Zoe's Story September 16, 2009
Posted by Shannon Phillips at September 16, 2009 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 8 ) | TrackBackAbout six months ago, I met an amazing girl with a personality to match, and we quickly became best friends. Like a best friend should, she doesn't care what I look like in the morning, she supports every decision I make, and she's there for me between laughter and tears. My only complaints about our friendship are that she can't go shopping with me, we're unable to go out for fancy vegan dinners, and the strangest of all? She doesn't talk. All of this might sound a little off, but it makes a little more sense when I let you know that my best friend is a dog.
As a regular volunteer at the city animal shelter, Norfolk Animal Care Center, I see a lot of animals come and go, and my best friend is really no different. She came to the shelter as a stray from one of the worst neighborhoods in Norfolk. She was lethargic, scared, had visible scars on her legs and neck, and was a little skinny. While I genuinely love each and every dog that comes through the shelter doors, there was just something different about Zoe. In the beginning, Zoe didn't even want to leave her kennel to go on walks, and she curled up on her bed and slept for the entire day. There was no doubt in my mind that she was depressed, and I wanted to do everything I could to change that for her. Over the weeks, I spent more and more time with Zoe and eventually gained her trust. We went on long walks, played fetch, and the amazing staff made sure that she got her favorite pink comforter to lay on every night at bedtime.
Over the next few months, I showed Zoe to just about every family that walked through the doors looking for a new companion. Unfortunately, a lot of people judged Zoe by her appearance and opted to look at smaller dogs, puppies, or purebreds. After multiple rejections, I started to feel like I was letting Zoe down. More than anything, I wanted someone to give her a chance and a forever home, but little did I know ... that person would be me. After about three months in the shelter, I heard word that Zoe had a chance of being euthanized as no one seemed to be interested, and the shelter was full of other dogs who also needed forever homes. At that moment, I knew I had to do something. I scribbled a note for the shelter manager on a post-it and stuck it on his office door. On May 8th, 2009, I picked up my new companion and we've been inseparable ever since.
It feels so great to know that Zoe has a second chance in life, but more than anything, I wish that so many other dogs in shelters could have that same chance. Every year, approximately 6 to 8 million animals are turned into shelters, and 4 million of those animals are either euthanized or end up in no-kill shelters where they may spend years living in a cage. Many animals come in as strays, but some are even surrendered by their guardians for reasons like "allergies," "we're moving," "can't keep anymore," "too expensive"—there are just too many to list. If there's anything I've learned from Zoe and volunteering at the shelter, it's the importance of spaying and neutering (the world doesn't need any more puppies, trust me!), only getting an animal companion if you have the time, money, and means to do so, and avoiding pet stores and
So if you're looking for a friend and have the time and the means to do so, please adopt a companion from your local shelter—they will thank you with a lifetime of unconditional love.
xoP.S. In her new life, Zoe loves the PETA dog park, cuddling on the couch, peanut butter biscuits, playgrounds filled with children (she absolutely adores kids), car rides, trying to play with my cats—Mr. Chow and Bean, and grooming my bunny, Princess Bun-Bun. I'm also happy to say that Zoe is now a PETA office dog and comes to work with me every day! In fact, she's curled up at my feet as I type this.
Who is Tyler Huxley Durden? April 16, 2009
Posted by Rachel-O at April 16, 2009 3:18 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 11 ) | TrackBackUh, only the cutest dog ever, of course! Well, okay, actually he's the companion of Thomas, a PETA staffer—and he's just probably the cutest dog ever.
Tyler loves baby carrots, chewing fingers, running through the campaigns department at lightning speed, eating doggy biscuits, and all in all, he just seriously loves life.
I don't think there's anyone in the office that doesn't love Tyler—but having him and the other dogs in the office is pretty bittersweet. Upstairs in our cruelty investigations department, our caseworkers see dogs and other animals who live lives the complete opposite of Tyler's—dogs who never know a loving touch or who live their entire lives on chains and dogs who eventually die on the end of one. So often, PETA is the shelter of last resort for animals who are victims of the overpopulation crisis or who are unwanted and suffering from injuries left untreated.
Every year 6-8 million animals end up in shelters across the United States, and of those, 4-6 million get put to death because people don't spay and neuter their animals, and because there just aren't enough good homes like Thomas'.
Thomas adopted Tyler from a rescue that drove him all the way from Oklahoma to DC to find his new home—how sweet is that? There is simply no excuse for anyone not to adopt. Anytime anyone buys a dog from a breeder or a pet store, a dog dies in a shelter—a dog just like Tyler, maybe even cuter. Maybe. The point is, dogs and other animals—whether they're cute or not—aren't things to be bought and sold. Got it? C'mon, you can't put a price on this face!
Although Tyler's life started out rough, I'm sure he couldn't be happier now. Some here in the office say he's even a bit manipulative, and he does seem to get more treats than any other dog in the office. Hmm ...
Okay, he's totally running the show...
Stay loud!Is Your Dog This Cute? February 2, 2009
Posted by Rachel-O at February 2, 2009 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 11 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
dogs shelters puppy mills
One of the many awesome things about working here at PETA, like delivering straw to needy dogs in the winter, or meeting the occasional dinosaur, is getting to hang out with compassionate people, and some pretty sweet animals, all day at work!
There's no doubt in anybody's mind (well, at least not in peta2) that the hippest dog in the office is Lexi. Come on—she has an owl sweater! How much cuter can she get?!
Lexi hangs out in the PETA literature department and works hard at mailing out stickers with her companion Hope.
For most of us and Hope especially, it's hard to believe that anyone could not want to snuggle up with Lexi every night. Unfortunately the reality is pretty cold for the 4 million animals who will be euthanized in shelters, some without ever knowing a loving person, because people don't spay and neuter their animal companions, or continue to buy animals like objects from pet stores and breeders when dogs just like Lexi face death in shelters every day.
What can you do to make sure that more dogs end up like Lexi? Well, I'm a little late on a resolution this year, but I think I've finally decided that I'm going to work on being more outspoken when I hear someone is going to breed their dog, or is thinking of buying a dog from a store.
So every time you hear someone say they want a new puppy, think of Lexi, and the millions of other animals in shelters right now. With that cute face, it's kind of hard not to!
10% Wool December 4, 2008
Posted by Marta at December 4, 2008 1:17 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
Jeff Corriveau cats dogs 10% Wool shelters overpopulation
Amazing!
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To check out past installments of the strips, click here.
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