DECEMBER 2019 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 55
ANIMAL ADOPTIONS
ADVICE FROM SHELTERS
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Join the Celebration
75 Years of
No-Kill Action
and Compassion
A D O P T A P E T T O D A Y !
North Shore Animal League America has many
puppies, kittens, dogs, and cats to choose from.
Mixed-breeds, purebreds, and small breeds too!
OPEN FOR ADOPTIONS:
Thursday - Sunday • 12 PM - 8 PM
Christmas Eve: 11 AM - 6 PM
CLOSED: Christmas Day, New Years Eve
& New Years Day
25 Davis Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050 • animalleague.org • 516.883.7575 • RR006
FOLLOW US ON:
PRESS PETS
BY ALLISON MATOS
The numbers are staggering. Approximately
6.5 million companion
animals enter animal shelters nationwide
annually and about 1.5 million
are euthanized. While the saying
“Adopt, don’t shop” has gained popularity,
animal shelters are still not
seeing the volume of adoptions they
hope for.
Many people find visiting an animal
shelter to be overwhelming or sad.
Maybe believe a shelter won’t have
the breed of dog or cat they’re seeking.
But volunteers tell a different
story and sharing their knowledge
may help save some lives.
“If a dog’s record indicates a previous
bite, it may not mean what you think,”
says Bonnie Zarillo, a volunteer at the
Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter
who highly recommends potential
adopters stop at the front desk for
detailed information about animals
that are otherwise overlooked. “For
intake purposes, a scratch that
draws blood is considered
a bite, which would not
automatically mean a
dog has a history of
biting at all. Twenty
five percent of
the dogs at the
shelter note
bites on
t h e i r
record,
and when
people see
that they keep
walking. It is imperative
to ask more questions
and spend actual face
time with any dog
that may be a match
for you
and your
family.”
With more
than 35 years of
volunteer experience
at several
Long Island
animal shelters,
Joanne
A n d e r s o n
has helped
hundreds of
people find
their perfect pet.
“Sometimes it
takes a little time to
find the dog of your
dreams,” she says. “No
one should settle when
choosing a rescue dog.
Wait until you discover
that dog that
makes a connection
with you. If you are looking for a
specific breed, you can always contact
the appropriate purebred rescue
organization.”
Once home, the dog or cat will need
three to six months to settle in.
“Too many adopters want instant
perfection and return pets for small
transgressions,” Anderson adds. “We
must remember that any dog (even
puppies) that winds up in a municipal
shelter or rescue has already
been failed by humans at least once.
Adopted rescue dogs need time to
decompress, catch up on their sleep,
bond with new people, and learn the
family rules and routine and what is
expected of them.”
Bottom line: you can't go wrong with
saving a life, so with an open heart
and open mind, head out to a local
shelter or rescue and adopt a new best
friend today!
Adopting shelther
dogs saves lives.
(Getty Images)
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