30 Dez Adopt Don’t Shop
You wouldn’t know by looking at us but our starts in life were not as plush as they are now. Today we’re the Feel Good Office Managers of Chaka2 and the queen and king of our respective homes but it wasn’t always like this.
We were both found and rescued from the streets in Greece and Spain, respectively. Alma hails from Greece where she was found as an abandoned puppy. Fish was found by La Voz Animal rescue organization in Spain after the police called to inform them that a dog had been hit by a car. They rushed to the scene and found a very sick, injured pup. Fish was taken to their ranch where he faced emergency surgery and six months of rehabilitation but they never gave up hope. Our beginnings may have been tragic but the best and most important part of our story is the part when we got adopted.
“Adoption is the most critical piece of success to ensuring that we can continue to help other dogs,” says Beatriz Menchen López, founder and CEO of La Voz Animal in Spain, a shelter she started single-handedly that today rescues, rehabilitates, and rehomes hundreds of dogs and cats around Europe. “For every animal we’re able to place in a loving, forever home, we are able to help save another one,” she continues.
For too long, the tendency of many people has been to buy dogs. However, there are a multitude of reasons why here at Chaka2 we firmly believe in #AdoptDontShop:
- You’re Saving A Life
As Beatriz said, every dog that is placed in a home means that one more can be saved from inhumane conditions or a dangerous life on the street. Shelters and volunteers need all the help they can get but a critical step in their success is being able to place the dogs they have already rescued to make room for more.
From the actual animal you’re saving, to the space you’re freeing up in the shelter, and finally the adoption fee that helps pay for more lifesaving, adoption is the gift that keeps on giving (not to mention, you will save a lot of money by paying an adoption fee compared to a breeder’s price). - You Will Know So Much More About What You’re Getting
When someone buys a puppy, they do not know what is in store for them concerning their personalities. By adopting a dog and working closely with your rescue organization, you can get essentially Tinder-matched to perfection. Need an active outdoorsy kind of gal who can keep up with your hikes? You got it. More into snuggling on the couch with a good book and looking for a handsome hunk to curl up next you? Plenty of that too. Whatever you need (child-friendly, cat lover, quiet, intelligent, independent, playful) there is one little soul in a shelter waiting for you.
By adopting, you can also find a furry companion that is not only trained (many rescue dogs were surrendered by incompetent or desperate owners who have already done the tough job of training and housebreaking them) but socialized and ready to have a family of his or her own. Shelter dogs are not defective dogs- they’ve simply been victim to unlucky circumstances. You can be the wind of change that turns their life around! - You’ll Be Part of A Community of Aware and Passionate Animal Lovers
Once you become an adopted-dog parent, you realize just how many others there are like you. It’s like unlocking a language you didn’t realize you spoke. Suddenly, you are a proud member of a community that is committed to shining a light on the importance of giving shelter dogs a chance. Stories at the dog park or with neighbors telling their tales of how they came to home their new family member will add even greater appreciation for the furballs around you.
We hope sharing a little bit of our story will help us spread the #adoptdontshop message and why we as a company firmly stand by it. Especially during the Christmas holiday, please consider adoption and use your voice to speak up for those who can’t and help your friends and family to consider it, too. Lastly, in the giving spirit of the holidays, consider donating your time or money to causes helping in the fight to clear the shelters. To some it may be only one life, but to that dog that’s the only life they have.
#rescuedismyfavoritebreed