Animal Shelters

Scary or sweet?

Fallon and Obie still need you. Call or text Lynn at 413-854-1404

Lynn is a busy trainer who doesn’t have time to become an Instagram influencer to get these dogs into homes. They don’t need to be together. They have different personalties and I suggest you meet them to decide which one to adopt. It will be a tough choice!

I am not a rescuer. I volunteer at a local shelter a few hours a week to get a sense of the frontline work and I am here to report that there are countless good dogs waiting to be adopted. This does not mean that you should run out and adopt a dog. Bleeding hearts often do not know what they are getting into. But it does mean that now is not the right time to buy from a breeder. Besides, breeders are overwhelmed and going belly up. Many of their dogs end up in shelters too. Purebreds fill up kennels—and not just pit bulls. Doodles, for instance, are easy to find. Not that they are purebreds. My question is why are so many people dumping, breeding or neglecting their dogs? Life has changed in Trumpland, and it is only going to get worse when financial support systems are radically cut.

One reason is that veterinarians are also too expensive. I was glad to see that Columbia Green Humane Society is going to build an on-site clinic; Berkshire Humane Society already has one around the corner from the shelter. This is the future. Animal welfare organizations will need to provide all kinds of services in order to enable people to keep their pets.

The folks who work in the shelter where I volunteer are kind and attentive, especially to the dogs and cats. The kennel staff knows its dogs places them very carefully. There is a fabulous pit bull sitting at Berkshire Humane Society who has been there far too long. He’s beautiful and adores people, even strangers. “Beethoven” is a prize. The problem is that he doesn’t like other dogs. This is the case with many bully-breeds. Yet he is one of those dogs who everyone loves—but no one wants. I don’t get this.

But the same could be said for “Morty” below. He’s older, which can be a strike against any dog. But that also means he is fully housebroken, crate-trained, and well socialized. He’s a great dog.

Then there’s Clover below. She’s missing a leg. She lost it as a puppy so she doesn’t know any other body and doesn’t seem to mind. This dog has so much character you will be spellbound. She’s exactly what people should want in a pup. She is under a year, loves to play, is quite athletic and snuggles like a pro. If you walk her down the street—I promise strangers will stop you. (Contact Outofthepits.org to adopt…)

I once went to the ACC in New York City with my friend Esther to adopt and asked to see the oldest pit bull in the place. Admittedly that is not the wisest way to approach a shelter, but I was feeling brave. Archie turned out to be a great dog. She was old—I didn’t have her for long. But getting any dog out of a shelter is the best tonic for whatever is hurting. I highly recommend it.

photo by Val Shaff

If any dog belongs in this column, it’s Anakin, above. Like the other dogs on this page, he was overlooked for many months as he was older and had a few a few health issues. Yet, everyone who met him—loved him. They just couldn’t take him, for one reason or another. Anakin was living at the Troy Veterinarian Hospital when I met him. Cyd Cross, then president of Out of the Pits, said, “You have to meet him,” and I paid serious attention to her recommendations. I took him home 24 hours later and like Archie, only had him for a short time. But if you were to visit me, you would see photos of him all over my house. He was adored. Just an ordinary/extraordinary tuxedo pit bull. My point is, check out the dogs who have been in your local shelter the longest. They are there because they are loved.