Adopting a Pet

I haven't rescued a pet yet but I am in June, and so I've been researching it quite a bit. The good thing about going to a rescue rather than the Humane Society is that the dogs have been taken care of. If there were heart worm issues or anything else, they've already been treated. They've already been spayed/neutered and are up to date on all of their shots. You have to ask because while many rescued dogs are already house trained, there are those who aren't. This is a good resource: http://www.petfinder.com/ -- many rescue organizations post their available pets through this site. Now rescuing a pet will cost about $100 or so more than going to the Humane Society, but again, you're paying for a pet that's been well taken care of and who has had all its issues recognized (for instance, if they're not kid-friendly, etc.) and who has been in a home environment rather than a bunch of cages.

Anyway, hope that helps!

We adopted our old dog, Pappy, from the pound. He was the best dog. He was already house broken and he knew we had saved him (he was scheduled to be put down the next day---and he was a nasty, smelly, knotted furry mess.)

I agree with the rescue scenerio, too. See if your local animal shelter has a foster program. The dogs live with temporary families while they wait for their "forever" homes.

Good luck! I think it will be a rewarding experience for you, Luke, and the rest of the family.