Rescue a pet and gain a friend for life

I’d like to welcome pet lovers of the Baltimore Metro Area to my first column as the Pet Rescue Examiner! In future columns, I will introduce you to some of the many wonderful sources where you can find a “previously owned” companion animal waiting for a forever home.

 

Whether you prefer your pets large or small, purebred or mixed, furry, feathery or scaly, you can find information right here. You’ll learn about rescue operations, matchmaking events, fund-raisers and opportunities to volunteer. I’ll provide advice on selecting a pet that’s right for your lifestyle and personality, plus tips for keeping your new companion healthy.

 

You’ll see photos of some of many available animals and read their stories. I’ll also introduce you to some of the people who help save unwanted animals every day. And perhaps my favorite part, I’ll share some of the heartwarming stories of loving pets who have overcome hardships—and the people who were lucky enough to adopt them.

 

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to share my life with many wonderful dogs. As a child, my family had two much-beloved dachshunds, Princess and Buffy, who came from a pet shop and a backyard breeder respectively. They ruled our house and our hearts for 15 years.

 

Next came a pair of mischievous beagles, Annie and Daisy. My parents adopted them together as rambunctious pups from the Carroll County Humane Society. The littermates had been found as strays, wandering the countryside looking for food. From their humble roots, they retained quite a taste for crunchy green grasshoppers.

 

My husband and I chose a beautiful purebred cocker spaniel from the Baltimore County Humane Society to be our first “child.” We named him Opie because of his cute freckled face. Like many little boys, he loved to go camping, boating and swimming.

 

These days, we share our home with a large, loving black and tan coonhound. I found her while cruising the Frederick County Humane Society like a lonely guy scopes out a singles bar. I saw her across the room, a scrawny 16-pound puppy, all legs, ears and soulful eyes. I fell in love. Now a surprisingly perky 10 year old, Sunny the coonhound is a robust 70-pound dog who worships my teenaged daughter, still gets the “zoomies” and persists in trying to squeeze under the sofa during thunderstorms.

 

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my pets, it’s that one man’s unwanted pet can be another person’s favorite companion! My “pound puppies” have given me more love and laughs than I can count, and I’m sure the same if true of rescued kitty-cats, hamsters and parakeets, too!

 

Whether you’re considering a new pet, wish to get involved in rescue or simply love animals, I invite you to keep reading. I look forward to reading your comments!