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I have to agree, the profiles seem more positive without mention of death row, and when they arrived at the shelter. I think with that tweak they're just about perfect.
Harry, a Pit Bull Terrier mix about two years of age, was removed from his home due to charges of animal cruelty and was emaciated at 29 pounds when he arrived a local high-kill shelter. Through no fault of his own, Harry found himself on the euthanasia list several weeks later when he developed kennel cough but a good Samaritan did not want to see his time on earth cut short unfairly and decided to give him his second chance.
With improved nutrition, he is quite a handsome boy at weighs 47 pounds. Harry is a wonderful dog. He loves people and wants to please his foster family but will require an experienced owner. He is crate trained and working on house training and leash manners. He knows some basic commands such as look at me, lay down, sit, and stay. He is gentle with his foster family's preschoolers though probably would be better suited to a family with older children. He would prefer a house with a properly introduced friendly canine companion - he currently is fostered with Smoky, also available for adoption, and they have great fun both romping and relaxing together. Harry loves tossing squeaky toys about and chasing balls! He does not feel comfortable eating with other animals close-by and must be fed separately due to potential food aggression issues. There should be no cats in the home.
Please consider Harry - he deserves a wonderful life. He is up to date on all vaccinations, heartworm negative and on monthly prevention, and neutered.
Smokey, a Blackmouth Cur/German Shepherd mix, was adopted from a local high-kill shelter as a small pup and returned at 9 months when his people developed allergies. He found himself scheduled for euthanasia when he developed a mild upper respiratory infection but got an eleventh hour reprieve and now awaits his forever home. Smokey is an absolutely delightful boy - dog, cat, and child friendly - and never meets a stranger. He is crate trained and working on house training. He walks very nicely on a leash and knows some basic commands such as sit, down, and stay. He is eager to please. Smokey would love a house with a canine companion - he currently is fostered with Harry, also available for adoption, and he adores his new buddy.
Please consider Smokey as a wonderful addition to your home. He is up to date on all vaccinations, heartworm negative and on monthly prevention, and neutered.
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He may actually have hip dysplasia - the muscle wasting/tone etc were my own observations as I was not the one who took him to the vet but my neighbor suspects it so I took that part out for now. I will have to take him back into my own vet. Maybe his tone is normal for a 10 month old puppy - Harry is so rock-hard that Smokey seems flabby in comparison - "skinny fat" so to speak. Oh and I figure no one is going to be looking for a blackmouth cur and he does look like a shepherd mix - thought that might make him easier for people to find if they search for shepherds.
Hopes really did a fine job.....the descriptions are honest and appealing and avoid the loaded negative words that would scare potential "forever homes".
I love the phrase "forever home" and would try to use it in every post.....for that is what these precious dogs need......a forever home.....a place where they belong and are accepted and loved.....the consistency of a forever home.
Mobius, first, thanks for all you're doing! I love dogs, myself, and have a wonderful one I adopted from a rescue. Wish I could afford more, but a fixed income limits me.
I think for the most part these are very well-worded ads. I think many of us who post on this forum are already dog lovers and many are quite familiar with termenology used. I am trying to read these ads as though I don't know anything about trems often used.
I would not use food aggression. I would not mention the term aggression at all when describing a pit bull mix. I know it's a proper term, but don't think that addition is needed, as you advise feeding seperately. I just think for an uninformed potential owner seeing the word aggression is a turn-off. I also would not mention the kennel cough. He no longer has it, right? It only raises a question in the potential adopter's mind as to how healthy this guy is. It's pretty common, and treatable, I think, but many people don't know that.
I would say ....when he arrived at a local shelter. No mention of "no-kill" or second chances. Emphasize his wonderful points, sell the positive, do not dwell at all on the negative in his past life. You can provide a more complete history when an inquiry is made...get them in the door first, lol! The same with Smoky.....not "high-kill shelter", but "shelter"; do not talk about his URI. Nothing will be hidden if someone inquires, but no need to talk about anything negative in this initial ad. I'm glad you took out the part about his rear legs, too.
This is just my opinion, of course. Again, thank you so much for what you're doing!!!!
Little update: I was going to get 6 months of heartworm prevention today and could not do it because Harry is now the big 49.5 lbs!! They actually told me not to let him gain any more weight and he could have the full six months but I wouldn't be surprised to see him put a few more lbs on here soon. I am not overfeeding and in fact he will walk away from his food these days if I don't mix a little canned into it so his relationship with food has definitely improved. He's literally eating HALF what he was when he came here. I didn't expect him to gain 21 lbs in just 2 months but he did and he looks beautiful!
We saw the vet today and she will give me a sedative for for his thunder phobia but for day to day says he needs first behavior modification techniques but more importantly, I've got to find the poor boy a cat-free home. It's driving him insane.
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