adopt, don’t shop
You know that song by The Police? The one that goes:
Every breath you take and every move you make
Every bond you break, every step you take, I'll be watching you
Every single day, every word you say
Every game you play, every night you stay, I'll be watching you
You know it? Great. You don’t? Listen to it, then come back here.
~Dramatic pause while I wait for you to finish the song~
This song is how I feel about having a dog. Even as I write this, my dog, Camden, is sitting on the couch simply staring at me. He hasn’t moved for five minutes, upright and immobile, his huge brown eyes gazing straight into my soul. I don’t think he’s blinked yet.
Camden is obsessed with me. A little 8 pound yorkie/maltese rescue pup, he won’t leave me alone. He pushes the door open while I’m peeing and jumps onto my lap. He walks with me the 15 feet from the dining room table to the kitchen sink, just in case I were to quickly escape out the back door. He jumps 5 feet straight into the air when I get home, even if I’ve been gone for 3 minutes.
He’s obsessed with me, and honestly, I feel the same way about him. I adopted this teeny boy in 2016. I was having somewhat of a quarter life crisis. I felt like something was just missing in my life so I did what anyone having a quarter life crisis does: I adopted a dog. I found Camden on petfinder; he was the first dog I clicked on. Camden jumped straight into my arms the second I walked into the door of his foster home, and as cliche as I can make it sound, the rest was history.
Five years later at 9 years old, this little old man and I have become attached at the hip. He’s my trusty companion, up for any adventure. He’s pure love, unconditional and overflowing. Ready for another cliche that might make you vomit? While I technically rescued him, we both know he rescued me.
There’s something about shelter dogs… they just know. They know you gave them a second chance. You know they’re a little fucked up (cue separation anxiety, territorial behavior, food hoarding, etc.) You both love each other despite and because of it.
Pet breeding has become a massive industry to the point where profits often outweigh humane practices and conditions. Many dogs are overbred, with breeders mating cousins or siblings to keep genetics “pure,” or pushing female dogs to their limits with pregnancy after pregnancy. While this isn’t always the case, if you’re interested in purchasing a dog from a breeder, please do your research. And please don’t get a dog or cat from a pet store unless they are hosting animals from a humane society.
If you’re cool with a mutt or a pup who might be a little different, check out your local animal shelter or find your new best friend on sites like Petfinder. They're cheaper, sweeter, and will totally change your life… furrever ;)
