Save an Orphan

Iams Home 4 the Holidays kicked off their 2010 campaign with big expectations - save the lives of 1.5 million orphaned pets (1.3 were adopted last year) AND donate 5 million bowls of food to animal shelters in need!

Iams is also aiming to give 5 million meals to homeless animals. One way all of you can help donate a meal to a pet is to follow their Adoption Angel's stories on Facebook.com/Iams and “LIKE” photos, videos and posts. For every like they receive, Iams will donate a meal to a homeless animal.

This week we are participating in the Iams Home 4 Holidays Blog Hop. For this post, Iams will contribute 100 bowls of food to an IH4H shelter in need. So we didn't have to beg or blackmail to persuade Jan to let us use the computer long enough to do a post on how pet adoption has affected our lives —either as an adopter or an observer.

As to how our lives have been affected by pet adoption, in 2008 we wrote about Merci and Rusty and how they came to live here. We can't imagine the Funny Farm without little Merci or big Rusty. If you want, you can read the 2008 post here and our 2009 post here.

But since Jan used to photograph county shelter animals for the newspaper, she has had the most experience with adoptions - or lack of them -  so we're going to let her tell you about how shelter adoptions have affected her. 

Jan:  I loved taking photos of shelter animals.  They were basically sweet, scared, wanting to please, confused as to why they were there, and wanting to get out of there and go home.  Unfortunately, most of them didn't leave the shelter for a new home.  And that is the part I hated.  I could remember each animal I photographed as an individual and it was so hard to mark an X above their photos in the previous week's ad on my next trip to the shelter and come home to delete their photos from my computer.

We all want to read sweet and uplifting stories on shelter adoptions but the reality is that those terrified, adorable cats and dogs that want so desperately to live but are not adopted are killed.  If you love animals, you can not spend any time at a kill shelter and not be affected by the large number of animals that die there each year. 

Just as I started to type this I received an email indicative of how too many animals end up at the shelter.  The original email was dated Friday so these dogs don't have much time. Jerry, because of her age, has virtually no chance at adoption.

While the mother is in hospice dying from cancer the daughter dropped off the mother's dogs  today at the shelter: She brought in 3 of the 5 & will bring in the other 2 later today. Per Elizabeth at the shelter these dogs are TERRIFIED! They have 3 days to find homes before being Euth'd.

Jerry is a spayed female, utd on shots, 14 yrs old , deaf, good with other dogs, kids, and people, very sweet.
Hershey is a neutered male Lab, utd on shots, 4 yrs old, good with other dogs, kids, and people, very sweet.
Lovey is a spayed female Australian Cattle Dog, utd on shots, 5 yrs old, good with other dogs, kids, and people, very sweet.

If you can save these sweet souls who are so terrified and confused please email or call the shelter directly (contact info below) or email.

And just in case anyone can help save any of these dogs, this is their contact information.
Elizabeth Ann Brown
City of San Antonio
Animal Care Services Department
O: 210-207-6655
C: 210-508-8953
Email: Elizabeth.Brown@sanantonio.gov

Update Sunday: All 3 dogs are safe.  Lovely will be joining Jerry in her new home. Hershey is settling in at his new home. No word on the other 2 dogs.

You're undoubtedly wondering about the 6 Adopt A Shelter Pet photographs in this post.  A few months ago I took some photos of shelter animals in their cages/runs and used them as designs in our Zazzle store to promote shelter adoptions.  The animals in these photos are a symbol of why I advocate adoptions and why I support programs that help publicize shelter animals, such as IH4H. I never asked whether any of those in the photos were adopted because after 28 months of asking, I can pretty much tell you it is unlikely any of these beautiful, healthy, adoptable animals made it out of the shelter alive.

And so I use their photos to encourage folks to save another life and adopt a shelter pet.

PS from Funny Farmers - As we finish this on Saturday, another email arrives. This dog is not yet in a shelter. Can you help - adoption or foster!  We assume this beautiful dog is in the Los Angeles area as the original message was from Marie Atake of Forte Animal Rescue.

Missy was adopted from us three years ago.  We just received a call that her adopter had a heart attack and suddenly passed away yesterday.  He was ill, but was getting better.  His daughter has been here from TX to take care of him while he was getting better.  They did a routine x-ray, and while she stepped out to have a yogurt, he had a heart attack and died.  She was in tears and it crushed my heart...  

Missy was doted and is a real sweetheart.  She's gentle with people of all ages and shapes, other dogs and any creatures.  Missy needs TLC right away.  Please contact us even if you can just foster her until her forever home is found!  She's about 7 years old now.  She's little; she's just a Malti-Poo who doesn't do any harm to anyone...


We have only a few days while the late adopter's daughter is in town.  Please get back to us ASAP.  If you cannot help, please spread the word.  I'm desperate for Missy's sake. 

Sunday UPDATE:  Missy has been adopted . She will now live with a couple who had to put down their very elderly and sick Malti-Poo/Bichon about a month ago. After much heart break, they heard Missy’s story and felt it was meant to be to have her join their family. 

The blog hop will last thought this week.  If you would like to join and have 100 bowls of food donated to a shelter in need, click here for instructions.