogs life....And hopefully we can give it another 10 or 12 years of happiness.
All this was such an exciting feeling, yet I felt so sad, sad that she had been trapped for so many years and sadder that I couldn't help all the other dogs left in the kennel.
Abandoning animals is something I will never understand. And after this experience I really wish more people would adopt more dogs instead of buying fancy breeds just to impress people on the street or to give themselves a status.
Cats and dogs are left to die on the streets and only few people adopt these animals and it's unfair. Plus people don't know about these places or don't want to know about them.
I want to help in any way I can and thats promoting the adoption of these animals.
But firstly, you always have to look at the factors.
Can you bring up a cat or dog for 16 years of your life?
Can you economically look after an animal?
Will you never abandon it?
If you can, then visit your local kennel. Adopt a dog. And if you feel that you can't adopt a dog, visit the kennel, ask if they need any help, they will most probably appreciate any voluntary work you can offer, even if its bringing food and blankets. They will always appreciate it, the animals and the workers.
Margot and my family and very happy now and I hope more people can do the same.
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