Increasing demand for hard to adopt dogs.

Our own behavior and attitudes that we convey to our friends, volunteers, and new people we meet is powerful. It is actually one of our primary methods of marketing the joys of living with 'special' dogs. We do not currently have the ability to quantify/validate the result in terms of attributable adoptions, but we can see the effects clearly and I do think it is relevant to this submission.

My director, Holly DeRito is an excellent model of her complete adoration for her dogs, her acceptance of their limitations due to their difficult pasts, and how lucky she feels to have them. It is completely genuine. I have just recently come to realize how much other people learn from it.

When Holly got the email about Roo she just showed me the picture and said "I think we just found your second dog".

The shelter called it a 'kagaroo chi' because she hops about on her back legs (lack of front legs congenital product of a breeder, no doubt). So we called her Roo.

She is darling. I just adore her. Everyone does. Holly letting Me adopt this dog was like giving me an unexpected and far too generous gift. Everyone wants to be around her. People want to babysit. Professional photographers kneel to catch a perfect shotas judges give her awards.

I realized that Holly and I are part of a culture change where here, at this moment, the whole definition of hard to adopt is changing, and its a beautiful thing. I am not saying we are the sole cause of the change, but we are living it and reinforcing it and sharing it.

I am learning that showing people how much I adore my deformed dog is the best marketing there is.




The other day someone in the dog run told me 'you are such a good person for adopting that dog'. And I just laughed reflexively. Not trying to be rude, but I had just been inhabiting such a different world. I said 'actually there are so many people who would kill for this dog, and she is such a lamb, and I am the lucky one.'

That is what we want to, and do convey. We are priviledged to be with these special dogs- because they are interesting and challenging and magical and my dog has a backwards toenail that arcs up towards her body, instead of down towards the floor. Who else gets to have that? She is a miracle, a marvel, a gem.

We are so lucky to be dog rescuers, and so lucky to be spending time and effort in something we believe in. So we talk about it, and blog about it, and let people know just how good this all feels. Dog rescuers talk to alot of people every day- there are lots of errands and coordination. We talk to people about our dogs and about what we are doing- and the people, they want to share in the good, they want to help, and foster, and adopt a special dog of their own. And they do. Which is great.