Big Dogs, Big Help, Big Love
Camper (aka Red) is now living his best life thanks to Pets in Need.
Did you know that an estimated 3.1 million dogs are taken into animal shelters across the nation each year, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals? Of these, approximately 390,000 are put down annually. And many are big dogs, generally defined as dogs weighing 35 pounds or more.
Sadly, big dogs in shelters are more vulnerable to being put down because they are more expensive to care for than smaller dogs and are less likely to be adopted quickly. But with enough time and resources, many of these dogs could find forever homes.
Take Red, a Shepherd/Rottweiler mix, for instance.
Red was surrendered to an under-resourced shelter after his owner had kept him outside 24/7 with no toys or anything to chew on - except the side of the house. At his original shelter, Red failed an antiquated temperament test, and he was given just a week before he would be put down. But our behavior staff at Pets In Need felt that with time and training, Red could overcome his behavioral issues so he could be adopted.
They were right. Red was transferred to Pets In Need, where the behavior staff supplied him with appropriate things to chew and worked with him on his other issues (primarily guarding his food), and gave him a second chance at life. Today, Red has a new home, a new name - Camper - and all the toys he wants.
Nakia with her new family. photo: petsinneed.org
Nakia is another good example.
A friendly Pitbull mix, Nakia is gentle and trusting, and she wags her tail like a puppy when given a treat. But like Red, Nakia had ended up in another under-resourced animal shelter that couldn’t afford to continue caring for her. And like Red, she was scheduled to be put down before being transferred to Pets In Need, where the team quickly began searching for a permanent home for her.
Finding a placement for Nakia was no easy feat. Breed restrictions for rental properties and a requirement that Nakia be the only pet in the home made the search for suitable adopters especially challenging. But, after seven long months and countless hours put in by her foster families and the team at Pets In Need, Nakia finally found her forever home.
Nakia’s new family reports that she is doing well. Although she has plenty of time to relax, she is most excited about playing. Her family says that when she’s ready to run in their backyard, she will jump and spin as if to say, “Join me!”
There are thousands of other big dogs like Red and Nakia in shelters throughout the Bay Area and beyond, just waiting for a second chance at life. But they need our help.
Here’s what you can do:
Become a foster. Foster families are critical lifelines for big dogs, offering them a break from shelter life, which can be especially stressful for larger dogs while they wait for adoption.
Consider adoption. Big dogs have big hearts and so do their adopters. Adoption specialists can help ensure that the dog matches your home and lifestyle.
Provide financial support. Caring for big dogs in shelters costs big money. In addition to expenses for food and medical care, big dogs often require extra support and care to stay strong mentally and physically during their shelter stay.
Stop breed restrictions. Breed restrictions that prohibit people from having big dogs - such as Shepherds, Huskies, Rottweilers, and Pit bulls and Pit mixes - are among the main barriers to finding forever homes for big dogs. Often these breed-discriminatory restrictions are rooted in the misplaced belief that big dogs are automatically aggressive and dangerous. As a result, too many otherwise adoptable dogs are put down.
Red and Nakia were lucky to find their forever homes. Let’s help other big dogs defy the odds, too, so they can also run, play, and live a long life filled with big love.