Today, July 31st, marks one of two days per year that mixed breed dogs aka “mutts” are celebrated to honor and create awareness of the plight of mixed breed dogs that are waiting for homes in shelters across the nation.
National Mutt Day aka National Mixed Breed Day was created in 2005 to educate the public about the sheer number and types of mixed breed dogs shelters have available for adoption. Literally millions of dogs enter shelters in the United States each year and very sadly, many of those dogs who have been surrendered or abandoned don’t find new forever homes.
If people would stop buying puppies from pet stores or over the internet and search instead for their new family member at their local shelter or animal rescue, we could save millions of more animals’ lives!
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Did you know so-called designer breed dogs are mixed breed dogs? Puggles are pugs and beagles. Labradoodles are Labradors and Poodles. The list goes on and on. You may pay upwards of $1000 for such a breed but when you adopt you will save several hundred dollars for a dog who will forever be grateful for the second chance.
I only adopt my pets. I know their plight and do not find anyone of them inferior, as if that could ever be the case. All of my adopted dogs have been important members of my family. They have brought, joy, laughter and yes, sadness, when they become ill and pass away. They remain a part of my heart.
What would it take to convince you to adopt your next dog from a shelter? Puppies that are sold at pet stores are born at puppy mills where the mothers and fathers are forced to live in horrid, deplorable conditions where they receive little to no vet care, mothers are bred every heat cycle until they are no longer able to breed. When the mother and fathers are no longer wanted by the puppy mill owners, their fate is death which is anything but humane. Some are lucky and are rescued by animal advocates who run rescues. By buying a puppy from a pet store or over the internet, you are, in essence, forcing the mothers and fathers of the pups to live in hell!
Jazz in 2014. He had to wear hats after his vision was affected by chemotherapy.
Mixed breed dogs tend to be healthier, better behaved, they live longer and are just as able to perform the duties of pure bred dogs – such as bomb and drug sniffing, search and rescue and guiding the blind. There are millions of loving and healthy mixed breed dogs sitting in shelters, who are desperately searching for a new home. One of the country’s most famous movie dogs is Benji, is a mixed breed Terrier.
That’s why I stand by the motto, Adopt, Don’t Shop! I can attest that shelter dogs are fantastic and loving. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to find homes for shelter animals and I can’t tell you how many times people have shared their wonderful outcomes with their new best friends with me. It is a rewarding feeling to know a pet has a new, loving home.
If you get a chance, visit your local shelter or animal rescue.
Let’s celebrate National Mutt Day by adopting and if you’re unable to adopt consider volunteering or making a donation to your local shelter. Most run on a small budget and need all the help they can get.
If you don’t get a chance to celebrate our mixed breed dogs on this day, don’t forget you can do it again on December 2nd, or as I believe, any day of the year!!
Now let’s adopt our next best friend at a shelter!
Tina Evangelista-Eppenstein is a television talk show host, speaker, writer and animal advocate. She hosts the show, ” A Close-Up Look at Animal Welfare Issues.” Have a story, please email Tina at tevangelistaepp@yahoo. Like my tv page at https://www.facebook.com/ACloseUpLookAtAnimalWelfareIssues and check out AnimalWelfareIssues.com for all the tv shows you may have missed!
Mutts are the best dogs without a doubt. I don’t like that word mutts. Sounds derogatory in nature. Mutts are like any other breed. Specific breeds have been created by mixing breeds over generations. Shelter dogs are no different than your other bred dogs. They are the best.
I love my dogs but I don’t call them mutts either. They’re my dogs. My best friends in the whole world. The reason for living. The reason for everything. All of my shelter dogs are so loyal to me. They provide me with unconditional love which most humans aren’t capable of doing. I love them with all my heart. My dogs love each other because we are one happy doggie family!
Mutts are great. I always tell my friends to adopt from a shelter. They have so little chance of getting out of there alive. It depends on the state and locations. Some shelters wait for months while others only wait for days and some not even that. I don’t know how some can live with themselves knowing they don’t even give a chance an animal to find a new home or perhaps the previous owner looking for him. It not right.
Who can resist just one? I want them all! 🙂
That’s the only place where I get my babies. Remember- not all shelters are the same. Some people who work at them think they’re god and act like it as if you’re not good enough for the animals who need homes. Who died and made them boss? some don’t even belong at shelters. Yeah, I said it.