Dog Adoption question

[janette]

I adopted a dog from a local city shelter yesterday.

She's a Bichon Frise and she looks much better after a good bath Having her around now I know that she was someones loved pet, she gets excited when we get the leash out, is house-trained loves to be around people and made herself very comfortable in my DD's bed last night.

The only thing she's had a problem with is coming down the stairs but I think that must be something new for her.

She is older (vet and shelter thought maybe 10) has some limited vision but is otherwise healthy.

I can't help but feel that there might be someone looking for her or that there might have been a reason her previous owners weren't able to get her from the shelter before she went for adoption. I've been watching the shelters here for quite sometime and this is the first time I've found a Bichon Frise available for adoption. She is definately not a mix.

Should I keep an eye on lost pets just in case someone is looking for her? I hate the thought of her being someones that is grieving her loss.

 

[~Sparkly~Zoe]

How about putting an ad up or in the paper for her?

 

[momof3disneyholics]

My mother and I adopted a Bishon from a pound back in 1996. My mom was looking for a companion after the loss of my dad. We didn't know what she was when we got her. Her fur was greyish brown and really matted. I saw something in her eyes and told my mom that was the dog for her. We took her home and bathed her really good, and used a conditioner so we could brush out the tangles all in her fur. She was absolutely beautiful. Her fur was a sparkling white. The vet said she looked like an older dog, but she was really healthy so he thought we had maybe 2 years with her before she would probably pass on. Well, my mom died in a car accident in 1998, and several family members wanted her, but my mom left her to me in her will, so she came to live with me and my family. We went to Germany in 1999, and she came with us. We left Germany in 2002, and she left with us. As I am typing she is laying across my feet. She is absolutely the best dog I have ever owned. She only has about 3 teeth left, but she is still here and still healthy, 7 years after we got her from that shelter. She still enjoys going to the beach on the weekend with us and she greets my son when he comes home from school. I definately recommend everyone look into a "pound dog". You won't be sorry.

 

[CookieGVB]

Do what you feel is right, but generally shelters hold onto dogs for a short time before putting them up for adoption. Most people call the local shelters when they lose a pet. It might prevent you from bonding with her, if you're thinking "what if" all the time. I might look for a week or two in the papers, but after that, she'd be mine.

 

[phillybeth]

Congratulations and thank you for saving a life! Quite possibly this sweet little dog was dumped by family members that 'inherited' her. I foster for a rescue group, and the foster I have right now was turned into a shelter because his person died and no one in the family wanted him. He is a sweet, loving dog who was totally traumatized by his few days in the shelter. It took him weeks to come out of his shell.
Pets are wonderful companions for older people, but if you or anyone you know might be in this situation, please make arrangements for your furry friend- don't just assume someone in your family will take them. Quite a few people I know have provisions in their wills for either a lifetime stipend for the family member that cares for a surviving pet, or instructions that if no one can care for it that the dog be surrendered to a rescue group that will find it a new home. And it's not just death that results in pets getting dumped- a catastrophic, chronic or serious illness can have the same results. Even a move to a senior facility may require rehoming a pet.

 

[TwinMom7]

We adopted a full-blooded black cocker spaniel almost three years ago from our local shelter. He was 11 months old at the time, and had just been dropped off by a family who couldn't "handle" him with an infant and a toddler. He had been well taken care of - was healthy and had been regularly groomed. It cost us $75 to adopt him, which included the cost of his being "fixed".

He is the LOVE of our lives - don't know WHAT we'd do without him.

 

[lisajl]

Hooray for you and that dog!!

I agree with PhillyBeth. I work for a veterinarian and I used to work at our local Humane Society.

A year ago I went back to that H.S. and found the dog of our dreams. See her photo at the left.

Our dog was given up for no apparent reason. Then when we got her home she started freezing up around my DH. Then we tried to play with her more and she would run and hide.
Well..one of the reasons they gave her up was she would sit in her crate and shake. I believe the previous owner beat her.
She was so skiddish.

Now....well...let me tell you...she is amazing! We can let her off the leash and she will run back and forth to my DH and me.
We are thinking of putting her in an agility class. She is so cool.

We have taken down the crate and she leaves the cats alone.
We moved her nice fleece bed to our bedroom and she sleeps on the floor.

Thanks for adopting a dog from a shelter and no matter what reason the dog was given up just love it.
Lisa

 

[janette]

Thanks everyone, I think I will check the lost ads for a little while just to make myself feel better.

She is such a sweetie. A little bit ago she picked up her leash and brought it to my DD She wanted to go for a walk, she fits right in