Bark Your Calenders!

Sorry it's been a little while since my last post, but I'm back now and ready to share some more PUPular and CATastic trivia with all of you!  Get ready to "bark" your calendars because there are a few very special pet dates you should be aware of this coming week. 

 

First, National Kids and Pets Day is on Tuesday, April 26, 2016.  This day of recognition originated in 2005 and was set up by Colleen Paige who is a mother and pet lover herself.  This day is dedicated to furthering the relationship between children and animals, raising awareness about shelter animals, and educating parents and children about pet safety.  Children and pets naturally go together, especially dogs, and as with adults, dogs can be fantastic teachers for children.  By learning how our dogs communicate and then listening, we can improve ourselves, and there’s no better time to start doing that than as a child.  Here are just three of the valuable lessons dogs can teach our children.

 
Self-confidence:  Dogs accept us for who we are and are non-judgmental.  They can’t tell the difference between a homeless man and a billionaire because all they’re looking at is energy.  Because of this, dogs are often used to help children become comfortable with reading out loud.  In this situation, if the child makes a mistake or stumbles over a word, the dog isn’t going to laugh.  It’s just going to sit there and listen quietly.  Without the possibility of embarrassing themselves in front of a dog, children learn to trust their own abilities.  Once they’re reading out loud in front of other kids, their skills continue to develop and self-confidence helps to build self-esteem.  Dogs give this to children just by being dogs and quietly listening. 

 
Empathy:  Very young children are naturally self-centered because they don’t know any better.  The world revolves around them and their needs.  This leads to problems as soon as they encounter another child with their own conflicting needs; for example, both of them want the same toy.  When children get older, the ones who don’t develop empathy become the bullies.  They aren’t aware of or don’t care about other people’s feelings.  By teaching children how to treat animals with compassion, we also teach them how to do the same for other human beings. 

 
Responsibility:  Pet ownership in general is one of those experiences many of us go through as kids.  Dogs are probably the best at teaching responsibility because they're the ones most emotionally attached to their human.  If you aren’t fulfilling a dog’s needs, she’ll let you know through her behavior.  Forget to fill the water bowl?  Expect her to start bothering you when she gets thirsty.  Not giving her enough exercise?  Her over-excitement will remind you that it’s time for a walk.  Neglect to provide a mentally challenging environment?  That’s when you come home to find your shoes in pieces.  It’s also the emotional connection that humans have with dogs that makes them great teachers of responsibility.  We consider them members of our families, and we like to see them happy.  It’s this happy-go-lucky side of a balanced dog that makes children want to remember to do what they're supposed to do in order to keep the dog fulfilled.

 

So let us all remember  the important values dogs can teach our children, not just on National Kids and Pets Day, but every single day of the year. 

 

Second, Wednesday, April 27, 2016 is International Guide Dogs Day.  Although my own personal experience with a guide dog was not a great one (that's a story for another blog), I will always believe that guide dogs are amongst the most phenomenal animals on the planet.  It's impossible to feel anything but pure love and awe when you witness just how dedicated these animals are to their owners and how precious and adorable the bond the two of them have is.  International Guide Dogs Day is a day to celebrate these dogs as well as the patient and talented people who train them and pay tribute to the important role they each play in our society.  The crucial work they do is recognized by everyone and, on International Guide Dogs Day, people go out of their way to honor and express their gratitude to these dogs who have impacted the day-to-day lives of so many.

 

Third, and probably most important, is National Adopt A Shelter Pet Day which is celebrated annually on April 30th.  Thinking about getting a pet?  Well, there’s no better day than this day!  There are millions of animals in shelters across the country waiting to go home with you, but you don’t have to adopt a million of them – just one would make a big difference.  Here are some facts about animal homelessness that may surprise you.

 

1.  Only 1 out of every 10 dogs born will find a permanent home.

2.  The main reasons animals are in shelters: owners give them up or animal control finds them on the street.

3.  Homeless animals outnumber homeless people 5 to 1.

4.  Each year, approximately 2.7 million dogs and cats are killed every year because shelters are too full and there aren’t enough adoptive homes. 

5.  Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year.  Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats.

6.  According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), less than 2% of lost cats and only 15 to 20% of lost dogs are returned to their owners.

7.  About twice as many animals enter shelters as strays compared to the number that are relinquished by their owners.

8.  It’s impossible to determine how many stray dogs and cats live in the United States.  Estimates for cats alone range up to 70 million.

9.  Only 10% of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered.  Overpopulation, due to owners letting their pets accidentally or intentionally reproduce, leads to millions of these “excess” animals being killed every year.

10.  Many strays are lost pets that were not kept properly indoors or provided with identification.

 

Animals impact our lives in so many ways without question or hesitation.  They save lives, keep us healthy, guide our blind and disabled, protect our neighborhoods, teach our children important life lessons, and bring joy to our families.  They do so much good for the world, yet too many of them end up neglected, abandoned, and abused.  There are so many  extremely cute and loving animals out there who are just waiting to become part of a family!  So what do you say...until there are none, adopt one!  Not quite ready to adopt?  You can still make a difference.  Consider donating supplies, money, or your time to a local animal shelter and maybe even look into becoming a foster home for animals in need.

 

Whatever you do, remember to celebrate and show your appreciation for all the amazing things animals   do for us each and every day!

 

Happy tails to you until we meet again!