What have your experiences been with getting an animal at the pound?

1. 68

   grinnin1posted 13 years ago

   What have your experiences been with getting an animal at the pound?

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2. 35

   ChristinSposted 13 years ago

   We recently lost our friend of 15 years due to illness/old age.  He was a cat we adopted from the Humane Society.  At the time I adopted him he was 5 months old and rather skittish compared to the other cats.  I knew if I didn't pick him he might be euthanized because he was shy.  I asked to hold him and I fell in love instantly - he was my best friend for many years and was there for the births of my children and many other happy events.  He was my comfort in many challenging times.  Our entire family loved him like a fellow human family member and he came out of his "shyness" and loved everyone.  He ran out the door to the car to greet us when we came home just like a dog lol.  He loved to spend his days outside on the porch and he'd come in at night to sleep by us.  He was absolutely wonderful - and he was a "pound" pet
   
   I cannot advocate enough the importance of adopting animals and having pets spayed or neutered to avoid the overpopulation problems we have that lead to so many innocent lives being ended early.   Adopting Sam was the best pet experience of my life and when I am ready I will gladly do it again!

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3. 93

   billybucposted 13 years ago

   We just got a puppy (nine months old) from the Pound a month ago and the experience has been great.  Wonderful dog albeit a bit hyper, but then he is a puppy!  I love our neighborhood Pound!

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4. 0

   DoItForHerposted 13 years ago

   I got my last dog from the local dog pound. I am constantly getting comments on how awesome she is and how they wish that their dog was like mine. She is an awesome dog, but she surely did NOT start out that way!
   
   Behaviorally, if you want to put in the time and effort, you too can have a dog like that. Lots of people get hung up on the dog's history and continue to live in the past. But don't let that common thought process stop you from getting a dog no matter the behavior problems- as long as it is healthy and as long as you are willing to take the time to train it.
   
   Medically, there isn't a lot you can do about that. Many pound puppies will have some kind of long-term medical problem, so you would have to deal with that. I would say most of the dogs have had a very poor diet and that contributes to poorly developed bones, hips, and such. You may want to have a vet do a full evaluation before adopting.
   
   The dog I have now, Waffles, has very bad hips and a deformed back. She probably won't live past 10 and our activities have been limited since she was 6-years-old. If you are a couch potato, then having a crippled dog may not be a big deal, but if you are inclined to go skijoring, play flyball, or compete in agility, be aware that not having a documented, well-known history of the dog will not put the odds in your favor.

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5. 59

   Dubuquedogtrainerposted 13 years ago

   All of my pets except for one have come from humane societies, and the one that did not was a "career changed" dog from a service dog program. I have volunteered hundreds of hours at humane societies in various states over the past 20 years and it breaks my heart to see the number of animals euthanized daily for no other reason than there aren't enough homes. You can find a wonderful pet at the humane society!

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6. 57

   consentinoposted 13 years ago

   I haven't experienced anything, but, all of our children have gotten several dogs from a pound and had no problems.  Sometimes they would get a dog that was a little skittish, due to being miss treated in the past, but, they would take it slow and let the pet warm-up to them.  It is important not to force attention to a pet, let them get use to their new surroundings.
   
   
   
   www.petsareagift.com

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7. 82

   clairemyposted 13 years ago

   Actually I wanted to them all home, but you have to pick the one that you know will suit you. Thankfully it was very well run and we also had to meet certain criteria and be prepared for spotchecks..

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